This Unknown Treasure

I came across this quote from a Women's Conference book in one of my notebooks and it comforted me once again.  If only I could always remember.....

“God works through the positive power of His love. When we truly learn to love God, we learn to love all things – others, ourselves, all creation, because God is in all, with all, and through all. We need not be afraid, and we need not hide behind a facade of performance. When we come to understand this unknown treasure – the knowledge of who we really are – we will know that we are entitled to the power that comes from God. It will come when we ask for it and when we trust his leadership in our lives. Our efforts should not be to perform or to conform, but to be transformed by the Spirit...the more overwhelming our tasks are, the more we understand that there is only One who can help, our Heavenly Father. Only when we draw unto Him can we learn how real He is, how much He understands, and how much He is willing to help. He knows that we are not perfect and that we are struggling; and when we accept ourselves with our weaknesses in humility, sincerity, and complete honesty, then He is with us.” 

-Jutta Baum Busche "The Best of Women's Conference" p.72

A Mountain to Climb

I find spiritual imagery so comforting and so inspiring.  I've been thinking a lot lately about my mountain.  The one I climb in mortality.  Because, let's face it, the earth is not flat.  Neither is our journey here.

On Hilary Week's album "Every Step" is a song called "Beautiful Heartbreak" that speaks legions to my heart and soul---I feel this song about my life's challenges.  I first heard her sing it at Women's Conference in April with my friend Cindy, who is climbing an even harder mountain than mine.  I really felt the power of this song when she sang it.  Hilary wrote on her blog about writing this song:

"You know – when you go through something that changes your life forever.  Something you would never choose.  Something heartbreaking.  But you go through it.  You face it – even though you’d run the other direction if you could.  You climb the mountain.   And then, somehow, some way…

You reach the top.

And the view changes completely.  And you realize the climb made you stronger, wiser - even though you would never have chosen to make the climb in the first place. 

But you’re closer.

To the Savior.

And that is something you would never trade.  Even though at times the journey broke your heart, you would never trade. 

That’s what this song is about." 

But that is only part of what she wrote about it.  You can read the whole blog post at this link. 

Going along with thoughts of this mountain climb we are on, I have received another beautiful and powerful spiritual imagery to go with it from Elder Matthew O. Richardson's talk in General Conference Oct. 2011.  

While his talk was on teaching through the spirit, he uses a story from his own life of hiking the South Sisters Mountain in Oregon, from which I gained some pretty strong insight (and a very tender mercy from the Lord).  Elder Richardson relates:

"Many years ago my children and I hiked to the top of South Sister, a 10,358-foot (3,157 m) mountain in Oregon. After several hours we encountered a long 45-degree slope of tiny volcanic pebbles. With the summit in sight, we pressed on only to find that with every step, our feet would sink in the pebbles, causing us to slide backward several inches. My 12-year-old son forged ahead as I stayed with my 8-year-old daughter. Fatigue and discouragement soon set in, and she was heartbroken, thinking that she might not join her brother at the top. My first impulse was to carry her. My spirit was willing, but sadly my flesh was weak. We sat down on the rocks, assessed our situation, and devised a new plan. I told her to put her hands in my back pants pockets, hold on tight, and—most important—as soon as I lifted my foot to take a step, she should quickly put her foot in its place. She mirrored my every move and relied on the lift that came from hanging on to my pockets. After what seemed like an eternity, we made it to the top of the mountain. Her expression of triumph and satisfaction was priceless. And yes, she and her brother were, in my estimation, real hikers.

My daughter’s success was a result of her diligent effort and how well she hiked after the manner that I hiked. As she synchronized her movement with mine, we achieved a rhythm together, allowing me to utilize my full energy."
And then later in his talk he adds:
"With the current conditions of the world...I know that your quest to improve may seem overwhelming at times. Please do not become discouraged with your progress. I think back on my experience hiking with my children. We agreed that every time we stopped to catch our breath, rather than focusing exclusively on how much farther we needed to go, we would immediately turn around and look down the mountain. We would take in the scenery and say to each other, “Look how far we’ve come.” Then we would take a deep breath, quickly turn, face uphill, and start climbing again one step at a time."

