My Blessings

I have been very blessed to have always had the priesthood in my home.  When I was growing up, Dad was always able to give me blessings when I needed one - if I was sick, if I was nervous about an upcoming event, anything that I needed comfort for, he would give me a blessing.  I remember every year, the night before school started, we would all gather in the living room and dad would give us our "back to school" blessings.  Now that I'm married, my husband does the same with my kids.  There is just such a feeling of comfort and security knowing that the power of the priesthood is available whenever we may need it.

I learned today that everyone that has the power and authority of the priesthood was called and ordained in the pre-existence.

And this is the manner after which they were ordained - being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; (Alma 13:3)

This high priesthood being after the order of his Son, which order was from the foundation of the world; or in other words, being without beginning of days or end of years, being prepared from eternity to all eternity, according to his foreknowledge of all things-(Alma 13:7)

However, not everyone that was foreordained to the priesthood will receive it in this life.  Because we all have our free agency, and have had it since our premortal existence, there will be some who do not live in such a way as to be worthy to hold the priesthood.

And thus they have been called to this holy calling on account of their faith, while others would reject the Spirit of God on account of the hardness of their hears and blindness of their minds, while, if it had not been for this they might have had as great privilege as their brethren.

Or in fine, in the first place they were on the same standing with their brethren; (Alma 13:4-5)

How grateful I am that my dad and my husband have chosen to accept the Spirit of God and to honor their priesthood.  There are countless ways that my life has been blessed because of their righteousness.  I was given a name and a blessing as an infant by my father, I was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost through my father.  All of my children have been blessed and baptized by their father.  Because these two men made the decision to live in such a way a to be worthy to hold the priesthood, they have blessed an innumerable amount of lives - not only their immediate families, but the generations that will come after them.  I cannot adequately express my gratitude and love for their willingness to freely share this gift.  I love them both so much!

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 13 

Welcome Home

©Darrell Wyatt

I was blessed with many things, but organizational skills was not one of them.  I am not organized in any aspect of my life - housework, finances, scheduling - not one area.  I used to try.  I would buy cute little planners to carry in my purse.  I'd make chore charts and bill charts.  Nothing worked.  I used to purposely leave my vacuum cleaner out so that if someone happened to stop by, they would just think that I was in the middle of some heavy cleaning.  Not anymore.  I have finally accepted the fact that I may never be as organized as I wish I could be.

As a result of my lack of organizational skills, my life and my house are most often in a state of disarray.  There are always piles of dishes to be washed and piles of laundry to be folded.  My shelves are dusty.  My bed is rarely made.  If I know someone is coming to visit, I am overcome with anxiety at the overwhelming task that lies before me to make sure that the house is in presentable condition.  If company will be staying over night, starting a couple of days before they arrive, I morph from just plain "mom" into a three headed, fire-breathing monster, cracking my whip and snapping at the kids to "keep moving!".  It's really not a pretty sight.

I have often dreamed of having someone just pop in to visit and not being embarrassed to open the front door.  Maybe I could even take them through the house and into the kitchen where we would sit at my shiny counter on the squeaky clean bar stools and sip a foaming cup of hot chocolate and just talk.  Or maybe, just maybe, I could bring warm, chewy cookies as soccer treats because I remembered that I was in charge of treats the day before the game instead of five minutes before.  And then I look around my house at the piles and the toys and the shoes strewn about, and I remember - oh yeah...that's not me.

This morning I read:

...therefore this life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God; (Alma 12:24)

For some reason, that made me feel a little bit better about myself.  It didn't say "...therefore, this life became a probationary state; a time to make sure that the ironing is done and the floor is mopped and the dishes all match".  No.  I am here to learn and to teach my kids to prepare to meet God.  Yes, I know that "cleanliness is next to Godliness".  But I prefer to think of it as "cleanliness is next after Godliness".  If I am spending time doing the things that really matter - family prayer, teaching my kids to grow closer to their Savior by attending church meetings and having Family Home Evening, I'm pretty sure Heavenly Father will look past the fingerprints on the refrigerator door.  As long as I have done my best to get my kids back to Him, I really don't think he'll care that their shirt is stained or their hair mussed up.  He will be pleased with my efforts, and he will say to them, mismatched socks and all, "Welcome Home".

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 11

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 12

I Will Not Forget

...I was called many times and I would not hear; therefore I knew concerning these things, yet I would not know;(Alma 10:6)

It was really interesting for me to read about Amulek today.  It seems that when I read the Book of Mormon, I tend to focus on the big names - the well-known stories.  I found out today that there is much to be learned from the lesser known heroes of the scriptures.  

And behold, I am also a man of no small reputation among all those who know me; yea, and behold, I have many kindreds and friends, and I have also acquired much riches by the hand of my industry. (Alma 10:4)

Read out of context, that verse could be construed as Amulek bragging about himself, when in reality, he was just prefacing the things that he was going to tell the people.  He was basically saying "I'm an intelligent guy, and most of you know that, but..."

Nevertheless, after all this, I never have known much of the ways of the Lord, and his mysteries and marvelous power.  I said I never had known much of these things; but behold, I mistake, for I have seen much of his mysteries and his marvelous power; yea, even in the preservation of the lives of this people. (Alma 10:5)

Amulek knew that the Lord had, on numerous occasions, spared the lives of his ancestors.  He knew that he was mistaken to say that he did not know of the Lord's power, and the fact that he corrected himself spoke volumes to me.  There have been times where I have forgotten how much I really know and understand about the power and majesty of God.  Times that I take for granted all the evidence of his love that surrounds me on a daily basis.  I get busy.  I get overwhelmed with all that I am responsible for, and I forget to take time to bask in His tender mercies.  

I live in one of the most beautiful places on earth.  I am surrounded by mountains and lakes.  There are daily opportunities, if I wanted, to go for a hike right out my front door.  There have been times, as I've driven from errand to errand, that I have been so full of gratitude for the beauty of my surroundings that I've felt as if my heart would burst.  However, those few times are far outnumbered by the times that I hurriedly move from place to place, noticing little and not thanking at all.

The Logan River, just miles from my home                                  ©Darrell Wyatt

I believe Amulek was basically a good person who, like me, got caught up in the day to day routine and just forgot what he knew.  If this were not true, an angel would not have visited with him to tell him of Alma's coming.  Although Amulek may have, for a time, forgotten God, God did not forget him.  He knew that Amulek would listen to the promptings of the spirit, so He gave him a calling to take care of Alma and then to preach alongside him.

