Through The Hard Times, Know That You Are Never Alone...

We will always have hardships and go through difficult trials throughout our lives but if we keep the Holy Ghost close to us we will never feel alone and we will feel comforted during those hardships.

"Wherefore, I now send upon you another comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise;" (D&C 88:3)

Living The Abundant Life

Recently the President of our church, Thomas S. Monson spoke about "The Abundant Life" It really hit home with me. He gave what he called the ABC's to help us gain the abundant life. He said that A is for Attitude. Having the right attitude is so important in our everyday lives... improving our attitude towards things can hep us have closer relationships with loved ones, gain us more success at work, be happier with who we are, and so on. President Monson had said:

"So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can bring peace and contentment. We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude."

I loved this. It made me realize that we should not stress over the little things in life (such as a chore not getting done). I need to look around me and remember how many wonderful things surround me and how blessed I truly am. Instead of focusing on the the negative things we should all try and sit back for a moment and really think about the blessings that are all around us. I did just that today, I sat down and just took a moment to think of everything that I am thankful for and there were too many things to count.

B is for Believe-in yourself, in those around you, and in eternal principles.

He said to "be honest with yourself, with others, and with your Heavenly Father. Don’t limit yourself and don’t let others convince you that you are limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach your possibilities. You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith."

C is for Courage. "Courage becomes a worthwhile and meaningful virtue when it is regarded not so much as a willingness to die manfully but as a determination to live decently."

"Said the American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide on, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.”

"There will be times when you will be frightened and discouraged. You may feel that you are defeated. The odds of obtaining victory may appear overwhelming. At times you may feel like David trying to fight Goliath. But remember—David did win!"

"Courage is required to make an initial thrust toward one’s coveted goal, but even greater courage is called for when one stumbles and must make a second effort to achieve. Have the determination to make the effort, the single-mindedness to work toward a worthy goal, and the courage not only to face the challenges that inevitably come but also to make a second effort, should such be required. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.”"

"May we remember these ABC's as we begin our journey into the new year, cultivating a positive attitude, a belief that we can achieve our goals and resolutions, and the courage to face whatever challenges may come our way. Then the abundant life will be ours."

I loved this talk by President Monson. If we can everyday remember these ABC's to living an abundant life and everyday we can strive to have a better attitude, believe in ourselves, in our Heavenly Father, and in all those around us, and if we can live everyday with courage I truly believe that we will gain a happier life and that we will be blessed in doing so. I am so very grateful to have the love and support from those around me and to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I am truly thankful for the many blessings it has brought me and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

If you would like to read the entire "Living The Abundant Life" please visit http://www.lds.org/ or click on the link below!

http://lds.org/liahona/2012/01/living-the-abundant-life?lang=eng

New Posts

I haven't written any posts for awhile! Been a bit hectic around here but now that things are settled down I will be posting at least 4 times a week starting tomorrow so stay tuned :)

Thanks for all your love and support!

Interesting Article

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/10/09/my-take-this-evangelical-says-mormonism-isnt-a-cult/ 

Finding Hope - 10th Anniversary of 9/11

With 9/11 approaching I wanted to share a few things with everyone. First, this video about a 9/11 survivor. I suggest everyone watch it. It is such a touching video and really makes you thankful for the things we have.

I would also like to share this article my sister-in-law shared with me by Thomas S. Monson. It is a wonderful article...

www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/guest-voices/post/911-destruction-allowed-us-to-spiritually-rebuild/2011/09/08/gIQAbkjKCK_blog.html

We should always remember the people that died and survived that day and always be thankful for what we have.

I Stand All Amazed....

This song is a song that no matter how many times I hear, brings tears to my eyes.

There was a talk by Jeffrey R. Holland in the 1986 issue of the Ensign called, "I Stand All Amazed"
It is a wonderful article and I highly recommend everyone take a moment to read through it.
www.lds.org/ensign/1986/08/i-stand-all-amazed?lang=eng

I truly do stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. Listening to this song, reading that talk, it all makes me think that we really are spirit children of God and that we should be truly acting that way every single day. We need to be constantly bringing ourselves closer to our Heavenly Father. Not only do we need to be reading our scriptures, saying our prayers, and going to church, but we need to be doing more. We need to be always looking for missionary opportunities. We need to be faithful in all things.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

"To follow Christ is to become more like Him. It is to learn from His character. As spirit children of our Heavenly Father, we do have the potential to incorporate Christlike attributes into our life and character. The Savior invites us to learn His gospel by living His teachings. To follow Him is to apply correct principles and then witness for ourselves the blessings that follow. This process is very complex and very simple at the same time. Ancient and modern prophets described it with three words: “Keep the commandments”—nothing more, nothing less.