I feel, in my own life, like I am only part way up my mountain, and while the summit may be in sight, I am stuck at the pebbles.  While I am a mortal adult, I am a spiritual child.  I have not made it up my mountain without a guide--my Father in Heaven, and while much of my progress has been on my own efforts and abilities (choosing to act in obedience to my Father's will), there will always come a point on the mountain where, no matter how hard I try, I cannot progress without a higher source of power than my own.
Many of us have heard the story, or seen the photo, of the footprints in the sand, the point where the second set of footsteps disappear and the question asked, why, Lord, did you leave me at this hardest time of my life?...and the Savior says, I never left you, I was carrying you.  Well, here is an even more powerful imagery of our Savior helping us--on that mountain--as that father helped his little daughter.  He wanted to carry her, but it was out of his hands to do so.  So instead, he had her grab his back pants pockets and as he lifted his foot she was to quickly put her foot in his step, and utilizing her father's energy, and mirroring his every move, relying on that lift that came from holding onto his back pockets, and even with diligent effort (endurance to the end) and what seemed like an eternity, they did reach the top, and glorious was their triumph.  This little girl surely acquired more than just reaching the top, she acquired strength and confidence, faith and trust, satisfaction and triumph, by having been aided to reach the top through her own diligence and effort, than if she had been carried the last remaining distance.  This is how our Savior helps us.  He wants us to do it.  He stretches us beyond out limits, but He is there to give us the lift we need and with his very footprints marking the path upward.  All we have to do is hold onto Him and mirror His every move, relying on the lift that comes from hanging onto Him.  And at the top of the mountain rings the promise sure and true that "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

The Millennial Reign will come with our Savior and Redeemer, and, if we endure faithfully, never giving up, we will soar above the summit, above the clouds and the stars, with Him, to Eternal Life and Celestial Glory...worlds without end.

Never Forget That You Are Truly Precious

We are so blessed as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to have such wonderful leaders to guide and counsel us...to deliver the tender messages of the Lord to us.  President Dieter F. Uchtdorf addressed the women at the General Relief Society broadcast on September 24, 2011 ("Forget-Me-Not").  I not going to color-coat my life - in spite of the wonderful blessings I have, I am challenged by mortality and I struggle and yearn for the righteous desires of my heart that have not been granted me.  I make mistakes, and I feel very alone at times and my path gets dark.  I was so very grateful for President Uchtdorf's message.  It is something that I needed to hear, truly a tender mercy from the Lord.  This is what the Lord spoke to my heart:

Be patient with yourself.  It is part of your mortal experience to have weaknesses, but don't forget to look and see your strengths, and how far you have progressed in your mortal journey.  I will help you to eventually turn your weaknesses into strengths - it's a long-term process - it's OK that you're not there yet.  Keep working on it and stop punishing yourself.  Be thankful for the small success - like the tiny forget-me-not flowers - they may seem tiny to you and go unnoticed by others, but I notice them and they are not small to me.  Noticing these tiny successes can be some of life's sweetest experiences.  Find the wonder and delight in every tiny step on your long journey.  I am pleased when you sacrifice good things for something far greater with an eternal perspective.  And don't forget to be happy now.  Your deepest desires and righteous yearnings have not been fulfilled, but don't give up hope in them.  Instead, be happy now with your garden of forget-me-not blessings--discover the treasure and the beauty and the sweetness of everyday moments, and weave a tapestry of gratitude and wonder from them.  But never give up on your righteous desires.  Don't forget why you live the gospel - it is your pathway home - it is a light that penetrates mortality and illuminates the way before you.  Truly living the gospel is a joy and a delight, sweet and precious.  The what and how of obedience marks the way and keeps you on the path.  The why sanctifies your actions and magnifies your small acts of obedience into holy acts of consecration.  You are not forgotten - no matter your circumstances, no matter how dark your days, not matter how insignificant you feel - I have not forgotten you.  I love you with an infinite love.  I, who created the stars in the universe, knows your name - you are a daughter in my Kingdom, you are precious.  I am here loving you even when you feel lonely and make mistakes.  You are closer to heaven than you suppose.  You are destined for more than you can possibly imagine.  Continue on in faith and righteousness. 
Rejoice! For all that was promised...will be given...and Jesus will say to all Israel, Come Home!

 "Now Let Us Rejoice" was the closing song and touched my heart, too.  President Uchtdorf also spoke in General Conference and gave another touching, similar address:  "You Matter To Him."

Be Strong in Faith & Hope. Wait.

Live. Pray. Wait.

In a Women's Conference (2006) talk by Wayne Brickley (page 91 in the book) he said,
"In some ways, we can actually become better acquainted with [the Lord] while in this world than we could when we lived with Him.  This business of becoming acquainted with Him is life's main business and is very time consuming.  And it is this business that helps us understand why we have to wait for answers to our prayers.  When His answers seem to be getting further away, it is actually getting closer.  The longer we wait, the more ready we are for the best possible answer.  And the more ready we are, the more determined He will be to grant an answer that will surpass our greatest hopes.  Knowing this can keep our hopes bright during the long wait.

