"Choose to converse with your Father in Heaven often. Make time every day to share your thoughts and feelings with Him. Tell Him everything that concerns you. He is interested in the most important as well as the most mundane facets of your life. Share with Him your full range of feelings and experiences.
Because He respects your agency, Father in Heaven will never force you to pray to Him. But as you exercise that agency and include Him in every aspect of your daily life, your heart will begin to fill with peace, buoyant peace. That peace will focus an eternal light on your struggles. It will help you to manage those challenges from an eternal perspective."
- Richard G Scott
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
10.09.2014
4.29.2014
needing Faith
This week has been terribly difficult... Being home and searching for work has really proven more difficult than I had originally anticipated. Why is it so hard to get a job at a clothing retail store? Why can't they just realize that I am a hard worker and would be great anywhere....
WHY?
I hate that word.
A lot.
Why?
There is no faith, no hope or trust is that word and it only brings heartache.
Why is this happening to me?
Why can't I be more like her?
Why would he not want to be with me?
Why....Why....Why....
Faith #4
Learn more about the sacrament. Read about the Last Supper in Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; and Luke 22:17–20. Establish a pattern of pondering during the sacrament by listening carefully to the sacrament hymn and prayers. Think about why we partake of the bread and water. After three weeks of following this pattern, write in your journal some of the promises you make as you partake of the sacrament and remember your baptismal covenants and what you do to keep those promises. Record in your journal how your understanding of these promises has strengthened your faith in the Savior.
I had an experience a couple nights ago when I was feeling particularly low and hopeless because I couldn't seem to find a job. I was saying my prayers and the Sacrament prayer came into my mind,
"always remember Him and keep His commandments which He has given them; that they may always have His spirit to be with them."
If I want to be led in the right direction this summer while I am home, then I need to do exactly that:
What a beautiful and hopeful promise. There are no "why's" and doubtful mindsets.
I pray continually that He will lead me in the right direction. I ask why, but then I remember that He already has it all planned and He is waiting for me to trust in that plan and give Him the reins to my life. I know that as I turn it over to Him, He will lead me to greater opportunities of happiness.
WHY?
I hate that word.
A lot.
Why?
There is no faith, no hope or trust is that word and it only brings heartache.
Why is this happening to me?
Why can't I be more like her?
Why would he not want to be with me?
Why....Why....Why....
Faith #4
Learn more about the sacrament. Read about the Last Supper in Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; and Luke 22:17–20. Establish a pattern of pondering during the sacrament by listening carefully to the sacrament hymn and prayers. Think about why we partake of the bread and water. After three weeks of following this pattern, write in your journal some of the promises you make as you partake of the sacrament and remember your baptismal covenants and what you do to keep those promises. Record in your journal how your understanding of these promises has strengthened your faith in the Savior.
I had an experience a couple nights ago when I was feeling particularly low and hopeless because I couldn't seem to find a job. I was saying my prayers and the Sacrament prayer came into my mind,
"always remember Him and keep His commandments which He has given them; that they may always have His spirit to be with them."
If I want to be led in the right direction this summer while I am home, then I need to do exactly that:
- always remember Him
- keep His commandments
What a beautiful and hopeful promise. There are no "why's" and doubtful mindsets.
I pray continually that He will lead me in the right direction. I ask why, but then I remember that He already has it all planned and He is waiting for me to trust in that plan and give Him the reins to my life. I know that as I turn it over to Him, He will lead me to greater opportunities of happiness.
4.11.2014
Thoughts from this past General Conference/ Women's Conference
He is our Father in Heaven. He wants us to depend on Him as we do our own mortal fathers. As we seek advice from the men who raised us, we should also be seeking His advice. And to those who have grown up with an absent father, I testify to you right now that HE is there. HE is ready for you to come to HIM. HE loves you more than you could ever imagine.
I have.
I am feeling it right now.
But it is comforting for me to realize and understand that He knows everything. Unlimited knowledge. And He asks of me to be obedient and He will guide me along.
Why would I ever doubt that He would direct my paths if He knows EVERYTHING?
I don't know, but I know that when we are obedient, we are BLESSED beyond compare.
No Matter What.
Those are the words that keep me saying "Thank You" for everything that I have.