There have been times that a calling has been extended to someone in my ward, and I've thought "What are they thinking?". (I know...terrible, right?)  I know that I've been extended a call and thought "What are they thinking?"  But the call does not come from the Bishop or the Relief Society President or the Primary President.  The call comes from the Lord.  And he knows each of us and what our strengths are.  He alone knows in which areas we need to be stretched and strengthened.  That is another sign of His unmatched love.

If I had no mountains to look at, no valleys or rivers, no history of miracles to go by, I would still not be able to deny the power of God.  I don't have to look any further than my children.  The way they smile and run and laugh and cry and talk and sing are all powerful evidences of a higher being.  Watching them grow from tiny, helpless infants into confident, beautiful teenagers has been a miracle in and of itself.  

I am full to overflowing with gratitude for the "mysteries and marvelous power" of God in my life.  I will strive every day to not forget.

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 8

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 9

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 10

I Wanna Be Like You

I love watching my kids and their different personalities.  It's fun to see them interact with each other (most of the time).  The most interesting relationship, to me, is the one between my two younger sons.  There is a five year difference between them, which sometimes causes some friction, but most of the time they're really good buddies.  In fact, these two have shared a room since before my youngest son could even walk.  They've always had bunk beds, but have almost always ended up sleeping in the same bed.  I could often hear the older brother reading to his baby brother after they'd been sent to bed.  They still, to this day, won't go to bed unless the other one is going.  I love it.

Yesterday, my youngest son had to give a talk in Primary.  Here's part of what he said:

"This is a picture of me with my big brother.  I try to do everything that he does.  I also do almost anything he tells me to do, and he usually likes that.  Sometimes he gets annoyed with me because I follow him around.  But I only do this because I love him so much and want to be just like him.

There is another older brother that I love very much.  His name is Jesus Christ.  I also want to be just like Him.  In the same way that I follow my big brother around and do what he does, I can also follow Jesus' example to become like Him."

How true that is!  All throughout the scriptures, we are told of Jesus' attributes and that we must strive to be like Him.  Just yesterday, I posted about receiving His image in our countenances.  In today's reading, Alma spoke about how we can do that:

And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive.

And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.(Alma 7:23-24) 

 I love that last part - "and then ye will always abound in good works".  There are days that I really struggle to maintain my composure.  I'm crabby and moody and I snap at the people I love without much provocation.  Perhaps, next to the grocery list and the "to do" list on my refrigerator, I need to have a "to be" list.  It would look something like this:

• Be humble and submissive and gentle
• Be easy to be entreated
• Be full of patience and long-suffering
• Be temperate
• Be diligent in keeping the commandments at all times
• Be grateful
• Be faithful
• Be hopeful
• Be charitable

 

If I could spend some time each day on my "To Be" list, I wouldn't have much time or energy "To Be" anything else - crabby or moody or snappy.  I would be more like Jesus Christ.

 

Looking at that picture of my sons,  a song from the Disney movie "Jungle Book" keeps running through my head.  "I wanna be like you.  I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too.  You see it's true, someone like me can learn to be like someone like you."

The same is true for my relationship with Jesus Christ.  I do want to be like Him.  I want to walk like Him and talk like Him.  With effort and diligence, someone like me can learn "To Be" someone like Him.

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 7

They Have Received His Image

Travis, Tyrell, Dave and Richard

I spent much of yesterday at a Special Olympics basketball tournament with my son.  It was, most definitely, one of the most rewarding days of my life.  I felt as if I were on heaven's doorstep, surrounded by angels.  There were athletes of all ages and sizes and abilities.  There were some athletes who really understood the game of basketball, and a couple who needed much assistance from their coaches.  And these coaches!  All were angels themselves.  It takes very special people to put aside another person's handicap and to teach them.  These athletes are learning much more than basketball skills.  They are learning crucial interpersonal skills, teamwork, and most of all, they are learning that they are capable.

There is one athlete, Joey,  from my son's group who has Down's Syndrome.  There is never a question as to how Joey feels about you.  He cannot walk past without giving a hug.  He grabbed my youngest son and just held him for a long time and told him how much he loved him and how sweet he was.  "I love you" is the phrase that I've heard most often come from Joey's mouth. 

Another teammate, Tyrell, has taken it upon himself to watch after my son.  When Tyrell knew that my husband wouldn't be able to make it to the games, he quickly assured him that he would take care of Travis.  And sure enough, as I pulled into the parking lot to meet the bus the team would be taking to their tournament, Tyrell came bounding down the stairs to make sure Trav would be sitting with him on the bus.  When we all arrived at the sports complex, Tyrell made sure to show Travis where the restroom was and where they would be playing.  He truly was his brother's keeper.

In between games, Isaac, another of Trav's teammates, made sure that my three younger kids weren't going to be hungry.  He showed them his duffel bag full of granola bars and chips and told them to help themselves.  He complimented Trav's basketball skills and offered his advice.  He thought of everyone before himself.

I've never seen Dave or Richard without smiles on their faces.  Dave introduced himself to the referees and the other coaches and made instant friendships.  These are just happy people.

As I was reading this morning in Alma Chapter 5, I read some questions that Alma had directed toward his people as he was preaching.  One of them in particular seemed appropriate to my experience yesterday:

Have ye received his image in your countenances? (Alma 5:14)

When I think of the image of Christ, I think of love and charity and unselfishness.  I think of Joey and Tyrell and Isaac and Dave and Richard and Travis.  They truly have the image of Christ engraven upon their countenances.  There is no wondering where you stand with them.  If only we could all receive His image in our countenances as they have, this would surely become Heaven on Earth.  I am so blessed to be able to associate with people of their caliber, and I know that if I could even strive to have their image in my countenance, I would be all the better for it.

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 5

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 6

Stumbling Blocks vs. Bridges

A few years ago, near the town that I lived, there was a raging debate over where Deseret Industries (a thrift store) should build a new store.  There was some discussion about permits and zoning and all the normal things that come along with putting up a large building, but this is not what the debate was about.  There were numerous city council meetings, where citizens could come voice their concerns.  The overwhelming consensus, according to several media outlets, was that the people of this particular city did not welcome the kind of "riff-raff" that would be frequenting the thrift store.  They believed that the city's image would deteriorate.  The unfortunate thing about this was that the majority of the people in this town, as with most towns in Utah, belonged to the LDS Church.  This caused many people outside of the church to look at all members they encountered as snobby, holier-than-thou hypocrites.