'...how great things thou has prepared for him that waiteth for thee.' D&C 133:45

"There would be no great story without afflictions, and hardship, and overcoming.
And, "God waits.  He waits for us to catch up.  ...[He knew it would] take time to absorb, to get used to things, to grow, to try and try again--that's our job.
"Keep before yourself a bright, day-by-day, unwavering hope in the future life...it will make the long wait go by more smoothly and sweet.
"Maybe there is no other way to learn except by having to wait between the time that we feel a great need and the time that it is met.
Keep praying.  Keep waiting.  He hears every sincere word...remembers every sincere prayer...He will pour out blessings such as our eyes have not yet seen...too wondrous to have entered into our little imaginations.  It will be so for those who live, and pray, and wait -- faithfully.

Margaret Lifferth's WC 2006 talk (pg 115) continues with the same message,
"When you think your prayers are not being answered, I want you to remember that the Lord knows the desires of your heart.  Sometimes we receive what we desire most only as we are 'long-suffering and patient in affliction.'  The Lord will refine us.
 
"...peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; and then if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."  D&C 121:7-8

Joseph Smith said, "All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection provided you continue faithful.  By the vision of the Almighty I have seen it."
This quote is in Lloyd D. Newell's book "Let Him Ask of God" page 313.  Brother Newell continues with his thoughts:
"How reassuring to know if we stand strong in faith and hope, all these hardships and heartbreaks will be made up to us - we will be recompensed and restored, healed and succored, in the glorious resurrection.  We must reach out to God.  Thank Him in every moment that He loves us enough to permit us to undergo tutorial suffering.  Open our hearts in humility and trust and patience.  Follow His word, be obedient, and keep the commandments.  Understand that in a coming day of peace and rest and joy, all heartache will be healed and all pain will dissolve.

"Shall we not go on in so great a cause?  Go forward...courage!...and on, on to the victory!  Let your hearts rejoice and be exceedingly glad."  D&C 128:22

"Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for His arm to be revealed." D&C 123:17

Trust the purposes of God, be patient, hope on, and wait.

Affirm Your Present As Part of Eternity

I can fall into a slump so easy.  Positive thinking does not come easy for me.  I am constantly having to remind myself to re-evaluate the way I am thinking.  I am so grateful for the notes I took from reading Garth Allred's book, "Unlocking the Powers of Faith."  I try to read a page or two each day during my scripture study time, and I keep discovering treasures of great knowledge.  This is the one for today:

Focus on positive things and avoid dwelling on problems.  Squeeze the most enjoyment out of every moment of life - affirming the present as part of eternity...no matter the current circumstances.

I also read: when problems arise, remember, it's not the event, but the thoughts about it that matter.  Put your thoughts to the Savior.  Suffering is only necessary for growth.  Even Christ learned by the things which He suffered.  (Hebrews 5:8)  And why?  So He could help us.  In turn, we can help others.

When your HOPE is strong you feel good about yourself and relate with others in a Christlike manner.

Remember: you act according to how you feel.

Oh, believe in yourself.  Believe!

And the Winner is....

There is so much emphasis on winning with sports and reality TV shows and etc.  But being "the" winner is not part of our Heavenly Father's plan for us.  He sent us here to learn and to help each other along the way.

I love these two thoughts from Garth Allred's book "Unlocking The Power of Faith."  He said,

"Winning is the loneliest place in existence."   And,
"Everyone wins who helps one another."

Why not cooperate instead of competing?  Coming unto Christ involves giving if we want to receive, and listening if we want to be heard.

Brother Allred also said,  "Whatever a man sets his heart and his trust on the most is his god.  The antedote is:  sharing, giving, extending ourselves to others.  The lie is: there isn't enough. The truth is: there is enough and to spare.  God will supply all our wants and needs."

The more we give to others, the more that comes back to us.  I reflected in this "giving" in a post in June of 2010.  Since that time I have really learned the blessing of giving more than ever before in my life.  The Lord makes the abundance for us and all we have to do is give it and share it.  It truly is a wonderful thing.

True Friends

We were sent to this earth to be tried and tested.  We knew it would not be easy before we came, but then the veil was put over our eyes and we don't remember the things that we were prepared to endure.  Life can seem so good for a while, and all can be going right and good, and then we turn a bend in the road of our life and find we have come upon a refiner's fire.  We are called upon to suffer and through that suffering our faith is tested.  The scriptures sometimes refer to it as a 'wilderness'....just like when the Savior went into the 'wilderness' to fast and pray and draw near to his Heavenly Father.  This is something we must do alone, because we each, individually must come to our Savior and accept His atonement.  We cannot return to our Heavenly Father on borrowed light.  We can't gain character or use our faith on someone else's testimony. 

Jesus Christ is our True Friend, and He will always be there to help us through our darkest times, and only He is able because He walked the same path we must walk.  He can help us, even though we may feel alone at times on that path.  He is able, and He can make us able, too.

