Friday, December 23, 2022

He is the Gift!

He is the gift! 
 
The Babe born in a manger is the child we celebrate, whose birthday we recognize. This precious baby grew, lived a perfect life, and through His great loving sacrifice is now our King, our Savior, the one who has redeemed us all. He is the gift! 

A friend of mine shared a story about another mother whose teenage son got himself into a difficult circumstance with his girlfriend. Instead of responding out of fear or anger, or with additional shame, she lovingly explained that now it was his turn to use the gift. The gift that only Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world can provide. The gift of his Atonement. Which offers forgiveness, hope, support, strength, mercy, love, and so much more. We will all fall short, all make mistakes, do things we wish we hadn't done, say things we would like to take back, and need help beyond our own to get through the day and even this life. An all knowing, loving Father in Heaven knew that so He gave us the gift. The gift of His son. "God be thanked for the matchless gift of His Son."


I do not see Jesus Christ with my physical eyes, but I know He is there. Figuratively, He stands at the door daily waiting for me to choose to let Him in and connect with Him. Jesus Christ desires to help carry burdens and lighten heavy loads. He desires to extend His mercy and provide miracles in our lives. He desires to give us peace and help us find and feel joy even when our circumstances aren't great. He is the gift. He freely offers His gift. Ours is to humbly desire and accept the gift. 

I have heard another friend explain that in a world where there is an app for this, and app for that; an app for almost everything. There's also an atonement for this and that. Isn't it amazing!?!  Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ He can deliver us, succor us, lift us, strengthen us and more because He felt it. Jesus Christ has already and willingly atoned for it all - sufferings, sadness, sorrow, pain, our anxieties, burdens and more. So,yes, whatever you might be challenged with right now, there is an Atonement for that. What a gift!

May we enjoy ALL the gifts given this Christmas season and everyday. Merry Christmas! 


Photo credit: The Nativity, by N. C. Wyeth, featured in this week's Come Follow Me lesson "Christmas Lesson"


You might enjoy this song too! "He is the Gift" by Shawna Edwards
https://youtu.be/FZ4JA3YZCj0

AND, this amazing article of truth - 5 Ways the Savior Delivers You.  5 Ways the Savior Delivers You. 

He is the gift! Merry Christtmas!

Sunday, September 25, 2022

Grateful for Takeways and Insights from Isaiah 40-49

In the quiet moments of my personal scripture study this week, here are a few of the great things I have rejoiced in and want to remember from Isaiah 40-49. 



"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of God shall stand for ever." Isaiah 40:8

Some of My Takeaways I Want to Remember...

With hot temperatures this year, and lack of water, we know grass dies and flowers too, but God's word will not. The imagery is poweful to me. The Bible, other scripture, and words from latter-day prophets is a witness to me of God's word standing forever. I know things I hear and see on the internet and social media will eventually fade, ideas change, and will be forgotten. However, God's word will stand forever. 




19 For I will send my servant unto you who are blind; yea, a messenger to open the eyes of the blind, and unstop the ears of the deaf;

20 And they shall be made perfect notwithstanding their blindness, if they will hearken unto the messenger, the Lord’s servant.

21 Thou art a people, seeing many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears to hear, but thou hearest not.

22 The Lord is not well pleased with such a people, but for his righteousness’ sake he will magnify the law and make it honorable.

23 Thou art a people robbed and spoiled; thine enemies, all of them, have snared thee in holes, and they have hid thee in prison houses; they have taken thee for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil, and none saith, Restore. (JST, Isaiah 42:19–23 - Joseph Smith Translation)

Some of My Takeaways I Want to Remember...

I loved President Nelson's plea to "Hear Him" at the beginning of 2020,  https://youtu.be/sGhQym_vhFU. 
As well as his April 2020 message entitled "Hear Him" https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/04/45nelson?lang=eng. 
As I studied the Doctrine and Covenants last year I would mark an orange box around every "hear" or "hearken" word I noticed. It added to my scripture study. I've continued marking these words this way in my Old Testament reading, such as in Isaiah 42:17-23. In verse 19, there is a footnote to see the Joseph Smith translation for verses 19-23. Very eye opening to me. Don't miss it! My heart is full to have discovered it and grateful I heard the Lord teach me so much through His spirit.