...and the wickedness [of the members] of the church was a great stumbling-block to those who did not belong to the church...(Alma 4:10)

There are many blessings that come with living in an area that is so full of church members.  Most of my kids' friends are members.  I can go into the grocery store and hear people talking about their missionaries or the temple or their Relief Society Enrichment nights.  There is just a feeling of peace and belonging.  There are also some not so good things that come from living in an area that is so full of church members.  It's easy to become lackadaisical in my efforts to share my beliefs.  It's much easier in some ways to live the gospel, because everyone else is doing it, but because "everyone else is doing it", it's also easy to fall into clique-ish behaviors.  

My ward boundaries consist basically of one square block - two streets.  The Relief Society President lives kitty-corner to me, the Primary President across the street.  The Bishop and his counselors are all just a few houses away.  I am good friends with most of the women in my ward.  I've just been thinking of the homes in the neighborhood, and I think there are around twenty non-member homes.  With the exception of my neighbor, I don't even know the names of any of those non-member families.  How sad!   

I have heard people speak of feeling outcast and not included in the activities of their acquaintances who are members of the church.  It occurred to me that whereas I have a feeling of peace and of belonging because of my associations with members of the church, a non-member could actually feel lonely and even shunned because of their associations with members of the church.  

I must do better at making sure that I am not a stumbling block to those who do not belong to the church.  I want them to see what I see.  That the church is full of loving, kind, generous people.  People who are not really all that different from them.  Instead of a stumbling block, I will strive to be a bridge.

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 3 

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 4

Steadfast AND Popular

Popularity is such a fickle thing, but it's oh so important to my kids.  Some of them more so than others.  My middle son, for example, is very comfortable with who he is.  So much so, in fact, that if he can't find his gloves on a snowy day, he has no problem putting on his sister's hot pink ones.  When his bike broke, he was just fine riding the pink flowery bike that his little sister abandoned.  He'll wear one tall green sock with a short white one.  He just doesn't worry about what other people think.  On the other hand, my youngest daughter will have a complete meltdown over such things as her shoes not being the exact right shade to match her jacket.  It will take twenty minutes to convince her that every piece of her hair does not have to lay exactly the same way.  She will come home completely devastated because her friend at school played with someone else at recess.  The importance of being popular doesn't fall down boy/girl lines with my kids.  While my oldest daughter longs to be popular, her priorities are with other things.  My youngest son feels that push to be liked by everyone he meets.

In today's reading, there was a man, Nehor, who went about the land trying to convince the priests of the church that they needed to seek popularity - that they were above the rest of the people and should not have to do things like labor with their hands.  He convinced many people that all of them would have eternal life, no matter what they did.  A lot of them believed him.

Nehor's words appealed to many of the people; they were easy words because they required neither obedience nor sacrifice.  As we face many decisions in life, the easy and popular messages of the world will seem appealing.  But when these worldly messages contradict gospel teachings and the still, small voice of the Spirit, we can be 100 percent confident that they are wrong.  Still, it will take great courage to choose the right (L.Tom Perry, Living with Enthusiam, 108-9).

 

With my teenage daughter's first Homecoming dance coming up in a couple of days, I'm reminded of an experience that I had when I was her age.  It was the night of the Homecoming Football game – a cold October night, warmed by the adrenaline of the team and the spirit of the crowd.  It was halftime, and I was sitting in a red convertible with the other nominees for Homecoming Queen, waiting to be driven around the field before the announcement was made.  It was such a surreal experience, like a dream.  As the car started moving forward, I could feel the cold wind hitting my cheeks and blowing my carefully styled hair and I started to think about the moments leading to this night.

I lived in a tiny town in Eastern Washington.  So tiny was it, that I was one of twenty people in my senior class.  Other than myself and my sister and brother, there was only one active member of the church in the whole high school.  

I didn’t “hang out” with my friends very much, rarely wore the latest fashions and mostly kept to myself - which is why the nomination for Homecoming Queen came as such a surprise.  I never felt like part of the “in” crowd.  Yet, as that red convertible came around the final turn in the football field, here I was.  In a beautiful red dress, sitting next to some of the most popular girls in school.  My dad, who never attended the high school football games (it was one of the few sports in which a child wasn’t participating), was sitting in the bleachers.  He had come just to watch the halftime ceremony. 

As the car came to a stop, our football player dates helped us down and gave each of us a rose.  It was time for the announcement.  Could I dare dream to be the Homecoming Queen?   “And the Homecoming Queen is…..”  Not me.  One of the most popular girls was crowned the Queen.  I smiled through my disappointment, gave my dad a hug and climbed on the back of the car to be carried off the field.  I watched the rest of the football game and then walked sullenly home where I told my parents goodnight and went straight up to my room.  As I opened the door, I stepped on a piece of paper that had been folded neatly and slid underneath.  I picked it up and plopped down on my bed to see what it was.  I read:

Heather-

As I watched you ride onto the football field tonight in that beautiful red car, I could see the smile and the expectation on your face and I was very, very proud.  You looked so beautiful.  The flowers you held were nothing compared to the beautiful young woman who carried them.  I wanted everyone to know that you were my daughter.  I couldn’t have been more proud.

I know that you wanted to be Queen very badly, and I wanted you to be queen just (or almost) as much.  I know that you must be disappointed.  But I am not disappointed at all, because, to me, you will always be Queen, princess, and everything good all rolled into one.  Those other girls could not and do not hold a candle to you – so try not to be too discouraged, because to your mom and me – YOU ARE THE BEST!

                                                                        I love you-

                                                                                    Dad

In that moment, all of the sadness and disappointment melted away.  I knew that my Dad was proud of me and imagined that if my Heavenly Father could write me a letter, it would say much the same thing.  I was (and still am) a daughter of God.  I always did my best to “stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places”, and my father recognized that.

 

If I could convey anything to my kids, it would be that popularity is indeed a fickle thing.   What is "in" one day may not be the next.  What is important is who they are and that they be "steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God" and that they bear with patience their trials (Alma 1:25).  I know that, as a child, that is much easier said than done.  There will always be that pull, that absolute need to feel a part of the crowd.  The people that I read about today, who decided not to follow Nehor were very popular with their people because they were just normal people. 