When you hurt, it is so easy to hurt others.
Why?
You don't want to be the only one hurting.
But here is a secret: Everyone is hurting in their own way. Never hurt someone more than they already hurt just because you are feeling wounded.
Forgive and Forget.
When we have a strong and personal testimony of the Atonement, we are less inclined to do wrong.
Why?
I believe that when we are true to the Savior and knowledgeable about what He has done for us, how much he suffered, we are more aware of the decisions we make. Every time we sin, He hurts. The thing is, is that He already suffered for us, but it doesn't mean we can sin all the time and get forgiveness tomorrow. We have the gift of agency. We choose our destiny. When we can understand that the Savior loves us so much that He suffered for us, our desire to do wrong decreases. I truly believe that to be true.
Be worthy.
Be willing.
Be desirous.
And He will take care of you.
I have.
Sometimes I have been accused of being that person.
But do you remember that happiness is a choice?
Even when it feels like your world is falling apart in front of your eyes, there is light. It is the Savior. He brings hope and love. When you can accept Him and his love and hope, it doesn't matter how disastrous the situation may be, He takes care of you and you can't help but feel HAPPY.
I know with every fiber of my being that He cares. And He can make you more happy than you ever though imaginable.
Be you in every situation. Don't let Satan tear you away from who you truly are.
Even when you are the happiest person in the world, depend on the Lord as if you are in the darkest of times. He can keep your spirits high and happy.
#ldsconf
9.05.2013
I didn't actually need the batteries...
So I had an amazing experience today.
The sort of experience you read about in books or hear a general authority tell.
and I can call it my experience.
So here is how it starts.
My statistics class requires an iclicker for all the in class quizzes and such. I already had one, but I had to register it again online. When I got home, I saw that it was out of batteries. "Flip!" Now I had to remember to buy some Double A batteries after my D&C class the next day (which is quite difficult.... so many things to remember....).
So I go to class and when I leave, I make sure I leave through the other exit so I can head towards the Bookstore. I am just walking, minding my own business while trying to navigate the overpacked hallway, when I hear someone say "Emily?" I turn to see my friend who I haven't seen in a year. It feels weird to say that, but really I think it has been a year since I have seen her face to face.....
Anyway, we step off to the side to avoid the massive migration of people. We hug, we laugh, and we just talk. It was so wonderful. She started asking me a lot about Nauvoo. It made me so happy to talk about it. None of my roommates ask me about it so I never really get to talk about it and in a way, relive the experiences I had.
While I was describing to her all the things I did, I recalled a moment when I was watching the Stage Missionaries perform and I thought of my friend. I remember thinking that it would so cool if she came and did this the next summer. So I told her of my memory. When I said it, she was very excited and happy and she wanted to know more. So we meandered over to the bookstore continuing catching up and stuff.
We stood in line to buy the batteries..... let me just comment on the RIDICULOUS pricing BYU has. 5 dollars for a package of 4 batteries. Wow, just wow! Anyway..... After I bought them, we found some seats and sat down and just talked. We talked about missionaries, old roommates, friends, boys, majors, future plans, etc. Ya know, everything girls talk about. :)
Well, when we talked about future plans, she mentioned her consideration of performing in Disney World or Sea World, but she hadn't really decided. I told her the url address to find the audition information for Nauvoo and said that auditions are due sometime in November.... I kept telling her that her future was up to her. And I shared with her something that I learned while in Nauvoo.
The Lord takes into consideration our desires, what we want for our future. If those desires are righteous and in accordance with His plan for us, then He will make a way for us to achieve it. He doesn't throw out what we want. I told her that if she wanted to perform in Walt Disney World more than anything else, and the Lord thought it was okay, then she is going to be performing there.
I have no doubts that she will make the decision that is best for her, even if it isn't Nauvoo. But my side of the experience was amazing.
After we said goodbye, I called my mom for the day and told her of this experience. While I was telling her what happened, I got the chills, and I was outside in the heat. It was the "Whoa" chills sensation. You probably have no idea what that is, but it felt so good. I stopped and told my mom that I had the chills just by telling her the story.
When I made it home, I opened my batteries and tried to put them in only to find out that it required Triple A batteries, which I already had.