From these verses I hear the Lord tell me that prophets and apostles are true, they are real and are His mouthpieces on the earth today. I've known this, but I'm grateful for another strong and sure witness. President Russell M. Nelson is our living prophet now, I can trust him and his words. For my own spiritual and temporal good, my life will be better if I follow the prophet. I look forward to hearing prophets and apostles share the word of God at General Conference real soon. 

Additionally, the word "restore", used in verse 22, is an interesting find as well because President Nelson has been teaching about restoration, he talks about "restore" a lot. Such as the restoration of Christ's Church, restoration of His priesthood, and the on-going restoration happening today.

President Nelson presented to the Church membership in the April 2020 General Conference, "The Restoration of the Fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - A Bicentennial Proclamation to the World". Prophetic and true. What a blessing! 
[https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/the-restoration-of-the-fulness-of-the-gospel-of-jesus-christ/a-bicentennial-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng]




"...Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine." Isaiah 43:1

Some of My Takeaways I Want to Remember...

Aren't those words so comforting and hopeful? Imagine Jesus speaking those words directly to you? Often, I like to substitute my name in the scriptures and personalize the words to me. Scripture power!

A friend shared and reminded me of a little video clip, which comes from The Chosen - season 1, episode 1. You can find it by Googling, "The Chosen clip where Jesus calls Mary by her name". As I watched, goosebumps overcame me as I heard the words from Isaiah repeated by Jesus. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIolqFni50w]



Gratefully I am understanding Isaiah more and more, and it feels good.

I am grateful for the scriptures, personal revelation, and all of the many resources that are helping me to better understand what I am learning. I enjoy seeing connections. I like the spirit of peace I feel as I am learning and hearing the truth. The Come, Follow Me study is becoming a happy hobby for me. A blessing in my life.

If you got this far, thank you for reading and being interested. I hope you find it helpful too. Surely something I rejoice in and want to always remember. 

Sunday, August 7, 2022

A Grateful Recognition of God's Miracles

Today is Thursday, July 14, 2022 and the following is a group text I sent to my daughter Eliza, and her Thaxton cousins - Whitney, Alix and Ethan. Why? Because these are miracles that occurred yesterday at Pine View Reservoir. These miracles are something to rejoice about, to record, and if ever there is doubt about God's goodness and His hand in our lives, this is evidence to help remember. 

Good morning you happy 4! I'm sitting over here in gratitude for you and God's miracles and want to testify that His hand was in your lives yesterday. Amazing how your schedules aligned for the evening, that Ethan had the thought to bring his swimsuit, you were nudged to go back and get the life jackets (thanks for obeying that nudge) and that a kind family was near by to feed Ethan and rescue you. Not coincidences - miracles! It was a miracle Ethan did not have a seizure, that no one drowned, and all the paddle boards were saved. I'm not sure what prayers you uttered, but they were answered. God is in the details of our lives and loves and cares for us. I know it. If we notice, we can be see His hand every day. Grateful for His miracles yesterday. The day could have ended tragically, instead I got to witness laughter, fun, and happy cousins eating Burley Burgers and enjoying the evening together. I love you all! 😘 

Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Gilgal Gardens

There it is again.... Gilgal. Gilgal is an Old Testament location, which showed up again in a recent "Come, Follow Me" reading (2 Kings 2:1). Several weeks ago, I recognized the name while reading in Joshua 4, when the LORD asks the Israelites to gather 12 large stones and place them in Gilgal as a testimony of the miracle and God's goodness in helping them cross the Jordan River. I liked this scripture account of recognizing God's miracle and a memory too. Today, if we don't remember or write down the miracle, it's like it didn't happen. Twelve rocks are how the LORD asked them to remember. Tucked away on the 5th South and 7th East block in Salt Lake City, is Gilgal Gardens. There are many stones and sculptures created by Thomas B. Child to share some of his beliefs and share his masonry and sculpting talent. There is even a monument that represents Joshua with 12 stones surrounding it. I first went to Gilgal Gardens about 11 years ago. My Wade family might recognize it is as one of the places a clue led us as part of a family video scavenger hunt. It is an interesting place. Unique. Reading about Gilgal in my study, intrigued me to make another visit a few weeks ago. The grounds are even more beautiful than I remembered. Picking up a brochure, which explained the artwork so well, helped me enjoy the visit. Plus, it added to what I have been learning in the Old Testament. Still unique and beautiful. Mr. Child's beliefs and his artwork are etched and carved, not just on 12 rocks as a memory, but a whole lot of stones. If you are in the Salt Lake are and have never been to the gardens, you might enjoy checking it. You will want to look for the brochure, it really does help. Another tip, schedule enough time to get something to eat, because Gilgal is on the same block as Hires and Litza's pizza.

Sunday, May 8, 2022

Thoughts on Mother's Day 2022

This Mother's Day I am very grateful for all the mother examples in my life. Those young and those old. Those women who influenced and helped me when I was a child, in my teens as a young woman, and when I became married but without children of my own. I appreciate examples around me as a young mother, and even now as a mother with grown children. I know the next five years will probably bring grandchildren so I will need examples for that season too.

I'm grateful for my own mother who at different seasons was not only the mother but a full-time, working outside of the home working mom; the gardener; the beautician that cut and permed hair and had a busy Saturday evening doing a wash and blowout session with four girls; the pristine housekeeper and taskmaster; the cake decorator; the cook and baker, including a warm breakfast every morning. She is the mom that sewed and canned; shopped and budgeted; and rarely got a break. My mom is a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ and an example of keeping on and keeping on when life is not always easy. She is a person who likes to sing, loves God, loves her family, and loves the temple.

I'm grateful God has blessed me to be a mom. There was a season I longed to be a mom and it didn't happen for a few years and Mother's Day was difficult. I'm honored and blessed to be the mother of Emily, Abbey, Andrew, and Eliza. I am thankful for the many things they have taught me.

I thank Heavenly Father that I'm married to a man that has always supported and respected me being a mother. He is one who supports womanhood and motherhood. It has made all the difference!

I am appreciative of many other mothers and women who have helped to mother my own children – teachers, leaders, neighbors, the mothers of my children’s friends, grandmothers, and aunts. Including my own sister, Nancy, who doesn't have children of her own, but has and continues to love and support and help to mother my children. What a blessing it has been to have many good women in their lives.

I appreciate and value my involvement in Mothers Who Know and Mom Power Training, which has helped me in many ways to be a more peaceful and confident mother. It is wonderful to connect with, learn from, and support other moms.

There are many things I have not gotten right as a mother. Actions I look back on that I should have done differently or better. Satan will try to torment me with this. The work of every mother is to give her best, which as moms we most often do. But when not at our best, we strive to extend ourselves grace and forgive ourselves. Hoping that our children and spouse will also forgive when we are not quite our finest. Picking ourselves up and going at it again. Doing so with God's help and with Jesus Christ’s mercy and redeeming love. They make all the difference in my mothering! I am understanding, a home is a place for learning not a place for perfection, and while we are learning, we are loved.

The world would try to define who I am or who I should be. But I am grateful for a prophet of God who reminds me of my truth. President Nelson also admires women and motherhood and seeks to praise women. He inspires and encourages women in our important work. Several weeks ago, I posted on my blog (https://rejoicerecordandremember.blogspot.com/2022/04/declarations-of-truth-for-me-from.html) a list of many of these truths that I have personalized for me from a message President Nelson gave in October 2020. It has been a significant reminder to me that I review quite often.

To all of my women friends, thank you!! May you stand in your truth and keep shining your light. I need your example, so do my children and many more do too.  Happy Mother’s Day! 