 And they did impart of their substance, every man according to that which he had, to the poor, and the needy, and the sick, and the afflicted; and they did not wear costly apparel, yet they were neat and comely. (Alma 1:27)

I happen to believe that my kids can be both popular and steadfast at the same time, and I hope that I can do a good job of teaching them that.

 

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 1

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 2

He's My Son

I know that I have a lot of living left to do, and that there are many things that I haven't yet experienced that I hope to never experience.  Having a wayward child is one of them.  I know people who have struggled with the heartache of watching their children stray from the things that they have been taught. I can only imagine the devastation they feel.

As I was reading this morning, it really struck me how hurt and betrayed Alma must have felt when his son became a very wicked and an idolatrous man" (Mosiah 27:8).  Alma was a very faithful servant of God.  He spent his days preaching to his people about Christ.  He was the "founder of their church" (Mosiah 29:47).  He was converted by Abinadi to the knowledge of the Savior, and took it upon himself to be a witness for Him.  And his son rebelled.

And he became a great hinderment to the prosperity of the church of God; stealing away the hearts of the people; causing much dissension among the people; giving a chance for the enemy of God to exercise his power over them.(Mosiah 27:9)

Not only was Alma the younger rebelling against everything his father had taught, he was trying to bring people with him.  "...for he did go about secretly...seeking to destroy the church, and to lead astray the people of the Lord."(Mosiah 27:10)

I'm sure that Alma did everything any parent would do when faced with such a trial.  I'm sure he tried talking to his son.  I'm sure he told him how much he loved him.  He probably even got angry with him.  There is one thing that the scriptures do tell us he did - he "prayed with much faith concerning [his son] that [he] mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth"(Mosiah 27:14).  I have prayed many times for my children.  I've prayed that they will make the right choices.  That they'll be safe.  I imagine that Alma was pleading with all his heart that his son would turn back to the ways that he'd been taught.  I think his prayer could have been something like this:



I pray often, but there is no prayer as heartfelt and full of emotion as my prayers for my children.  I believe that Heavenly Father, more than anyone, understands the love of a parent for a child.  He knows of the anxiety that comes with raising children and then allowing them to make their own choices.  He knows of the anguish that comes as a result of a child turning away from His light.  And He is there to help us through it.  I hope that this is not something that I ever have to face.  But if I do, I am grateful that I know where to turn for comfort and guidance. 

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 27

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 28

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 29

Bye Bye, Cave Guy

What is it about women and grudges?  There has to be some sort of special "grudge storage" built right into our brains.  Sure, there are women who don't hold grudges, and there are some men who do, but I would say for the most part that it's a very accurate stereotype.

I've always thought of myself as one of those women who don't hold grudges.  I try very hard to just let things go.  I really don't get offended very easily.  For the most part, I don't absorb very many things that I could take personally.  I have discovered as of late, however, that the offenses from other people that I don't absorb must give me extra room in the "grudge storage" for my kids and husband.  Whereas I can let a lot of things bounce off of me outside of my house, when I'm with my family, I'm a vacuum.  I suck it all in, and it takes me quite awhile to empty it out.

Painting at Bonneville Dam Electrician's Shop                             ©Darrell Wyatt

This is how my family must picture me sometimes.  I'm sure that when my kids get home from school, they're not sure which of my personalities they're going to be greeted by.  Will I be happy to see them, or will something that happened during the day - something disastrous like me tripping over a shoe - have put me in a knuckle-dragging, grunting state of mind?  I'm not sure what happened to turn me into a half woman, half neanderthal, but I've let it happen. 

Once again, while reading, I was taught a valuable lesson.

Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them 
their trespasses against me. (Mosiah 26:30)

There is no one that has faced more personal offense than Jesus Christ.  Yet, he not only forgives each time that forgiveness is asked, he suffered so that his offenders would be able to have eternal life.  He is the ultimate example of letting go of grudges.  I want to be more like Him.

My goal would be for my kids to come home to a feeling of peace.  That our home would be a refuge from the storm that is their daily lives.  I have to be the grown-up in order for that to happen.  I have to let go of the unimportant things and understand that my kids are not perfect.  They're going to make mistakes, and they're going to say they're sorry.  I don't need to make them sorry for the entire day or week or month by constantly bringing up those mistakes.  I have to treat them as I would treat people outside of my home, and not take them for granted.  They are magnificent!  It's my job to remind them of that fact every possible second.  It's time to bury my inner caveman and empty my "grudge storage".  It's time for me to forgive as often as is necessary.  Will I be perfect at it?  Probably not, but I'm sure going to give it a good effort and start over as many times as it takes to get it right.

Click here to read what I read today!

One Church

©Darrell Wyatt

 
As of December 31, 2009, there were 2865 stakes and 28,424 wards in the church (Statistical Report, April 2010).  For those not familiar with wards and stakes, this is the way that the LDS Church divides into smaller groups.  With nearly fourteen million members, having smaller groups gather allows us to learn better and to better take care of each other.  Each ward has a Bishop, and there are usually at least three wards in a Stake, which is headed by a Stake President.  The curriculum taught is the same in all of the wards.  The organization is the same.  Even most of the buildings are basically the same.

And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.

Now this was done because there were so many people that they could not all be governed by one teacher; neither could they all hear the word of God in one assembly;

Therefore they did assemble themselves together in different bodies, being called churches; every church having their priests and their teachers, and every priest preaching the word according as it was delivered to hmi by the mouth of Alma.

And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were all one church, yea, even the church of God...(Mosiah 25:19-22)

This is exactly how the church is organized today.  Notwithstanding there are many wards and stakes, we are all one church, even The Church of Jesus Christ.  There is no confusion as to what should be taught, since our lessons all come from inspired leaders, and we are all taught the same thing.  It is such a blessing!

Wherever I go, whether it be back to Washington State or to California or Florida, or if I am somehow blessed to be able to travel to a foreign country, I will be learning the exact same thing in pretty much the same way as if I were here at home in Utah.  To me, this is a great blessing.  Even if I'm in a place that's foreign to me, the church is a familiar and comfortable place to be.

Click here to read what I read today! 