Heavenly Father has also given us angels in many forms.  Some help us from the other side of the veil.  Others are here in mortality...our true friends.  They stand beside us.  They give us strength, even when there is nothing they can do.

One of my best friends is treading a very thorny path right now.  I feel so helpless because there is nothing I can do to help her get through this--except pray a lot, which I do.  I know only time and God will get her through it.

I got a card from her today with this poem that she read, and she said she knew she was supposed to read it, and when she read it, she knew it was me.  It was a tender mercy for her, and it was a tender mercy for me.  You see, I'd read a Women's Conference 2006  talk yesterday by Virginia H. Pearce....and she told us how precious we are to the Lord, and that if we are feeling less than adequate then we should pray to Heavenly Father and ask him to reveal to us how precious we are.  Well, I needed that, and I did that, and today I got this poem:

When trouble comes your soul to try,
You love the friend who just 'stands by.'
Perhaps there's nothing [she] can do--
The thing is so strictly up to you:
For these are troubles all your own,
And paths the soul must tread alone;
Times when love cannot smooth the road
Nor friendship lift the heavy load,
But just to know you have a friend
Who will 'stand by' until the end,
Who's sympathy through all endures
Who's warm hand clasp is always yours--
It helps someway to pull you through,
Although there's nothing [she] can do.
And so with fervent heart you cry,
"God bless the friend who just stands by!"

Such a tender mercy from the Lord to know I am not only precious to Him, but I am precious to such a dear friend.  I'm so glad that a loving and merciful Heavenly Father stationed me here at this time to be her friend.

What a wonderful gift it is to have friends.

How precious to have and to be a True Friend. 

Sleep in Peace; God is Awake

I just came across this quote again, and it's such a comforting thought, because who doesn't struggle in mortality on occassion?

"Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones, and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace.  God is awake."  -Victor Hugo

Hope is born of knowing we are not alone.

Regardless of Life's Challenges

"Nothing can bring a sense of contentment like the knowledge that God is in heaven, that we owe everything to Him, that regardless of life's challenges, we are loved by a God whose confidence in us never ceases.  If God is our friend and we seek with heart and soul to do His will, we can face any challenge and conquer any fear."
Lloyd D. Newell "Let Him Ask Of God" pg. 191

Within You

"Your health is so tightly connected to how you think and feel about yourself.  The seeds of deity are within you.  Your thoughts about yourself need to be in accordance to your being a child of God.  You have a glorious destination.  Don't ever forget who you are.  As you ponder your heavenly origins and promised blessings your thought patterns are set in motion to enpower you with light, truth, peace and joy that affects your mental and physical health."
-Garth Allred "Unlocking the Powers of Faith" pg. 102

Reflected Light

The closer we get to God, the more we focus on His glory rather than our own progress.  Any radiance from us is truly reflected light.

I've recently read, and am re-reading, a book I picked up in Utah while at Women's Conference called "The Healer's Art."  It was one of my 'treasure finds'.  We had already shopped Seagull Book a couple days before, but on Friday we decided to go in the Seagull Book in Spanish Fork while we had a little time before our dinner reservations.  I was wandering up and down the isles just looking.  Sometimes I feel like I am guided or prompted to do something and I had a sense that I was going to find something and as I looked down at a bottom shelf I saw the book, because it had a red tag $4.99 sticker on it.  I was thrilled with the price, but the title was all I needed to know that I would love this book.  It's co-authored by Lloyd D. Newell, who is the author of my 'treasure find' from last year, a book called "Let Him Ask of God" that I have treasured and read each day of all last year and have started over again...it has a page of thoughts for each day about Joseph Smith.  I have treasured this authors words only to recently find out he is the voice of "Music and the Spoken Word!"  I had no idea.

Today I read from his book on page 49-50 some tender mercies from the Lord to calm the battle raging in my soul:
"When we have courage to believe and the strength to endure, pain and grief can give way to wisdom, spiritual maturity, and a greater capacity to love.  Heartache and suffering can bestow quiet confidence in divine purposes and a greater appreciation for life...The process of spiritual growth can be long and hard - yet it can also be joyful....we [can] have hope in the future and power in the present....No matter how tired we may be and how weary our efforts become, God is watching over us.  He is our loving Father, our Master Caretaker....We must not lose hope.  Hope is the anchor to [our souls]....President Ezra Taft Benson said, 'Satan would have us cast away that anchor.  In this way he can bring discouragement and surrender.  But we must not lose hope.  The Lord is pleased with every effort, even the tiny, daily ones in which we strive to be more like Him.  Though we may see that we have far to go on the road to perfection, we must not give up hope."  (A Mighty Change of Heart, Ensign Oct. 1989 pg 5)

Truly we bask in His reflected light.....

