Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Loneliest Walk



 heavenlyfathersplan.blogspot.com/2010/07/do-y...
He pushes up the board they've tied onto His shoulders
He bears, with dignity, disgrace
He hears the jeering and the wind is getting colder
Tastes the blood upon His face

His body bruised and back still open from the scourges
The consequence of wicked men
He knows no man on earth has ever deserved this
But still He bears it all for them
And He keeps moving up the hill to do His father's will

With each step He takes there's another to follow
and one more ache, one more tear to swallow
We all stand by and watch as the price is paid
Through the loneliest walk of His life
So we don't feel alone in the night
We can have His hand holding the light
Through the loneliest walks of our lives

Keep pushing through this lonely walk you're going through
Cause someones walked this way before


This song is one that I have loved for awhile. Life is hard for everyone and there is devastation, heartache, and loss all around us. We knew when we came here that it wasn't going to easy but that it would be worth it. The greatest thing about life is that Christ can be the center if we will let Him. Christ brings me hope and faith to keep going even when it is hard. I love Him with all of my mind, heart, and soul. Christ is my brother and my best friend. For me and for you, He suffered and died. "He knows no man on earth has ever deserved this, but still He bears it all of them." He did that for me and for you so that we don't have to feel alone. He loves us and I know that without a doubt in my mind. Someday I will be able to thank Him and kiss the hands and feet that were driven with nails for me. I hope that each of you will take 4 minutes and 34 seconds to listen to this song. I hope that through it we can remember that life is hard but it is worth it because of Christ. He loves us.

If you would like to listen you can find the song here.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Lessens The Power


Taken by Shantell Giles
"Every foundation stone that is laid for a Temple, and every Temple completed according to the order the Lord has revealed for his holy Priesthood, lessens the power of Satan on the earth, and increases the power of God and Godliness, moves the heavens in mighty power in our behalf, invokes and calls down upon us the blessings of the Eternal Gods, and those who reside in their presence"(Millennial Star, 12 November 1877, page 743).

The temple alone in all of its beauty lessens the power of Satan on the earth because of its purpose. I am grateful for this truth that we know and very privileged to have a temple within walking distance. With every temple built Satan's power becomes less and the power of God increases! This is a remarkable truth that we each can see. What happens inside those sacred walls is an increase in power and the heavens are moved in mighty power in our behalf. I can't help but thing that what happens inside those walls is more than a physical description. What happens inside changes things for eternity and we are left speechless.

The temple is our way "out of the world". When we as members of the church are troubled or when decisions truly weigh heavily upon our minds and hearts we commonly go to the temple. While preparing for my talk last Sunday I came across this article by Boyd K. Packer entitled The Holy Temple.

President Packer states, "Sometimes our minds are so beset with problems , and there are so many things clamoring for attention at once that we just cannot think clearly and see clearly. At the temple the dust of distraction seems to settle out, the fog and the haze seem to lift, and we can "see" things that were not able to see before and find a way through our troubles that we had not previously known." He says,"Our Labor in the temple covers us with a shield and a protection, both individually and as a people."

I testify that this is true. I know that in the midst of our troubles the temple is the place where the fog and haze lift and the dust of distraction settles out. Our minds and hearts are open new ways through our troubles and trials. I can testify from my own experience that this is true. The temple is truly a place where we are out of the world. I am so grateful for the temple and the privilege I have to go and to feel of the power of God. I am so grateful for my testimony of the temple and its importance in my life! I hope that we can all be better at attending the temple and claiming the blessings that are ours! Have a wonderful weekend! :)

Monday, June 20, 2011

The Cart Began Pushing Me

Photo by Papa Michael
"We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? Every one of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with Him in our extremities! " I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up for I cannot pull the load through it. I have gone to the sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me! I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the Angels of God were there." Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No! Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company." - Francis Webster, Martin Handcart Company

There are no adequate words to express my love and absolute gratitude for the pioneers. They suffered more than I can completely comprehend in my mind. They did all that they did because faith encircled their minds. They knew that God was in control and God lead their journey. Trek is just around the corner and I am grateful for the privilege to go and to gain a greater testimony of my brothers and sisters. This quote empowers me to try harder to be better! It pushes me to have greater faith in my journey. Life is hard and sometimes it feels like it never gets better. Sometimes it seems a trial lasts a life time and you can't do it anymore. Sometimes we see a patch of sand or a hill slope. We say we can only go that far and then we must give up because we cannot pull the load through any longer. Suddenly something else is pushing us through and we look back with praise unto our Heavenly Father for His mighty miracles and we thank Him for our trials. Life may be hard but with Heavenly Father and Christ our Savior it's worth going through! I hope we can all read this quote to ourselves when we feel it's just too much to bear and remember they didn't give up and they weren't worry for themselves!