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Declarations of Truth for Me From a Prophet of God

My Declarations of Truth
from God’s Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. The statements of truth were adapted from the prophet’s message and words, “Embrace the Future with Faith”, given in the Women’s Session of General Conference in October 2020. (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2020/10/37nelson?lang=ase)

The following was an idea, which came from Rio (of a Work and a Wonder) who mentioned doing something similar in her message and report of President Nelson’s talk during a live Instagram Inklings Institute class on 3/25/2021. As I reviewed President Nelson’s message a few days later, I could see and understood what she meant when she said there are many declarations, which state truth of who the daughters in God’s Kingdom truly are. It took me a good amount of time to make the list, but the results were so worth it. I love the power that comes to me when I read these statements of truth!  I hope you feel it too!


• I am part of a group of sisters that is more than eight million strong. 

 • These sisters and I have not only the numbers, but the spiritual power to change the world. 

• I find ways to encourage others and share our Savior’s light. 

• I am absolutely heroic! 

• I have strength and faith. 

• I have shown that in difficult circumstances, I bravely carry on. 

• The Lord loves me and sees the great work I am performing.  

• I have proven that I am literally the hope of Israel! 

• I embody the hope that President Gordon B. Hinckley had for me when he introduced “The Family: A Proclamation to the World” 25 years ago in 1995. He underscored how irreplaceable my influence is in the Lord’s plan. 

• The Lord has said, “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” (D&C 38:30) 

• I can create places that are safe, both physically and spiritually. 

• My home is a personal sanctuary of faith—where the Spirit resides—my home becomes the first line of defense. 

• As I continue to follow the counsel of those whom the Lord has authorized to guide me, I will feel greater safety. 

• I have been endowed with priesthood power through the sacred priesthood covenants I have made in God’s holy temple. 

• My family is sealed for eternity. 

• My endowment gives me constant access to God’s power as I honor my covenants with Him. 

• A place of security is anywhere I can feel the presence of the Holy Ghost and be guided by Him. 

• When the Holy Ghost is with me, I can teach truth, even when it runs counter to prevailing opinions. 

• I can ponder sincere questions about the gospel in an environment of revelation. 

• I have places of security where I can retreat to help me embrace the future with faith. 

• My spiritual foundation must be solid. Then, when metaphorical earthquakes rock my life, I can stand “steadfast and immovable” because of my faith. 

• The Lord has taught me how to increase my faith by seeking “learning, even by study and also by faith.” (D&C 88:118) 

• I strengthen my faith in Jesus Christ by striving to keep His commandments and “always remember him.” (Moroni 4:3) 

• My faith increases every time I put my faith in Him. That is what learning by faith means. 

• Each time I have the faith to be obedient to God’s laws—even when popular opinions belittle me—or each time I resist entertainment or ideologies that celebrate covenant-breaking, I am exercising my faith, which in turn increases my faith. 

• Few things build my faith more than does regular immersion in the Book of Mormon. This book testifies of Jesus Christ with such power and clarity. Its prophets, as inspired by the Lord, saw my day, and selected the doctrine and truths that would help me most. The Book of Mormon is my latter-day survival guide! 

• My ultimate security comes as I yoke myself to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! Life without God is a life filled with fear. Life with God is a life filled with peace. This is because spiritual blessings come as I am faithful. Receiving personal revelation is one of the greatest of those blessings. 

• The Lord has promised that if I will ask, I may receive “revelation upon revelation.” (D&C 42:61) 

• I have been promised that as I increase my capacity to receive revelation, the Lord will bless me with increased direction for my life and with boundless gifts of the Spirit. 

• Even when things go well, I can continue to prepare myself and my family. I will never stop. I will never become complacent. 

• The adversary never stops attacking. So, I can never stop preparing! 

• The more self-reliant I am—temporally, emotionally, and spiritually—the more prepared I am to thwart Satan’s relentless assaults. 

• I am adept at creating places of security for myself and those I love. 

• I have a divine endowment that enables me to build faith in others in compelling ways. And I never stop. 