Beautifully Burdened

This is another picture from my infamous White Pine hike a few weeks ago.  I thought it was interesting how some of the trees were bent at the base.  There must have been an unusually heavy amount of snow quite a few years ago, when these aspens were very young, that weighed down on their fragile trunks.

Today as I was reading, I was thinking about burdens.  Alma and his people were being persecuted because of their beliefs.  They were brought into slavery, and when they were caught praying to be removed from their afflictions, they were ordered to stop.  Guards were placed around them to make sure that no one was praying, and any who were discovered to be doing so were put to death.

And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.

And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying:  Lift up your heads and be of good comfort...

...I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs...

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...(Mosiah 24:12-15)

There was something that really stood out to me as I read these verses.  Alma and his people had been praying to the Lord to be released from their burden, but that's not what happened.  Instead of removing the burden, the Lord made the people stronger and more able to bear them.  He made the burden lighter, but he did not take it away.

When I look at the picture of the aspen trees, I think that they probably experienced something similar to Alma.  As these trees were growing, they faced a heavy burden.  They were obviously strong enough to withstand the heavy snow fall, because they didn't perish.  The bore their burden and then continued to grow.  And they're all the more beautiful because of it. If the burden had been removed, the trees would have still grown, but they would've been shaped differently.  Out of the thousands of aspen trees growing around them, these bent trees stand out because of their uniqueness. 

I think it's the same way with us.  My burdens, heavy or light, have shaped who I am.  I have become strengthened and able to carry them.  It's difficult to be grateful for a burden when I'm in the middle of carrying it, but looking back it's easy for me to see that the Lord lightened that burden.  If I cannot show gratitude for the burden itself, I can at least give thanks that Heavenly Father helped me to carry it.

Click here to read what I read today! 

Never Too Late

I love my little brother.  He's funny.  No, actually, he's hilarious.  He's quite the prankster, but he's also kind and loving and generous.  He would give the shirt off his back to a stranger.  Matt was just twelve when I got married and moved out of the house, so I didn't really get to see him grow up.  He made many friends in high school.  I didn't get to see it, but I can imagine that he was always the life of the party.  He's a great husband and father.   He's also a recovering drug addict.

I'm not one hundred percent sure of the circumstances that led to him being prescribed heavy-duty painkillers, but he became addicted to them.  I'll never forget the day that my mom called me and told me that Matt was an addict.  I was sick to my stomach.  He had done some terrible things to support his addiction, but he was getting help, she said.  He lost his job.  He nearly lost his family.  He ended up spending some time in jail for theft.  He cleaned himself up and got a great job.  I still don't know to this day whether there ever was period that he quit using, because he ended up losing his new job as well.  Turned out, he was stealing from his employer and others.  He even used his closeness to his older brother to gain access to some of his valuables, which he stole and sold to get money to support his habit.  He did some pretty awful things to people who loved him.  Some of those people have still not forgiven him, my other brother included, and it's hard to blame them.

After losing his second job, Matt moved his family to a different state, presumably to get a fresh start.  He got another fabulous job and a great house.  My little sister and I went to visit him for a few days one fall, during one of the "clean" periods in his life - or so we thought.  We ended up inadvertently accompanying him on a drug deal, we found out a few months later.  He was sneaky.  He had ways to hide his drug use from everyone close to him.  His wife thought he was clean, but really, he had just found new ways to hide.  After stealing from yet another employer and getting fired, Matt finally got checked into a rehabilitation center.  His addictions were too strong for him to be able to get clean on his own, so rehab was really the only option.  This turned out to be a life-changing experience, in more ways than one.  While he was in rehab, Matt renewed his relationship with Heavenly Father.  He became an avid Bible reader, and is now the youth pastor at his church.  He gives all the credit for his ability to give up his addictions to the love of God.  I'm really proud of the progress that he's made.

Matt gets teased quite a bit about his middle name.  It's an odd name for a boy to have, unless one is familiar with the Book of Mormon.  Because Matt left the church quite a few years ago, I'm not sure if he understands what an amazing and consummately appropriate name it is.

I got really emotional while I was reading today.  I read verses 9 and 10 in Mosiah, chapter 23, and I was hit with an overwhelming sense of appreciation for the unconditional love and grace of God:

...I myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore repentance;  

Nevertheless, after much tribulation, the Lord did hear my cries, and did answer my prayers, and has made me an instrument in his hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of his truth.

I thought of my brother.  I thought of the things he did to support his addiction - truly abominable things in the sight of the Lord.  I thought of him in rehab, on his knees, pleading with God for help and forgiveness.  Finally, the Lord heard his cries and answered his prayers.  Not only was Matt saved from his addiction, the Lord has made him an instrument in bringing so many youth to a knowledge of His truth.  He invites youth from all walks of life into his home for weekly Bible study.  He gives a sermon to youth in his church on Sundays.  He is an instrument in the Lord's hands.

As much grief and ribbing as he has received as a result of his middle name, I only hope that Matt can now appreciate the unconscious foresight that my parents showed when they chose it.  You see, Matt's middle name is Alma.  And one thing that I have learned through this experience is that whether your name is Alma or Matthew Alma, no matter what choices you have made in your life, it is never too late.  Never too late to turn your life over to God and become an instrument in His hands.

I love you, Matthew Alma.

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 22

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 23

Recalculating

©Darrell Wyatt

For the last couple of weeks or so, we have had in our car a GPS that my husband uses for work.  When I drove my son to the school last night, he thought it would be fun to use the GPS to get us there.  He punched in the school name, and soon we started receiving instructions.  To our great surprise, the directions we were receiving were much different from the way that we have been going all these years.  It took us on an unpaved back road that we would never have thought to take.  On the way home, we purposely ignored the instructions and went the way that we usually go.  At every block, the voice coming out of the GPS would say "Recalculating" and give us new directions to get back onto the route that was programmed into it. 

I use the term "road map" a lot when I'm talking about the scriptures or other tools that we've been given to stay on the path back to our Heavenly Father, but I think that a GPS might be a better parallel.  I know that I'm a creature of habit.  There are just certain things that I do the same way, no matter what.  I think a lot of us are like that, and there's really nothing wrong with it.  The trouble comes when we become creatures of bad habits.  When my husband and I were first married and not settled into any particular ward, it became very easy for us to not attend our church meetings.  Our records were in limbo, so there was no accountability.  No one really knew we weren't where we should be.  After a couple of months, when we decided that we should probably get back on the wagon, it wasn't as easy as we thought. It took us awhile to "recalculate" our route.