Developing Christlike attributes in our lives is not an easy task, especially when we move away from generalities and abstractions and begin to deal with real life. The test comes in practicing what we proclaim. The reality check comes when Christlike attributes need to become visible in our lives—as husband or wife, as father or mother, as son or daughter, in our friendships, in our employment, in our business, and in our recreation. We can recognize our growth, as can those around us, as we gradually increase our capacity to “act in all holiness before [Him]” (D&C 43:9).

The scriptures describe a number of Christlike attributes we need to develop during the course of our lives. They include knowledge and humility, charity and love, obedience and diligence, faith and hope. These personal character qualities stand independent of the organizational status of our Church unit, our economic circumstances, our family situation, culture, race, or language. Christlike attributes are gifts from God. They cannot be developed without His help. The one help we all need is given to us freely through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Having faith in Jesus Christ and in His Atonement means relying completely on Him—trusting in His infinite power, intelligence, and love. Christlike attributes come into our lives as we exercise our agency righteously. Faith in Jesus Christ leads to action. When we have faith in Christ, we trust the Lord enough to follow His commandments—even when we do not completely understand the reasons for them. In seeking to become more like the Savior, we need to reevaluate our lives regularly and rely, through the path of true repentance, upon the merits of Jesus Christ and the blessings of His Atonement.

Developing Christlike attributes can be a painful process. We need to be ready to accept direction and correction from the Lord and His servants. This worldwide conference with its music and spoken word offers spiritual power, direction, and blessings “from on high” (D&C 43:16). It is a time when the voice of personal inspiration and revelation will bring peace to our souls and will teach us how to become more Christlike. This voice will be as sweet as the voice of a dear friend, and it will fill our souls when our hearts are sufficiently contrite.

By becoming more like the Savior, we will grow in our ability to “abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 15:13). We will “lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better” (D&C 25:10)."

I am no where near perfect and never will be, but I do seek each and every day to be more Christ-like, as I hope we all do. I will always stand all amazed that "for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled, and died for me." I feel truly blessed having the gospel in my life.

What Matters Most

I love this video. It's simple yet has an extremely powerful message.

I think so many of us, if not all of us, at some point get caught up in our everyday things. Whether it be cleaning, running errands, doctors visits, etc. Sometimes our "to do" lists seems endless and when that happens we are forgetting what matters most. Especially as mothers, we often times feel that pressure to be "perfect." Perfect does not exist and is something no mother should strive for. Instead we need to look in the mirror and say "I'm not perfect. The laundry may not always be done, my hair might not always be perfect, but Heavenly Father knows that I am doing all I can to become more Christ-like." When we are finally able to distinguish the difference between what is important and what is not then we are finally able to enjoy life more and be happier. We are finally able to focus our time on what is most important. I have found that even when overwhelmed with errands or chores you can still turn that into a bonding time with your children. For instance, when I have laundry to do I make it fun. I tell our oldest to go grab his stool and basket. He smiles so big and hurries to get his items. Then I fill his little basket up with clothes that need to be washed and he tells me what color each item is before he throws it in the washer. I have started to learn to make household chores less of a "chore" and more of a fun bonding time for Wyatt and I.

Our families are something that matters most to us. We often assume that our family already knows how much we love them. But I love when President Monson says "we should never assume, we should let them know." We need to be constantly expressing our love to our family, letting them know how much we care and how much we appreciate them. When we say "I love you" not only do we say it but we must show that we love them as well. Show your spouses your appreciation for all the hard work they do. Always be telling your children what they mean to you. This video has always really touched me. I watch it as a constant reminder to put aside things that are of less importance and to spend my days expressing my love to those around me. The days that we set aside the things that are not important and replace them with things that are important we find ourselves happier and knowing that we are doing what we should be doing.

I am so grateful for my husband, my children, and our family. Each person in our family holds a special place in my heart. I love my family and will always continue to express my love to them.