The Lord works in mysterious ways. No doubt about it.
Whatever decision she makes, it will be the one that God wants her to take. He will provide a way for her and I am confident she will do great, wherever she goes. And I can be grateful for the experience that I had that testified to me that God is grateful for my service to Him in Nauvoo and He knows that my testimony of my experience is strong.
The sort of experience you read about in books or hear a general authority tell.
and I can call it my experience.
So here is how it starts.
My statistics class requires an iclicker for all the in class quizzes and such. I already had one, but I had to register it again online. When I got home, I saw that it was out of batteries. "Flip!" Now I had to remember to buy some Double A batteries after my D&C class the next day (which is quite difficult.... so many things to remember....).
So I go to class and when I leave, I make sure I leave through the other exit so I can head towards the Bookstore. I am just walking, minding my own business while trying to navigate the overpacked hallway, when I hear someone say "Emily?" I turn to see my friend who I haven't seen in a year. It feels weird to say that, but really I think it has been a year since I have seen her face to face.....
Anyway, we step off to the side to avoid the massive migration of people. We hug, we laugh, and we just talk. It was so wonderful. She started asking me a lot about Nauvoo. It made me so happy to talk about it. None of my roommates ask me about it so I never really get to talk about it and in a way, relive the experiences I had.
While I was describing to her all the things I did, I recalled a moment when I was watching the Stage Missionaries perform and I thought of my friend. I remember thinking that it would so cool if she came and did this the next summer. So I told her of my memory. When I said it, she was very excited and happy and she wanted to know more. So we meandered over to the bookstore continuing catching up and stuff.
We stood in line to buy the batteries..... let me just comment on the RIDICULOUS pricing BYU has. 5 dollars for a package of 4 batteries. Wow, just wow! Anyway..... After I bought them, we found some seats and sat down and just talked. We talked about missionaries, old roommates, friends, boys, majors, future plans, etc. Ya know, everything girls talk about. :)
Well, when we talked about future plans, she mentioned her consideration of performing in Disney World or Sea World, but she hadn't really decided. I told her the url address to find the audition information for Nauvoo and said that auditions are due sometime in November.... I kept telling her that her future was up to her. And I shared with her something that I learned while in Nauvoo.
The Lord takes into consideration our desires, what we want for our future. If those desires are righteous and in accordance with His plan for us, then He will make a way for us to achieve it. He doesn't throw out what we want. I told her that if she wanted to perform in Walt Disney World more than anything else, and the Lord thought it was okay, then she is going to be performing there.
I have no doubts that she will make the decision that is best for her, even if it isn't Nauvoo. But my side of the experience was amazing.
After we said goodbye, I called my mom for the day and told her of this experience. While I was telling her what happened, I got the chills, and I was outside in the heat. It was the "Whoa" chills sensation. You probably have no idea what that is, but it felt so good. I stopped and told my mom that I had the chills just by telling her the story.
When I made it home, I opened my batteries and tried to put them in only to find out that it required Triple A batteries, which I already had.
The Lord works in mysterious ways. No doubt about it.
Whatever decision she makes, it will be the one that God wants her to take. He will provide a way for her and I am confident she will do great, wherever she goes. And I can be grateful for the experience that I had that testified to me that God is grateful for my service to Him in Nauvoo and He knows that my testimony of my experience is strong.
8.19.2013
A quote that changed my life
“Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart.”
― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Sometimes I think we can forget that the Atonement is more than just being able to be clean again. It can give us strength to overcome the scariest of trials. His grace is sufficient. We can become the people He needs us to be, but only if we give Him our self. Our imperfect self.
I have experienced this firsthand. I can't deal with everything on my own. If I do, then I will fall.
There was a song that we played in Nauvoo called "Pennsylvania 65000". The French Horn section had this big soli part that was very difficult to master. I spent 2 hours on this section with no improvement. I felt so discouraged. I thought to myself, "I know how to play this instrument. I know what this part is supposed to sound like. Why can't I just put it together??? Why?" We went to dinner that night and when we came back for evening rehearsal I said a prayer. I told my Heavenly Father that I have done all that I can do. I feel so discouraged. Please help me. Take it from me and help me. I reread that entry in my journal. I read how that evening rehearsal was one of the best rehearsals I have had. Pennsylvania 65000 was one of my favorite songs by the time I left.
