President Boyd K. Packer: The Plan of Happiness

Hello again, Brothers and Sisters. I am so glad to get back into the habit of writing this blog. I haven't spent much time in the scriptures lately and, consequently, I've felt the difference. But I'm already stating to feel better after only two days of reading and responding to these wonderful conference talks. As someone said, somewhere in the Bible, we all truly need to feast upon the scriptures. 

Boyd K. Packer: The Plan of Happiness

Here is a link to the full talk

Early in his talk, President Packer makes reference to an important gospel principle. He phrases it this way: "the end of all activity in the Church is to see that a man and a woman with their children are happy at home and sealed together for time and all eternity."

I really love this principle of the gospel. Truthfully, it is really challenging for me to face sometimes. I am single and I don't know when, or if, I will be blessed with children during this life. As I tell my students regularly: yes, I want children, but I have to find their father first.

According to President Packer, "the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth has never been rescinded. It is essential to the plan of redemption and is the source of human happiness." Sitting here now, listening to my sweet nephew sleeping, I cannot help agree with this. I have found much joy and happiness because of my family, but especially because of my niece and nephew. Children are a wonderful blessing and I am so thankful to have these two in my life.

I can admit to some sadness because I do not yet have a family of my own. But I also realize that I am not alone. I do have a family. I am an aunt, a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a niece, and a cousin. I have also been blessed with several wonderful friends. At the moment, I do not have a husband or children, but I do have wonderful people in my life whom I love and cherish. I also have faith that one day I will find my eternal companion and we will have children of our own. I don't know when that will happen, but I trust in Heavenly Father's promise.

After spending some time discussing the sacred nature of our ability to, and responsibility to, have children, President Packer reminds us that we don't need to be fearful if we've made mistakes in the past. He says that while our physical bodies sometimes retain a scar, or other reminder of an injury, our spiritual bodies do not follow the same rules: "our spirits are damaged when we make mistakes and commit sins. But unlike the case of our mortal bodies, when the repentance process is complete, no scars remain because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

He ends his message by urging us to escape our feelings of guilt, by "accepting the Atonement of Christ," and by promising that if we do, our "heartache can turn to beauty and love and eternity."

This is such a beautiful apostolic promise. One that I hope all of us will accept into our hearts.

President Eyring: Is Not This The Fast That I Have Choosen

Ok, people. Vacation is over and its time to get serious. Here our my thoughts on this next talk. I've love to hear yours.

President Eyring: Is Not This The Fast That I Have Choosen

Here is a link to the full talk

We all have an appointment with Heavenly Father, a "future interview," as President Eyring says. One of the ways we prepare for this interview is to serve our fellow Brothers and Sisters. That is part of our responsibility during this life, to succor our fellow men: "When we offer succor to anyone, the Savior feels it as if we reached out to succor Him."

At times, this can seem like an overwhelming task. There are so many who need help. (Truthfully, we will all need help on one point or another during our lives, maybe even at several points during our life time.) There are also times when we feel so overwhelmed with our own lives, that we may not feel capable of helping others. Thankfully, the Lord has provided a way for each of us to serve our fellowman: fasting and fast offerings.

As President Eyring says, "it is a commandment so simple that a child can understand it. It is a commandment with a wonderful promise for those in need and for us."

For those who don't know, here is how fasting works. Once a month, usually on the first Sunday of the month, all local wards hold Fasting Testimony meetings during Sacrament. Members of the church are invited to fast for 24 hours, or two meals, prior to this meeting. More specifically, we are invited to fast for a purpose. With a prayer in our heart, we can fast for personal guidance or for others in need. Then, on fast Sunday, we are asked to make a generous fast offering to our ward. The Lord's servants then pray about these financial offerings to know who it should be shared with. The offerings could be distributed to those in need locally, or elsewhere across the globe.

According to President Spencer W. Kimball, who President Eyring quoted in his talk, "rich promises are made by the Lord to those who fast and assist the needy. ... Inspiration and spiritual guidance will come with righteousness and closeness to our Heavenly Father. To omit to do this righteous act of fasting would deprive us of these blessings." I believe President Eyring shared these words because he wanted us to understand just how important it is to fast.

In recent years we have heard more and more about natural disasters and other tragedies taking place across the world. When an event like a tsunami or an earth quake happens so far away, we might feel helpless because there is little we can do from the comfort of our homes. But, we can support Heavenly Father's children in their time of need, no matter how far away they are. The relatively minor sacrifice of a fast offering helps to provide needed financial support. It pays for food, and blankets, even water. Heavenly Father's local servants are only able to provide this assistance because of the fast offerings of His children. All of His children. Even those who might be hundreds of thousand of miles away.