The Condition of the Heart

"The condition of our hearts directly affects our sensitivity to spiritual things.  Let us make it a part of our everyday striving to open our hearts to the Spirit.  Since we are the guardians of our hearts, we can choose to do so.  We choose what we let in or hold out.  Fortunately the Lord is anxious to help us choose wisely.  ...carefully assessing the condition of our hearts is one of the most essential things we can do in this life.  ...Agency is so sacred to the Lord that He allows us to be the guardian, or gate keepers, of our own hearts.  We must...open our hearts to the Spirit.  While none of our hearts are perfect, the more we strive to eliminate impurity...the more we open our hearts to the Holy Spirit..and feast upon His love."
Ensign 5/08 "Opening Our Hearts" Elder Gerald Lund

Tiny Changes and the Will to Be

I read this quote yesterday...

"Wrest happiness from the daily hard stuff of our challenging and sometimes disappointing lives.  Build it into the repetitive, painful and discouraging moments.  It is tiny changes of feelings and methods, knowledge and attitudes, and the will to be and feel in better ways."

Oh how I was in need of this quote...to remember...the power of our mind, thoughts and feelings. 

By small and simple things...are great things brought to pass!

The Path of Perfection

As I walk my path of life, if I am humbly seeking the help of my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ, I can always count on tender mercies being showered upon me.  They often come in the most unexpected ways.  I try to read each Ensign cover to cover.  The other day I almost skipped an article in the April Ensign because it didn't apply to me; it was entitled "Faith and Infertility."  But it was about healing, and no matter what our afflictions and trials are in life, we are all in need of healing...whether physical or spiritual or temporal or mental...the following quotes apply to everyone:

"It's important to continue to trust the Lord, even when what is happening isn't what we want.  Sometimes having faith means trusting in and listening to the Lord even when we are not cured.  What we want won't always match what He has planned for us."

"When someone has an ailment or an illness and they are healed as a result of a blessing, their faith is being strengthened.  But for those who aren't healed, but continue faithful, their faith is being perfected.  The first is a faith-promoting experience.  The second is a faith-perfecting.  We're not being punished, we're being refined."

"When our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said 'Go...and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.'" (Alma 26:27)

"What we might plan for our life would pale in comparison to what God plans for us...better than anything we could ever design."

"Do everything in your power, but ultimately turn it over to Him.  If you're humble enough to follow the plan He has for you, you'll be happy."

Brother Allred said in his book, "Be true to yourself.  Honor your righteous desires to do what is right.  Let humility show in all your relationships, and the Holy Ghost will speak to your spirit and heal you.  The Holy Ghost will guide you to all truth, including ways to find peace and healing power in spite of adversity." (referenced to Moroni 10:5)

We can, as one of my favorite and most comforting scriptures assures "cheerfully do all things that lie within our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of the Lord and for His arm to be revealed."

Brother Allred also said, "The Holy Ghost will direct you into paths and avenues leading to your desired blessing.  Be in tune and follow those sudden strokes of ideas and feelings.  Miracles happen when you learn to follow the promptings from the Lord."

He also said as we are taught and led, to share the faith and strength of your testimonies.  In Mosiah chapter 24 a very righteous people were brought under the yoke of bondage from their enemies.  Their persecution was so great that they began to cry mightily unto their God day and night.  Then they were threatened to be put to death should they be heard to pray.  But nothing could stop them from praying in their hearts.  And the Lord heard them and said,

"Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.

And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witness for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." 

(Mosiah 24:13-17)

The Lord may not take the pain out of us, but He can always take us out of the pain where we will be at peace with an insurmountable level of understanding.  We must taste the bitter in order to know the sweet.

The path is perfect.

Synergy

I've been thinking A LOT about this word.

It means the interaction of two or more agents or elements or forces so that their total combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects; the cooperative action of two or more; action of two agents that increase each others effectiveness.

Now think of that in terms of spiritual synergy.

Brother Allred said, "When you meet others who love the Lord as you do, you feel a spiritual synergy in which the relationship's power is greater than the sum of the two separate parts because the Holy Spirit is present and lends it's blessing."

President Lorenzo Snow said,  "...We have got to be inspired by the same spirit and the same kind of knowledge, in order that we may love one another and be of one heart and one mind."

When Jesus Christ was accused of casting out devils in the name of the devil He said, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?  ..if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you...He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."  Matthew 12:25-30

Jesus Christ is the total sum of synergism.  Without Him we are nothing.  He gives us every power that we have to act, to be, to do, to go.  The Savior said to take his yoke upon you (Matthew 11:29)...His yoke is synergy!  We can do way more when we take His yoke upon us than we can trying to go it alone.