When I was reading this morning, I came across a phrase in Mosiah 20:21 that I really liked.  Gideon was talking to King Limhi about the adversity that the Nephites were facing at this point in time:

For are not the words of Abinadi fulfilled, which he prophesied against us - and all this because we would not hearken unto the words of the Lord, and turn from our iniquities?

I'm really a visual learner, so I liked that phrase - "turn from our iniquities".  I can envision physically turning myself away from my sins.  Putting my back to them.  One of the Hebrew words for "repent" means "to turn".  I like that a lot.  I think sometimes I get off track - away from my original route.  I think I'm going the right way, when in fact, my actions are taking me further and further away from the route that has been programmed in me.  This doesn't mean that I will never make it to my final destination.  It simply means that I need to "recalculate" my route so that I can get back on track.  I need to make a turn.  No matter how lost I am, just like that GPS in my car, if I listen to the spirit I will receive the directions I need.  

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 19

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 20

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 21

This Way to Exaltation

©Darrell Wyatt

 

 

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him.
We will "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things,
and in all places" (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live
the Young Women values, which are:
Faith
Divine Nature
Individual Worth
Knowledge
Choice and Accountability
Good Works
Integrity and
Virtue.
We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values,
we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants,
receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation. 

Except for a few added words, this is what my sisters and friends and I would recite at least once a week during church classes and activities.  It was called our Young Women's Theme.  I had a poster with the theme on it hanging on my bedroom wall, and a copy of it in my scriptures.  It is so important that even now, as one of the Young Women's Athletic Directors, I repeat it (as directed by the Stake leaders) with my girls before every basketball game, volleyball game, softball game, and indoor soccer game.

I was thinking about this theme this morning, as I was reading the chapter from whence it originated, and I was wondering if it is still as much a part of who I am as it was when I was a teen.  So I broke it down.

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love him.

I am still a daughter of my Heavenly Father, and I do still love him.  I think this was harder for me to understand when I was younger.  I believe teenage girls all go through a period in life where they wonder if anyone at all loves them.  We wonder who we are and what our place in the world is.  We know we are daughters of God, but we don't always remember that when we're facing the seemingly insurmountable challenges of adolescent life.  Now that I've grown and matured (a little anyway), I completely understand the unconditional love that God has for me, and it is very easy to reciprocate that love.

We will "stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places"...

I'm not sure that I have perfected this one yet.  I don't always remember that, as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I do stand as a witness for Him.  My words and actions can either reflect well upon Him or poorly.  Am I a good witness or a bad witness?  I must stand as a witness at all times (even that time of the month) and in all things (even church basketball), and in all places (even at the mall on Black Friday).

...as we strive to live the Young Women values...

Strive.  That's all.  Just try my best.  No one's perfect, and no one's expected to be perfect.  But the more I strive for perfection, the closer I will come.

...which are:

Faith...

Faith is a tough one for an adult, let alone for a teenager.  As kids, all of us were much more literal than we are as adults.  It's hard to comprehend something that we cannot see.  However, my faith as a teenage girl was much simpler than the faith that I have now.  Back then, most of my faith dealt with whether or not the church was true, whether the things my Sunday School teachers were telling me were true, whether or not the Book of Mormon was the word of God.  As I've grown, I've come to know the truth of those things, making having faith in them unnecessary.  Today, my faith lies with more difficult things.  As I said in my post a few days ago, I must have faith in tithing.  I have to use faith when raising my kids, because there's no way of knowing how things are going to turn out.  Sometimes it takes faith to even get out of bed in the morning.  As long as I'm striving to live with faith, I will reap the rewards of that faith.

Divine Nature, Individual Worth

As a girl, and now a woman, I don't know of a time where I have been completely comfortable with myself. Yes, I know that I'm a daughter of God.  I know that I have inherited divine qualities from Him.  But there aren't many times that I can look in the mirror and say, "Look at that!  I am a daughter of God!".  More often than not, the negative feelings I have about myself trump anything positive that I've been told.  This is Satan's way of discouraging me.  

My mom and I went to a women's conference last weekend.  It was amazing!  One of my favorite talks was given by DeAnne Flynn, an author.  She talked about our divine nature, our individual worth.  "You are MAGNIFICENT!", she kept saying.  By the time she was done speaking, I really did feel magnificent.  Maybe I need to have that saying printed in vinyl and stuck to my mirrors.  If I keep telling myself that I'm magnificent, it won't be too long before I'll believe it and start acting magnificently.  The brain is a funny thing.

Knowledge

Speaking of brains, where did mine go?  Somewhere between babies and teenagers, I lost it.  I didn't lose it all at once though - just slowly, over the years, it has felt like pieces of the knowledge that I used to have just flew out the window.  If I could do anything differently over the past sixteen years, it would be to take time to learn more.  To read good books.  To take a class or two in a subject that I'm interested in.  Now that my kids are all gone during the day, I feel as if I'm getting some of that knowledge back.  But I have to work at it!  Nothing comes as easy to me as it did twenty years ago.

Choice and Accountability

I remember, as a teenager, being completely overwhelmed with all of the choices before me.  What college would I attend?  Would I even go to college?  Where would I live when left home?  What would I be when I "grew up"?  I also remember thinking that I couldn't wait to grow up.  Surely things would become easier after I had made all those decisions.  Little did I know that each choice brought a myriad of new decisions to make.  I still have so many choices to make.  The hard thing about making choices as a mom is that, while I'm still accountable for the consequences of my decisions, there are many times that those consequences will affect the lives of seven other people - six of whom look to me to know all the answers and to make the right choices.

Good Works

This is one area that I can say I have vastly improved in.  I don't say that to brag, since it's not hard to improve upon teenage "good works".  I live in a neighborhood where service comes second nature.  On any night of the week, someone in our ward is the recipient of a home-cooked meal, delivered by a neighbor.  Someone is mowing someone else's lawn or taking out someone else's garbage or driving someone to a doctor's appointment.  If a service clip board is passed around Relief Society, the slots will have been completely taken up before it can reach the back of the room.  Good Works is something that has been ingrained in us since we were in Young Women's, and maybe even before.  Even if, as teenagers, we weren't  exactly "in to" helping others, we learned it.  In our own way, we were probably striving.