• My vigilance in safeguarding my home and instilling faith in the hearts of my loved ones will reap rewards for generations to come. 

• I have so much to look forward to! 

• The Lord placed me here now because He knew I had the capacity to negotiate the complexities of the latter part of these latter days. 

• God knew I would grasp the grandeur of His work and be eager to help bring it to pass. 

• The days ahead will not be easy, but I have been promised that the future will be glorious for me and others who are prepared and who continue to prepare to be instruments in the Lord’s hands. 

• I will not just endure this current season. I will embrace the future with faith! 

• Turbulent times are opportunities for me to thrive spiritually. They are times when my influence can be much more penetrating than in calmer times. 

• I have been promised that as I create places of security, prepare my mind to be faithful to God, and never stop preparing, God will bless me. He will “deliver [me]; yea, insomuch that he [will] speak peace to [my] soul, and [will] grant unto [me] great faith, and … cause [me] that [I can] hope for [my] deliverance in him.” 

• As I prepare to embrace the future with faith, these promises will be mine! 



I know these truths because a prophet of God testified to it, with his expression of love for me and his confidence in me, and he did so in the sacred name of Jesus Christ.

I also know these things to be true because the Holy Ghost bears witness to my soul – through good feelings of peace and power, in my heart and in my mind.

Why are these declarations of truth important to me? Because I know the adversary tries daily to have me forget these truths. The spirit reminds me what is really true. “For God hath not given [me] the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” --2 Timothy 1:7


Sunday, April 17, 2022

Happy Easter!

A few weeks ago, I listened to someone share and show a Christus statue to a group of young children. It was a statue of the resurrected Savior with His arms outstretched. At that moment I was filled with thoughts that Christ's arms are extended to all. He invites all of us to come to Him, and then follow Him. "His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come". It doesn't matter where we are in our life, what we have done or how worthy or unworthy we might feel. And we don't have to "fix" ourselves before coming to Him either. Because if we trust Him and let Him, He will do the fixing. Those arms are always extended, extending and inviting when we are ready. Jesus Christ desires us to come to Him, but He will not force. Figuratively, He does stand at the other side of the door waiting for us to open it up and let Him in (Revelations 3:20). To let Him into our lives with all our problems, challenges, heartaches, and more.

What does that "coming to Him" look like? It'll be different for each of us, but also the same. The condition of our heart and our desire matters. He will want our time, not a lot of it but a consistent effort to hang out with Him. It might look like reaching up to Him in humility in a heart-felt, pleading prayer. But also, with prayers of gratitude, a noticing of the good things He has already done for us. It looks like reading His words in the scriptures and hearing His words from His leaders and prophets. Being intentional about and wanting to hear Him. Being intentional about opening that door every day and letting Him in. Coming to Him looks like hearkening to His word and doing those things He inspires us to do. Trusting Him by putting aside our will and getting up and following Him to do His will. 


Just like the image I chose for this post; can't you just envision following Him and His footsteps?  His invitation to the rich, young ruler is the same for each of us - "come, follow me" (Luke 18:22). As we lay aside some of our desires and trust the Savior and follow Him, we can each know that Jesus Christ lives; He is calling out to us, and He is offering each of us a better way to live, to have His peace, and experience true joy. 

"When the Savior atoned for all mankind, He opened a way that those who follow Him can have access to His healing, strengthening, and redeeming power. These spiritual privileges are available to all who seek to hear Him and follow Him." Those are words from President Russell M. Nelson, just a few weeks ago in his message "The Power of Spiritual Momentum".
 
Jesus died for my sins.
Jesus suffered in Gethsemane and died on the cross for me.
Jesus Christ is my God and my Savior.
Jesus is my friend.
It is by His name I want to be known.
My joy is found in Jesus.
I know He lives! 