According to President Eyring, "your fast offering will do more than help feed and clothe bodies. It will heal and change hearts. The fruit of a free-will offering may be the desire in the heart of the recipient to reach out to others in need. That happens across the world."

Fasting can be challenging. Not everyone is able to fast from food. But all of us can honor the principle of the fast, and teach it to our children.

At the end of his talk, President Eyring prayed for us. He said, "I pray that we will claim those great blessings for ourselves and for our families."

That is my prayer for you as well. As we approach the Fourth of July weekend consider what and who you can fast for, and consider how generous of a fast offering you can make. Your contribution can and will make a difference in someone else's life.

President Eyring: The Comforter

Unfortunately it has been a while since I’ve posted to this blog. I don’t have a good reason, just the excuse that it is the end of the school year and the teacher in me is ready for summer. But, like I said, that is just an excuse not a justifiable reason for my lapse. 

Now it is time to start fresh and recommit myself to this blog. The challenge to read and respond to the General Conference talks really has been helpful (when I follow through). I just need to be more consistent in my reading schedule.

Ok, here we go. 

President Henry B. Eying: The Comforter 

Here is a link to the full talk.

This was a very powerful talk for me. I didn’t have to chance to watch Women’s Conference that last weekend in March because I was visiting family out of state. So, this was the first time I read Brother Eyring’s words. 

The spirit behind his message is very strong.

The first part to stand out to me was when Erying said that we “can and must be an important part of His (Heavenly Father) giving comfort to those who need comfort. You can play your best part if you know more of how He answers those prayers for help.”

I don’t know about the rest of you, but sometimes I struggle with negativity. I’ve never been officially diagnosed with depression, but I recognize depressive tendencies in my personality. So, I am most definitely someone who needs Heavenly Father’s help and comfort. While I was reading Eyring’s words I was reminded of the scripture that tells us to forget ourselves and get lost in the work. I think that is part of what Eyring is saying. But, not only do we need the comfort of forgetting ourselves to serve others, we are also responsible for helping others to find comfort.  As President Eyring said, “You promised that you would help the Lord make their burdens light.”

Brothers and sisters, we all know that life has to be challenging. That is how we learn. We may not like that truth, but we can’t change it. Thankfully, and obviously, Heavenly Father addressed this in His plan for us. 

According to President Eyring, “It was the witness of the Spirit of the coming Atonement which saw Job through the tests life is intended to include for all of us. This is part of the great plan of happiness the Father gave us. He allowed His Son to provide, by His atoning sacrifice, the hope that comforts us no matter how hard the way home to Him may be.” 

I will leave you with that: the reminder that, yes, life is difficult, but we are not alone. Our Heavenly Father is watching over us. He has prepared a way for us to make our way home to Him and, in the process, bring our brothers and sisters with us. 

Sister Bonnie L. Oscarsen: Defenders of the Family Proclamation

It's been a while since I posted and today has turned quiet so I thought I'd pull up the next talk from Women's Conference. This one was given by the Young Women's General President.

Sister Bonnie L. Oscarsen: Defenders of the Family Proclamation

Read the full talk here.

As you can tell from the title, the focus of Sister Oscarsen's message is the Proclamation to the World on the Family (Here's a link to read the full document).

She begins her talk with an account of a brave young Italian woman who had to make a stand against a mob that was threatening the missionaries that had taught her the gospel. (Ok, that was a mouthful. Hopefully I didn't confuse you too much.) This young Italian woman stood up to these men, and, essentially, ordered them to depart.

What happened next was amazing. They mob left, "that strong ferocious body of men stood helpless before a weak, trembling, yet fearless girl."

There are other aspects of the talk that I want to focus on, but I couldn't write this post without acknowledging that story. As I read the account I was struck by the reminder of the power a righteous daughter of God holds when she uses her influence for good.

Thank you, Sister Oscarsen, for that reminder.

Ok, now I want to move on to the next part of the talk. Sister Oscarsen explains that we need to stand up for the Family Proclamation, which we absolutely do, but then she admits that "life rarely goes exactly according to plan for anyone."

This is very true for me. I am thirty four years old and single in a church whose focus is firmly centered around the family.

I appreciated Sister Oscarsen's acknowledgment, and I agree that "it is still important to understand and teach the Lord's pattern." I believe that we can, and should, use the Lord's patterns to help guide us as we make decisions. There are beautiful truths in the Lord's patterns. I know that Heavenly Father loves me. Right now, my life doesn't fit the pattern, but I know that I can trust in His timeline. So can you.

Heavenly Father has promised that "nothing will be withheld from those who faithfully keep their covenants." And I intended to do just that. 

