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I had an amazing weekend. Friday night the Elders came over to visit with my roommate and me. We didn't have a previous appointment. They just texted and asked if they could come over and visit. I have had a stressful week filled with appointments, car problems, health problems, 6 year old temper tantrums and meltdowns. The Elders arrived and asked about our day. I talked about my stress. Then Elder Eccles read from Mosiah 23 22 Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.
23 For behold, I will show unto you that they were brought into bondage, and none could deliver them but the Lord their God, yea, even the God of Abraham and Isaac and of Jacob.
24 And it came to pass that he did deliver them, and he did show forth his mighty power unto them, and great were their rejoicings.
Sometimes it helps to be reminded that bad things happening is not a sign that God has forgotten us, or that we did something wrong. That scripture was just what I needed to hear. As the Elders were getting ready to leave I asked them what had caused them to come visit us. Elder Eccles responded that they wanted to ask us about a friend that has been coming to church and also that they hadn't visited with us and that they really felt that they should come by. It is always amazing to me to see how the Lord answers our prayers with other people, and how He gently reminds us that He does love us and is looking out for us. All He asks is for a little trust, a little faith. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with my own little perspective that I forget that the Lord knows the ending of my story already. I am going through these things for a reason, even when I don't see it, He knows why. He will inspire other people to come be the answer to my prayers. I am so grateful for people in my life that follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Stake conference was so great. Saturday night and Sunday morning, about three and a half hours of great talks on faith. To be in a room filled to overflowing with people that believe the same things I do was great. Living in the world that we live in, it is so important to have faith. Faith is what helps us keep moving forward.
In the above account from Mosiah 23, the people had done everything they were supposed to do. They were living the commandments, obeying God's will and yet they were still captured by their enemies. They could have given up, they could have decided that God was not real (current day concept: God doesn't exist, if he did how could he let bad things happen to good people), they could have been bitter about their lot. Instead they increased in prayer and faith and were delivered. It proves to me that the Lord is the same today yesterday and forever. People are too. The manner that we end up in "captivity" is different now than it was then but we can react the same way and the way out is still the same. Faith in the Lord is the only way we will make it to eternal freedom.
My favorite scripture from this weekend was 2 Tim. 4: 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
Faith is not a one time thing, it is not something that happens to us. It is a process and a choice, and it is a lifetime effort. Paul does not say this sentence until he is saying goodbye to Timothy. It is when he knows that he will not be writing to Timothy ever again, as his martyrdom approaches. Finishing a course does not imply doing one thing and being done. It implies steadfastly doing something. I especially like the "fought a good fight" part because living each day with faith is not always easy. Sometimes it is a struggle. Sometimes it is an all-out fight against Satan and his minions. When we excercise that faith, though, we are not left alone. The Lord is at our head and we are surrounded by angels. Like Elisha, 2 Kgs. 6
Sometimes it helps to be reminded that bad things happening is not a sign that God has forgotten us, or that we did something wrong. That scripture was just what I needed to hear. As the Elders were getting ready to leave I asked them what had caused them to come visit us. Elder Eccles responded that they wanted to ask us about a friend that has been coming to church and also that they hadn't visited with us and that they really felt that they should come by. It is always amazing to me to see how the Lord answers our prayers with other people, and how He gently reminds us that He does love us and is looking out for us. All He asks is for a little trust, a little faith. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed with my own little perspective that I forget that the Lord knows the ending of my story already. I am going through these things for a reason, even when I don't see it, He knows why. He will inspire other people to come be the answer to my prayers. I am so grateful for people in my life that follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost.
Stake conference was so great. Saturday night and Sunday morning, about three and a half hours of great talks on faith. To be in a room filled to overflowing with people that believe the same things I do was great. Living in the world that we live in, it is so important to have faith. Faith is what helps us keep moving forward.
In the above account from Mosiah 23, the people had done everything they were supposed to do. They were living the commandments, obeying God's will and yet they were still captured by their enemies. They could have given up, they could have decided that God was not real (current day concept: God doesn't exist, if he did how could he let bad things happen to good people), they could have been bitter about their lot. Instead they increased in prayer and faith and were delivered. It proves to me that the Lord is the same today yesterday and forever. People are too. The manner that we end up in "captivity" is different now than it was then but we can react the same way and the way out is still the same. Faith in the Lord is the only way we will make it to eternal freedom.
My favorite scripture from this weekend was 2 Tim. 4: 7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
Faith is not a one time thing, it is not something that happens to us. It is a process and a choice, and it is a lifetime effort. Paul does not say this sentence until he is saying goodbye to Timothy. It is when he knows that he will not be writing to Timothy ever again, as his martyrdom approaches. Finishing a course does not imply doing one thing and being done. It implies steadfastly doing something. I especially like the "fought a good fight" part because living each day with faith is not always easy. Sometimes it is a struggle. Sometimes it is an all-out fight against Satan and his minions. When we excercise that faith, though, we are not left alone. The Lord is at our head and we are surrounded by angels. Like Elisha, 2 Kgs. 6
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Faith is such an amazing and wonderful thing. I am grateful for parents who taught me to have faith in the Lord. For even though I have done silly things in my life, He has never let me down and He has never given up on me.
If life seems hard, have faith, hold out a little longer and the Lord will strengthen you until the time for freedom arrives.
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