It would be nice if all relationships had spiritual synergy, but they don't.  Just like Jesus said, that kingdoms, cities and houses would be divided in mortality.  So it is.  We sometimes have to learn to live without synergy in our relationships...it is probably more rare than common to have it.  Much depends on where we are in loving the Lord.

When we love the Lord with all our heart we have a true spirit--the spirit of the Holy Ghost which is love, joy, and peace.  We can be guided through that spirit to find ways to have peace and healing powers in spite of adversity.

Heavenly Father works with us in a fallen world.  We can reach out and receive His grace--an enabling power and strength--that will empower our life, that will sanctify our relationships, and heal our mind, heart and body.

Brother Allred said to balance God's grace with your efforts in working through problems.  His enabling power comes to us all along the way.

Bruce R. McConkie said, "Only persons who are in tune with the Infinite can exercise the spiritual forces and powers that come from Him...they must be willing to lay their all on the altar of the Almighty."

Synergy.
We can't make it without Him.

Nothing at all is Possible without Faith

We cannot even please God without faith. 

Faith is so pervasive...so spreading through and through...so all-encompassing.  No wonder it is the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  No wonder it is the underlying principle of all truth and power.  No wonder Jesus Christ is the epitome of faith.

Faith is a motivating force.

An apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, Elder David A. Bednar, has a mantra he often refers to in his talks; "to act and not be acted upon."  This is faith.  This is what Brother Allred teaches in his book about unlocking that power of faith--using what we have been given, that it can become stronger and better, and by doing so make us stronger and better, in character, in actions, in living our religion.

Faith needs hope.  Faith needs charity.  Faith needs patience.  Faith needs diligence.  Faith needs courage and fortitude.  Faith needs knowledge and experience.  Faith needs integrity.  Faith needs virtue.

Faith is light.  Faith is truth.  Faith is knowledge.  Faith is power.  Faith is obedience.  Faith is repentance.  Faith is forgiveness. 

Faith heals....

...which is what this blog is all about.  Faith gives you the ability to believe in yourself, to believe in God, to believe in others.

 There is no end to learning or understanding faith.

When we obtain any blessing from God it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.  We must obey that law by which faith operates if we are to receive our desired blessing...like faith to be healed.

As the scripture (D&C 123:17) says, cheerfully do all that lies in your power (or in other words your faith) and then wait patiently for the Lord to send the promises and the blessings.  They will come!  He is aware of you and I.  He is helping us along the way.  He is making something splendid of us!

Joseph Smith said that all the injustices experienced in this life will be made up in the resurrection provided we continue faithfully.  As you seek to keep the commandments you will find important healing treasures (God will lead you to what you need to help you, or He will strengthen you to bear it) that will bless your life and the lives of others.  Walking in obedience reaps the blessings of "health in the navel and marrow to the bones...finding wisdom & great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures (things you would never see otherwise)."  D&C 89:18-20

To have faith is to understand that all things will work out for the highest good of all concerned.

Faith is accepting what is happening in our life.

Insecurity...the Real Bad Guy

I love what Brother Allred had to say on this.  I have struggled with this all my life.  It kind of goes along with all those fears we have to battle and contend with as we go through life.  We all have one kind or another.

Insecurity is the source of distress and all counterproductive behavior.  It's symptoms are painful memories, negative emotions, habit patterns, and bad communication. 

This is one of my favorite things he said in the whole book.  It reverbeates truth through every fiber of my being:

"The greatest mindset we can master is being a son or daughter of God.  The greatest thought system involves Jesus Christ."

"Know the truth and the truth will make you free."  John 8:32

As we learn the truth about Christ's healing powers we are no longer subject to insecurity!  There can be peace in spite of difficulties--there is growth potential in adversity.

There are so many amazing and wonderful scriptures about the Master Healer Jesus Christ.  He can heal us of any infirmity.  We need only believe, and even when our faith is lacking He can help us increase our faith. 

"Lord, increase my faith." Luke 17:5

"Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief."  Mark 9:24

"Be not afraid, only believe."  Mark 5:36

"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."  Mark 9:23

"O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"  Matt 14:31

Planting Roses

Planting roses in our garden of life is having hope through God's point of view of us.  Pull up the weeds and plant roses in the garden of your thoughts and thus your life.  Pulling weeds eliminates non-productive thoughts and mental images that keep you from the vision of things as they really are.  Planting roses is receiving light and knowledge from the heavens which empower you with the Lord's view of things.  Faith helps you see colors in more vivid hues.  God's way is health and happiness.  Your faith empowers you with hope and charity...the three sister virtues.  (These thoughts were from Brother Allred's book, Unlocking the Power of Faith.)