Have a Happy Easter!
#BecauseofHim

Saturday, April 2, 2022

General Conference Preparations - Thoughts in 2022

I love general conference weekend! In our home our general conference participation has changed over the seasons. But I love the traditions and practices we have done. Happy memories! It still brings the family together.
Here is an invitation! Life can be stressful. But at general conference, you can find peace. Take some time to ponder what questions you have for God. Then don’t miss the inspiration the Lord has in store for you. Tune into general conference April 2–3 and see what’s possible because of Him. You can watch online at www.churchofjesuschrist.org. There are many ways to get ready. Things to do to set apart the weekend. Honestly, it is like a fun holiday for me. But don't put too much pressure on yourself. Don't feel bad if your conference participation looks different than someone else. Each season of our lives looks different, and it is okay. For instance, in the spring of 2014 I did a blog post, "Preparing for General Conference, our Conference Tradition" (https://rejoicerecordandremember.blogspot.com/2014/03/preparing-for-general-conference-our.html) . That post explains a lot of the ideas our family did for general conference. With older children (ages 27-18) our preparations and what we do now looks different than a season or two ago. And it is great! The efforts and preparation my husband and I made to make general conference a priority and special when our children were younger has paid off to be a big blessing. Consistency, diligence and sprinkled with some fun!
One of the main things for preparaing for general conference, I feel, is to personally prepare by opening our hearts and our minds to receive from God and Jesus Christ through the spirit. This week in studying Exodus 7-13 with the "Come, Follow Me" study, I saw a lot of connection to my preparations and approach to general conference from the hard heart of Pharaoh and his actions. As well as the plagues and consequences of Pharaoh not listening and obeying God.
President Nelson knows a lot about hearts and at age 97 years old he has seen a lot of the trials and afflictions (plagues) throughout the world. I can trust him. President Nelson knows Jesus Christ. President Nelson hears Him and hearkens to His counsel so he can lead the Church and Christ's people today. I know it! Just like the prophet Moses, President Nelson is also a prophet. A living prophet on the earth today. What a blessing!
Enjoy general conference!

Monday, January 31, 2022

Drop the Fist, Change Your Focus, Experience the JOY!!

Make a fist ✊,now put it right in front of your face ​and focus on your fist so that is all you see. I was part of an audience a few days ago where Sister Ruth Renlund asked us to try this experiment with her. The experiment and the analogy were helpful! She explained that our fist might be the challenge or worry we have in our life at this moment. All we can see is that issue right there in front of us. But if we shift our focus to look up or even to shift our focus to the side, there is so much more we can see. Our focus shifts away from the mounting problem that is blocking our view. In this case Sister Renlund pointed out how focusing on the big problem in front of us takes away our joy, and quite often we can't experience or see anything else. Sharing the quote from President Russell M Nelson, she reminded us "the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives." Since then, I have thought about this analogy a lot. Doing so I recalled times when my focus was on the messes my children made, financial concerns, the stacks of dirty or clean laundry that wasn't getting put away, an annoying behavior of a loved one, someone else's bad decision, how I was hurt or offended, the long to-do lists, and more. Spending much of my time and thought energy focusing on the problem right in front of my face robbed me and others of a lot of joy. Instead of joy, there was frustration and anger, resentment, a lack of forgiveness, and many more negative feelings. All things that Satan would have me feel. I fell into his trap a lot and allowed him to steal a lot of my joy. I like the recent picture of President Nelson he posted on social media New Year’s Day. A reminder for me to look up. One of the scriptural phrases I read this past week really caught my attention too, (Moses 7:44) a reminder to "lift up your heart, and be glad; and look." Then Sister Renlund's example to shift the focus away from the fist, the mounting challenge staring me in the face. All of these have been teaching moments for me and a reminder to look up! I can look up and lift my heart to God in an act of trust even during the challenge(s) or all that is happening right in my path or view. To lift up and focus on Jesus Christ, not the world. I am learning that my focus really does matter. As I take quiet moments to connect with God at the beginning of each day, I know the "joy [I] feel has little to do with the circumstances of [my] li​fe​ and everything to do with the focus of [my] [life]." This song also does good to my soul in choosing JOY - "Choose Joy" by Scott Krippayne, part of the 2018 EFY Album.