Something as simple as not being able to play a part in a song, He took care of it.
3.26.2013
Who, What, When, Where, Why
I like it when I have the answers to everything, especially math problems!
But I am not supposed to have them all.
My dad is still out of work. Almost 6 months now and after many, many interviews, there is nada.
They tell him that he is one of the higher ranking candidates, but yet, he doesn't get it.
Why?
He has been interviewing for jobs from Washington to California to Ohio to Delaware and Maryland. But none have chosen this amazing man,
So, Where?
Every company has an idea of the type of person they want to hire, and most of the time, my dad has met those expectations.
Who do they want?
6 months.....
When is something going to happen?
What is the best thing for him and our family?
It's not about the who, the what, the when, the why, or even the How.
It's about trusting in the Lord.
Staying humble so His spirit can provide inspiration and peace to our minds.
This isn't the first time my dad has lost his job. I wouldn't say we are used to it, but it is no new situation for us.
On Sunday, we had a little Hall meeting with all the girls in my building. Unfortunately, not a lot of girls came, so they missed out on some really great insights.
We watched Elder Holland's Mormon Message "Good things to Come".
We talked afterwards about how we need to stay patient at all times and humble so the Lord can always bless us.
I had this thought about a story I read and my mom always told it to me. In the story, it refers to God as being the 4th watch God.
Well what does that mean?
Well they would describe it as such. On a boat, they men would take turns staying awake and letting the others sleep. These would be divided into what was called as "Watch's". They lasted about 3-4 hours. Well, on the boat, there was a terrible storm, and the men were so worried. They thought the Lord would come and save them right away, but alas, He did not. Each watch passed as slow as it could have possibly gone and right at the moment, when almost all hope was gone, in the 4th watch, the Lord came and rescued them.
My God is a 4th watch God. He will come. My family may still be stuck on the 1st watch, but there will always be a 4th watch, which means, He will ALWAYS come.
It is hard. It is painful to see how hard it is.
But it will pass.
But I am not supposed to have them all.
My dad is still out of work. Almost 6 months now and after many, many interviews, there is nada.
They tell him that he is one of the higher ranking candidates, but yet, he doesn't get it.
Why?
He has been interviewing for jobs from Washington to California to Ohio to Delaware and Maryland. But none have chosen this amazing man,
So, Where?
Every company has an idea of the type of person they want to hire, and most of the time, my dad has met those expectations.
Who do they want?
6 months.....
When is something going to happen?
What is the best thing for him and our family?
It's not about the who, the what, the when, the why, or even the How.
It's about trusting in the Lord.
Staying humble so His spirit can provide inspiration and peace to our minds.
This isn't the first time my dad has lost his job. I wouldn't say we are used to it, but it is no new situation for us.
On Sunday, we had a little Hall meeting with all the girls in my building. Unfortunately, not a lot of girls came, so they missed out on some really great insights.
We watched Elder Holland's Mormon Message "Good things to Come".
We talked afterwards about how we need to stay patient at all times and humble so the Lord can always bless us.
I had this thought about a story I read and my mom always told it to me. In the story, it refers to God as being the 4th watch God.
Well what does that mean?
Well they would describe it as such. On a boat, they men would take turns staying awake and letting the others sleep. These would be divided into what was called as "Watch's". They lasted about 3-4 hours. Well, on the boat, there was a terrible storm, and the men were so worried. They thought the Lord would come and save them right away, but alas, He did not. Each watch passed as slow as it could have possibly gone and right at the moment, when almost all hope was gone, in the 4th watch, the Lord came and rescued them.
It is hard. It is painful to see how hard it is.
But it will pass.
12.10.2012
I say a little prayer for you!
FINALS!
Say a little prayer for me and I will say one for you!!!
Just remember, these grades are not significant to your eternal salvation.
But still, I kinda want some A's.... just sayin....
thanks.
Say a little prayer for me and I will say one for you!!!
Just remember, these grades are not significant to your eternal salvation.
But still, I kinda want some A's.... just sayin....
thanks.
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