Integrity

What an important thing integrity has been as I've grown. I feel like I have always tried to be true to who I am.  This is definitely one of the values that has become easier for me to live as I've grown older.  As a young woman, I don't think that I knew who I was enough to stay true to myself.  Now that I know, I find it much less difficult to do. In thinking about it, though, I've decided that some of my integrity could be a result of a little bit of laziness.  I've seen people with a lack of integrity, and that just seems like so much work!  They have to expend way too much energy covering up the last lie or hiding their behaviors from those around them.  To me, it's much less burdensome to just stay honest.

Virtue

This value was added just recently to the list of Young Women's Values.  What a blessing that my daughters get to learn the importance of virtue.  Of all the values that they will be taught, hands down, this one is the most valuable.  It encompasses all of the others.  There is no virtue without integrity, without service, without knowledge and accountability.  A virtuous woman knows that she is a daughter of God, and a woman of virtue relies on faith.

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values...

I love that the theme doesn't just stop with "accept these values".  They must be acted upon.  Just knowing isn't enough.  Once again, I have to do.

we will be prepared to strengthen home and family..

This phrase has also been added since I was a young woman.  I love it!  As a woman, I really do set the tone in my home.  I didn't use to believe that, but it's so true.  I used to believe that if my husband came home from work in a bad mood, it was his fault that the rest of the evening was ruined.  It took me a little while to realize that a few kind words and deeds would turn his mood right around.  Men are much better at letting go of emotions than women are.  I set the tone.  I can strengthen my home and family more than any other influence around them.

make and keep sacred covenants,
receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.

Because of inspired leaders, at a young age, I was given a road map to exaltation.  The direction in which I should go was laid out in front of me in very explicit detail.  Obviously, I haven't been exalted yet, so that means I have more work to do.  All of these values and instructions and promises really hinge on one thing - me "stand[ing] as a witness of God".  Always.

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 17
Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 18

Amazing Grace

©Darrell Wyatt

 What an incredible thing, the Atonement.  These chapters that I read today (Mosiah 14-16) are some of my favorite in all of the Book of Mormon when it comes to describing Christ and the Atonement.

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground; he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him. (Mosiah 14:2)

If you think about it, it's not hard to imagine why people had a hard time accepting Jesus as their Savior when he walked the earth.  Unless they had seen him perform a miracle, he was just a man.  His appearance was very average.  All these hundreds of years, they had been taught to expect the Messiah, and it would probably be very normal for them to have certain expectations as to what this Messiah would look like and act like.  

"He", the Messiah,...grew up and lived as other men live, subject to the ills and troubles of mortality....There is no...dynamic appearance, no halo around his head, thunders do not roll and lightnings do not flash at his appearance. ...He is a man among men, appearing, speaking, dressing, seeming in all outward respects as they are. (Bruce R. McConkie, The Promised Messiah, 477-78)

And so they crucified him.  But they didn't just crucify him.  They mocked him. They scourged him.  He was "cast out, and disowned by his people"(Mosiah 15:5).  He went through excruciating pain.  And still, at the end of it all, he was able to say "Father, Forgive them, for they know not what they do"(Luke 23:34).  I cannot wrap my tiny little brain around that.  Such forgiveness and love for those who hated Him.  His mission upon this earth was to save us from our sins - to redeem us.

Having ascended into heaven, having the bowels of mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their iniquity and their transgressions, having redeemed them, and satisfied the demands of justice. (Mosiah 15:9)

Oh how I love that verse.  "Standing bewixt them and justice."  The Great Mediator.  He gave everything He had, even his life, that I may someday be able to return to live with Him and my Father in Heaven.  He loves me that much.

And how do I repay Him?  Although I will always be indebted to Him, and never be able to fully repay Him, I am working towards that every day.  I read my scriptures, and then I teach my children what I've learned.  I try to be obedient to the commandments.  I am not perfect, and He knew that none of us would be.  Otherwise, there would be no need for the Atonement.  I can take my sins and mistakes to Him, who has already shed drops of blood for those sins.

But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil has all power over him.  Therefore he is as though there was no redemption made...(Mosiah 16:5)

By continuing to sin, I would be basically saying that I don't need the Atonement.  Everything Jesus Christ suffered for me would not matter.  It's not important enough to me to change and to repent.  I'd rather just keep on doing the things I'm doing because it's easier or more fun or whatever the reason may be.  The best way for me to show that I'm grateful for all that He did for me is to repent.  To give up my "carnal nature" and turn to Him.  I don't want one drop of His blood to have fallen, one of His cries in agony to be in vain.  I want to do all I can to show my eternal gratitude.  His amazing grace is free for me to partake in.  If only I will choose to do so.

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 14

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 15

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 16

Someone's Following Me

©Darrell Wyatt

 As a mom, it feels as if I am under constant scrutiny.  My kids are constantly watching the things that I do and say, to see if (and perhaps hoping) that I will "mess up".  I give a seeming endless list of do's and don'ts every day:  Do brush your teeth, don't forget your backpack, do eat a good breakfast, don't watch TV before you're ready for school, do walk across the street at the crosswalk, don't talk to strangers.  And the list goes on and on.  I hear, "Mom, why can you talk to strangers?", "Why don't you have to eat breakfast?", "How come you can eat candy before dinner?".

The other day, my daughter asked me what time it was.  I replied, "8:25".  "Are you sure?", she asked, as she went into the kitchen to check the clock for herself.  "Oh!  It is 8:25.  Usually you lie."  After the initial shock of being called a liar, I realized what she meant.  If it's 8:27, I'll say that it's 8:30.  If it's 5:58, I'll say that it's 6:00.  I sometimes forget how literal children can be.  They take every word that comes out of my mouth as the truth (until they hit those wonderful teen years, anyway).  This is quite a heavy responsibility.  Am I teaching them correctly?  Am I 100% truthful about the things that really matter?

More than my teaching style though, today's reading made me ponder whether or not I am "practicing what I preach".  Abinadi was chastising King Noah and his priests because of the wickedness of their people.

Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; therefore, ye have not been wise.  Therefore, what teach ye this people?

And they said: We teach the law of Moses.