Rhonda Byrne said, "How do I stop my negative thoughts?...a question I have been asked many times; the answer is simple.  You PLANT good thoughts.  The stop part is irrelevant--the negative thoughts are your focus.  The truth is always simple and it is always easy.  ...just plant good thoughts!  Deliberately plant them!  You plant good thoughts by making it a daily practice to appreciate all the things in your day.  Compliment, praise, and give thanks to all things.  What you focus on you attract.  If you spend only one day speaking of good things and saying 'Thank you' at every single opportunity, you will not believe your tomorrow.  Your planted good seeds will transform into a garden of paradise....your life!

President David O. McKay used a metaphor about roses:  "Not a few of us have a thorn in the flesh as did Paul.  Perhaps to some of us a dead leaf of some past act is clinging.  It may be that there is a little dirt in our character, but each one has also a rose in his life, a hawthorn twig, or a lily. And it is a glorious lesson for us to learn: to see the rose and be blind to the thorn; to see the hawthorn twig and be blind to the dead leaf; to see the lily and not the dirt in our fellow's character."  (Conference Report, October 1967, p.8)

We grow in two ways: removing negative weeds and cultivating positive flowers.  I have an earlier post that is also about this same type of metaphor.  It's a beautiful thing to conjure positivity up in your mind as an image of beautiful roses.  How can you not feel good when you see a rose?

Gratitude: The Divine Gift

Gratitude is all-encompassing.

It is a divine gift,
     a commandment,
     a parent virtue,
     a great blessing.

To live with gratitude in our hearts is to touch heaven as
     it invites the Spirit,
     it is becoming,
     it is gracious & honorable,
     generous & noble,
     positive & optimistic.

Gratitude opens our eyes to see what is around us,
     we see our blessings,
     we see His tender mercies,
     we see all that God has done for us,
     we see with an eternal perspective.

Gratitude produces miracles
     keeps us from poverty,
     makes us rich with what we have,
     improves our health,
     enlivens our happiness and well-being.

Gratitude rejoices for that which it has,
     expresses praise,
     lifts us,
     lifts others,
     defeats Satan.

Gratitude brings light by
     chasing out darkness and despair,
     dissolving fear and doubts,
     erasing bitterness and disappointment,
     blocking out negative thoughts and feelings.

Prayer is the key to gratitude.
     humble,
     meek,
     lowly of heart.

Ingratitude is a serious sin,
     it offends the Spirit,
     it is prideful and selfish,
     initiates rebellion, fear & doubt,
     leads us to forget the Lord,
     and keeps us in poverty and misery.

Ingratitude is critical and negative,
     pessimistic and fault-finding,
     complaining and cynical,
     irritable and impatient
     insecure and unhappy.

Gratitude leads us to Jesus Christ,
     it heals us,
     it saves us,
     it cheers us,
     it encourages us,
     it strengthens us.

It is one of the few gifts we can give to Him as we live it.
May our personal lives reflect it,
May it permeate our souls forever more.

(written by me, based on President Thomas S. Monson's Talk "The Divine Gift of Gratitude.")
    

Faith Healing

The book "Unlocking the Power of Faith" is all about pain and healing.  It's really all about the Savior, Jesus Christ, whose life mission was to come and heal us.  None of us are whole living in this fallen state.  And yet there is so much to learn from pain.  Someone gave me this poem:

Pain stayed so long I said to him today,
"I will not have you with me anymore."
I stamped my foot and said, "Be on your way."
And paused there, startled at the look he wore.
"I, who have been your friend", he said to me,
"I, who have been your teacher--all you know
Of understanding love, of sympathy,
And patience, I have taught you.  Shall I go?"
He spoke the truth, this strange unwelcomed guest;
I watched him leave and knew that he was wise.
He left a heart grown tender in my breast.
He left a far, clear vision in my eyes.
I dried my tears, and lifted up a song
Even for one who'd tortured me so long.
-Author Unknown

Brother Allred gives two powerful sources of truth to help heal your pain:
1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
2) Faith in your own divine nature

I could write pages on faith and healing.  But it all comes down to the simple concept of trusting in the Lord, for His will to be done concerning us.  He will take us through whatever experiences are necessary to help us earn our salvation.  Faith means trust.

Pain and the healing needed come on many different levels, not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, too.  Pain comes from regret.  Pain comes through sin and error.  Pain comes from heartaches and sorrow.  Pain can be inflicted on us by others when we have done nothing wrong.