In the mean time, I will continue to progress and prepare for the future. As Sister Oscarsen reminded us, we should "aim for the ideal but plan for contingencies." Thankfully, the contingencies can be pretty wonderful.

Ok, that's all from me for now. But I'd love to hear what you thought about Sister Oscarsen's talk. Share your thoughts in the comment section below. 

The Family is Ordained of God (Video Presentation)

This is the video that was shared during the Women's Session of General Conference. It was a beautiful reminder of the fact that we are all part of a heavenly family. After watching, the idea that struck me the most is the truth that our family relationships are what bring joy and purpose to our lives. Brothers and Sisters, we receive many blessings from our family, particularly as we work to be united. I will continue to strive, and I hope you will, to show love and support to my family. (Even when they drive me crazy. Love you guys.)

Thoughts on A Church News Article: Elder Ballard at BYU's Women's Conference

I was reading an article today on LDS.org when I felt a nudge from the Spirit. There was one moment that stuck me so much and was so uplifting and encouraging that I had to share it with you. The article was written by Marianne Holman Prescott, a staff writer at Church News. She was reporting on a talk that Elder Ballard gave at the recent BYU Women’s Conference.

Here is a link to the article.

In his presentation, Elder Ballard said this: “As members of the Church, we should not be critical of those who have sincere, heartfelt questions or concerns about their faith.” Instead we should remember that “the Restoration, in all of its glory and wonder, was launched in response to a spiritual question of a 14-year-old young man. Such questions can be a catalyst to real conversion if they prompt us to seek truth in the light of faith.”

As someone who struggles with depression and anxiety, I often feel guilty about the questions, and even doubts, that sometimes enter my head. We’ve been told to be of good cheer and that Heavenly Father’s plan is a plan of Happiness, but at times I simply don’t feel happy. I struggle to have confidence and to feel my faith. Unfortunately, this can sometimes last for long periods of time, periods when I'm in survival mode and when I struggle to live daily as the disciple of Christ that I want to be. In these moments, I feel guilty about not being a good example for my family and friends. 

Thankfully, I’ve had enough experiences to know that this is the true Church, so these struggles don’t pull me away from the Church. But they do make life … challenging.

It was wonderful to read Elder Ballard’s words and to know that Heavenly Father can, and will, use the questions that inspire, and sometimes plague me to strengthen my testimony and to help me fulfill my purpose. As I move forward, I will strive to use these questions to strengthen my relationship with Heavenly Father and to strengthen my resolve to live my faith.  

Sister Carole M. Stephens: The Family is of God

Ok, it’s time to tackle the second talk from Women’s Conference. (Does anyone else love that this is happening twice a year now? I’ve always loved Women’s Conference Weekend, but I joined the church as an adult so I never watched the Young Women’s Session in April. Now that the two are combined, I get to enjoy an extra weekend of conference.

Sister Carole M. Stephens: The Family Is Of God

Read The Full Talk Here

Sister Stephens begins her talk by saying that one of the pure doctrines of the church is that “the family is of God” and “that we are each part of God’s family. I love being reminded that families are forever and that we are part of Heavenly Families. Knowing this truth brings much comfort and joy to my life.

As the Proclamation says, we are each a “beloved… daughter of heavenly parents.” Think about that for a moment. We have heavenly “parents.” That means that not only do we have a Heavenly Father, but we also have a Heavenly Mother. Out of respect and reverence, we don’t speak of her often, but she is there, watching over us and loving us. We are her children.

The second principle that Sister Stephens spoke about is an idea that Elder Scott explained. He said, “our purpose in coming here [to earth] is to be tested, tried, and stretched.”

We all know that each of us will experience challenges and temptations. These are those stretching opportunities that Elder Scott referred to. Thankfully none of us have to face them alone. Jesus Christ atoned for our sins, he experienced everything and anything that we possibly could, and he is there to support us, just as we should support others.

According to Sister Stephens, “our opportunity as covenant-keeping daughters of God is not just to learn from our own challenges; it is to unite in empathy and compassion as we support other members of the family of God in their struggles, as we have covenanted to do.” She then quotes Joseph Smith, who said we should “act according to the sympathies which God has planted in our hearts.”

I had to stop when I read this section to think about what that means. It is such a beautiful thought, and one that I intend to use as I move forward with my life. For me, it suggests that the groups or challenges that we, individually, sympathize with are groups that we are called to help. If Heavenly Father has planted sympathizes in our hearts, it’s because He wants us to help and support that group.

As Sister Stephens said, we should all go about doing good and expanding our sphere of influence. These sympathizes are one way we can do this. That is my prayer for you, and for myself, brothers and sisters, because I know doing this will help bring more love into our lives.