And again he said unto them: If ye teach the law of Moses 
why do ye not keep it?(Mosiah 12:27-30)

I do try to live the things that I teach the kids, but I'm not sure that I'm always successful.  Because I have a son with autism, I understand the importance of modeling correct behaviors.  The only way that he learns is by watching others.  I've always found it to be very poignant that every time our son goes through testing, his cognitive age is always, within a few months, the exact same age as his younger brother.  My younger son, since the day he could walk and talk, has modeled "normal" behavior for his older brother.

So it is with mothering.  Whether I like it or not, I am modeling behavior for my children - good and bad.  They see what I do and how I react to certain situations.  They look to me as an example for honesty and integrity, for respectful and loving actions.  If I falter, I am still the example.  They will do as I do.  I need to make sure that I am always mindful to do as I teach.

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 11

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 12

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 13

Oh What a Tangled Web

©Darrell Wyatt

Most spiders spin a web within an hour or so.  Some species actively hunt their prey, while others lie in wait.  The ones that lie in wait stay perfectly still - not changing position at all, lest they give away their position and scare their dinner away.  Only when the unsuspecting victim becomes comfortable does the spider move in for the kill.

Today I read about Zeniff, who lead a group of Nephites to take back the land of Lehi-Nephi from the Lamanites.  Surprisingly, the Lamanite king, King Laman, gave them the land without much of a fight.  He even commanded his people to leave the land so that Zeniff and his people could occupy it.

And we began to till the ground, yea, even with all manner of seeds...and we did begin to multiply and prosper in the land. (Mosiah 9:9)

However, their happiness did not last.

Now it was the cunning and the craftiness of king Laman, to bring my people into bondage, that he yielded up the land that we might possess it. (Mosiah 9:10)

After the Nephites built up the land, King Laman decided that it was time to make his move.  He wanted to reap the rewards of the Nephites' hard work and dedication.  He wanted to bring them into bondage so that he and his people could take their flocks and their fields.

King Laman waited twelve years before he tried to capture the Nephites.  Just like a spider, he had invited them into his "web".  He let them get comfortable.  And then he pounced.  

I can't help but see the parallels that this story has with Satan's methods of pulling us away from our righteous path.  He invites us into his domain with his cunning and craftiness.  He starts with seemingly harmless things like television shows or movies. As we become more and more comfortable with the things he places in front of us, Satan will add a little more.  This continues until we are so deep into his "web" that it is nearly impossible to escape, and he strikes.

The best way to avoid being caught in Satan's web is to steer clear of it.  This isn't always easy with everything that is thrown at us on a daily basis.  We need to be able to stay close to the spirit so that as soon as we feel that first tug of the web, we will be able to break loose.  The deeper we allow ourselves to go, the harder it will be to escape.  We must not become comfortable.  We must always be on guard.

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 8

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 9

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 10

Out of Bonds

©Darrell Wyatt

I've struggled this morning with this post because I know that the things I need to say are of such a personal nature that it makes me a little uncomfortable.  Of course, I intended for this blog to be about me and about my thoughts, which makes it inherently personal anyway, but I'm feeling a little anxiety about this particular post. 

Seven years ago, this month, my husband and I made the decision to have him quit his job and become self-employed.  It was quite an adventure, to say the least.  We had so many blessings and so many trials, all at the same time.  In the end, it was too much for me to deal with, so after nearly five years we sold the business and moved back into the corporate world.  While much of the stress I had to deal with disappeared with the business, the bills did not.  Advertising costs, taxes, and other expenses have resurfaced now and then, making it very tough to make ends meet sometimes.

During each of these periods of financial drought, we have had to make tough choices in how to prioritize where our money went.  More often than not, we chose to pay bills before we paid tithing, feeling that we had no other choice.  Please understand - I have an enormous testimony of tithing.  There have been many times in my life where I have been greatly blessed for paying my tithing.  I think what has been lacking is my faith.  When it came down to it, could I pay my tithing and my bills - probably not.  So I didn't.

Quite a few months ago, we were in the middle of another mess.  I had fasted and prayed to see what we could do to get on top of things - to be able to make it through this, yet again.  I often wonder if Heavenly Father gets a little wearied with my money requests.  I can imagine him saying, "Again?  You didn't learn from the last time?".  I'm a slow-learner, I guess.  Anyway, a few days after I had fasted, the Ensign magazine came in my mail.  I rarely open the magazine on the first day it comes, but this time I had a few minutes so I sat down and flipped through it.  Almost immediately, an article stood out.  It was entitled "Tithing - a Commandment Even for the Destitute", and it was a snippet of an April 2005 General Conference address by Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Seventy.  It talked of a visit that President Hinckley made to the people of Central America after Hurricane Mitch in 1998.  These people had lost everything - food, clothing, household goods.

And like the prophet Elijah to a starving widow, this modern prophet's message in each city was similar - to sacrifice and be obedient to the law of tithing.

But how can you ask someone so destitute to sacrifice?  President Hinckley knew that the food and clothing shipments they received would help them survive the crisis, but his concern and love for them went far beyond that.  As important as humanitarian aid is, he knew that the most important assistance comes from God, not from man.  The prophet wanted to help them unlock the windows of heaven as promised by the Lord in the book of Malachi.
 

President Hinckley taught them that if they would pay their tithing, they would always have food on their tables, they would always have clothing on their backs, and they would always have a roof over their heads.(June 2010 Ensign, pg 71)

I felt as if those words were meant for me.  While I was not destitute, as the people of Central America were, I was definitely feeling the weight of my financial bondage.  The struggles that I was having at this time were a result of poor decision-making in the past.  I was paying the consequences of my own actions.  Nevertheless, Heavenly Father was answering my prayers and showing me the way to free myself.  How could I not respond to that?  My husband and I immediately made the decision that we would pay our tithing first - no matter what.  We knew that the rest would work itself out.  And it has.  There is no way that our budget works on paper.  There is no way that we should be able to pay our bills and eat and pay tithing.  But it is working.  We are being blessed for our faithfulness.  

There are many types of bondage - financial bondage, physical bondage, spiritual bondage, emotional bondage, and the list goes on.  Sometimes this bondage is a result of our own choices, like mine, and sometimes it happens through no fault or control of our own, like the victims of Hurricane Mitch. 

But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this,he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.(Mosiah 7:33)

I know this to be true.  I know that whatever challenge presents itself in my life, I am not alone.  The Lord is there to deliver me.  It may not be in the time-frame that I'd like, but it will be done according to the Lord's will.  What an incredible blessing.

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 6

Click here to read what I read today: Chapter 7