"For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently; but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."  (1 Peter 2:20)

"It is in the balance of God's grace and your own properly focused thoughts that you will experience miracles in your life."  -Garth Allred

Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave a talk found in the Ensign 5/10 pg 47.  He made the following remarks concerning faith and healing:
*Healing requires the power of faith.
*Healing must be the Lord's will.
*The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)
*We must do all we can, using the resources available to us medically, as well as a priesthood blessing.
*When a blessing is sealed and anointed it opens the windows of heaven for the Lord to pour forth the blessing He wills for the afflicted person.
*Faith is essential for healing by the powers of heaven.  We claim our blessings through our faith.
*Faith means trust.

I came across a scripture that has helped me a great deal to keep my faith and trust in God strong:

"...if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly...even all this can ye do, if ye will."  Alma 33:21, 23

As we use our faith, our faith increases.  However, there will be times when we will sink, as did Peter, as he walked to the Savior over the boisterously fierce ocean swells.  What mortal, in their weakness, does not take their eyes off the Savior, if even for a moment, distracted by the trials and adversities of life?  But Peter, aware he was sinking, cried out, "Master, I perish!"  And immediately the Savior reached out and took his hand and lifted him up. 

"Lord, increase my faith." (Luke 17:5)

"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."  (Mark 9:23)

"Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief."  (Mark 9:24)

"Faith is a force powerful beyond our comprehension."  -Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Have faith, and doubt not....it shall be done."  (Matthew 21:21)

"I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not."  (Luke 22:32)

"Everything has been accomplished by faith.  Faith, to be faith, must center around something that is not known."  -President Boyd K. Packer

The Lord can make ways where there appears to be no way.  Have faith.  Expect miracles.

"You are more powerful than you have dreamed.  You have the power within you, when properly directed, to reach out and tap the wonderful healing powers of heaven."  -Garth Allred

Unlocking The POWER of Faith!

Though I have neglected this blog for a while, I have not neglected the pursuit of study on the basic context of this blog, which is to Believe in Yourself, and of the power of thoughts in our life and how they affect our feelings and our actions.

The book "The Secret" was but a small introduction to a powerful new way of living for me.  While that book opened my eyes in a different way to the precepts of the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it can empower your life by living by His teachings, I had yet to read one of the best books ever to give me the principles and concepts to help me live in the POSITIVE realm of this life.  And this book was written by one of my own faith, so everything in the book was pure truth for me.

The book is entitled "Unlocking the Powers of Faith" by Garth Allred.  First printing was in 1993 so I'm pretty sure it's out of print, but I found a nice used copy--now well used and loved--online last August.

I found out about this book by reading an article by Darla Isackson on Meredian Magazine called "Warning: Both Over and Under Reacting Can Be Dangerous to Your Spiritual Health."  I tried to find the link to the article, but was unable to.  I read this in July 2009.  It came about the time the Lord began to lead me on a spiritual journey of healing....healing both physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Today I am still on that journey and learning a lot every day as I continue to study and search and ponder on it.

I was surprised to find just how much this article described me.  I was surprised to learn that I was pretty good at both ends of the over-reacting and under-reacting.  The Lord's mission has been to help me learn to find the balance between these two things in my life.

Jesus Christ is so merciful.  He can find us even in the darkest dungeon of despair and self-pity, and if we let Him, He will lift us out of it and into His light.  His light is filled with truth.  That dark place is full of Satan's lies and deceits.  Why is it so much easier to live on the negative side of life with all it's lies than in the marvelous light of truth?  I guess because we are mortal.

Even though it took over a year later, I did not forget the book that was referenced in that article, and in August of 2010 I had the strongest impressions ever that I needed to get a copy of that book.  I spent about 4 months reading the book and studying it and writing down those statments in the book that most applied to me.  Now I try to read daily from those things that I wrote and I continue to need those words and to live by those words.  While I have made huge strides in positivity, I am not without stumbling or times of regression.

The preface to this book says, in part:
You will learn to develop faith in Jesus Christ to be healed from pain, loneliness, confusion and sorrow--whether emotional, spiritual, or physical--the important healing truths that can strengthen your faith and help you tap your own deep reservoirs of power which will empower you with greater peace and freedom from pain.

And this scripture:
"Behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom He hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance."
1 Nephi 1:20

Then Brother Allred says:
This book is my gift to you to help you stop hurting and start healing and begin experiencing the power that comes through healing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and in your own divine nature....You are much more powerful than you have dreamed.  You have a divine nature about you that is wonderful, marvelous, and Godlike.  You have the power within you, when properly directed, to reach out and tap the wonderful healing powers of the heavens.  May the Lord bless you in this challenging and rewarding quest.

Can you see the light of truth in his words?  Is this not what God our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ want us to know...to believe?  That light, that truth is Christ's light and truth.

"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."  John 8:12

The light of L.I.F.E.

L ight

I s

F or

E ternity

"Come, follow me" to eternal life.
Luke 18:22