Unwinding

Yes, it's 5:00 a.m.  What am I doing up so early you ask? It's one of those 'sleepless' nights where you toss and turn a bit, pray a lot, seek help and guidance and mercy from the Lord.

It's been a long while since I've posted anything. Since marrying Mike my life has taken many turns in the road. Time in the past that was spent with the desire to share the gospel online and my testimony of the great love of the Lord for all of His children, has turned into other things. I have often wondered about my purpose, my role, my 'what' and 'why' and 'how'.  I think that is needful and purposeful.

Life has meaning. We each try to find ours.

Recently, with global events and calamities and wickedness and unrest, I have wondered how I could bless or strengthen someone else. Was there anyone out there in need of love, support, guidance, direction?

My thoughts often turn to my own family, my own children, and what each of them are going through. How can I best support them in their own trials and their own figuring things out?

I'm well-aware of the adversary to all righteousness whose entire goal is to destroy lives. He seeks that all men would be miserable like unto himself, and he does that so cleverly that they don't know he's leading them down that wicked path. He couches it in ways that make evil appear as good and desirable and....good appear as dumb or outdated or evil. It's totally opposite from happiness, though he has a way of leading people down that path that 'appears' to be desirable, only to find themselves increasingly at ill-ease and misery, and yet they don't realize how far they are from the only Source of real peace.

My life has been filled with difficulty and challenge. (perhaps someday I'll write more about that.) Because of that I've faced many decisions on which way to go. MOST Gratefully, I was taught as a child to turn to God. He has been my Rock; my Foundation; my Peace, Joy, Hope, Comfort. Without Him I would have never found the answers to life's greatest questions of Who Am I? Why am I here on Earth? What is the Purpose of Life? Do I have a personal purpose or mission to fill? What happens after we die? Will we live again? What will that be like? How can I find Peace in this life? Is there a God? Who is He and Where is He? Is He Real? Who is He? What is His Character? Is He a Real Person or just a 'feeling'?

Without a knowledge of the answers to these questions, it's no wonder so many are lost and suffering. It's the greatest quest and Joy to find out the answers to these questions. I am more grateful than I can even express, that He has given me to have found out these things for myself, and they have made ALL the difference.

 

Our Theme is: "It is Well with My Soul". If you want to know why....watch THIS video clip. It moved us both so deeply and changed our hearts forever. 

It is Well with My Soul

New Blog Purpose; Healthy Recipes

Bear with me as I change over to a healthy recipe blog. It may take a bit of time. Thanks for your patience.

God is Trusting us all....

From a young age I have loved hearing and heeding Prophets of God. It has always been a priority in my life and helped me when I needed guidance the most. Throughout my life I have always known that we have Prophets to lead and guide us, help us find the way by teaching us of Christ and His ways. Their witnesses have been the greatest blessings in my life.

Pres. Nelson, our current Prophet recently gave us the following message. My desire is to heed in in it's fullness, and I share it fully, in hopes that many of you will too. I KNOW that we will blessed as we do so. 

"When I spoke during last October’s general conference, I designated 2020 as a bicentennial period commemorating 200 years since God the Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith in a vision. That singular event in human history initiated the Restoration of the Lord’s gospel—an unfolding Restoration that continues today. How blessed we are to live in the light of that vision. With that vision came new understanding about the nature of God our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. 

God loves all of His children and has a vision for each of us. Just as He listened to Joseph’s prayer in 1820, He listens to you and yearns to speak with you through the Spirit. Heavenly Father wants you. We want you. This is going to be an important year. We invite you to be a major part in sharing the message of the ongoing Restoration of the Savior’s gospel. We will share more about this soon, but you can start today by acting on the invitations I extended to you at last general conference to immerse yourself in the glorious light of the Restoration.

What does that look like? You may wish to begin your preparation by reading afresh Joseph Smith’s account of the First Vision as recorded in the Pearl of Great Price. Or ponder important questions such as “How would my life be different if my knowledge gained from the Book of Mormon were suddenly taken away?” or “How have the events that followed the First Vision made a difference for me and my loved ones?”

Select your own questions. Design your own plan. Act on any of these invitations to prepare yourself for sharing the important messages of the ongoing Restoration. As you seek Jesus Christ in these efforts, God will prepare you to receive further light. It is your personal preparation that will help April’s general conference become for you not only memorable but unforgettable. The time to act is now. This is a hinge point in the history of the Church, and your part is vital. 

I testify that Jesus Christ lives. He leads this Church today. God is trusting us, all of us, to play an important role in the Restoration of His gospel."

President Russell M. Nelson

Put aside the things of this world......

We're just headed out of town for a few days but I thought I'd get this posted sooner than later. These are a few of the personal notes I took from our recent worldwide General Conference. I've been pondering on these things which help in my personal growth and 'overcoming'. I find that when I focus on these things; the things that matter most, all other things fall in to place.
I'm deeply grateful for spiritual guidance and treasures from above. I know we have a loving God, who is our Father. He sent us here to learn and grow and decide, for ourselves, if we'll follow Him. We walk by faith but He has not left us alone. He's given us Prophets to lead and guide us and show us the way. 

I know for myself that as I follow their counsel I find greater peace and happiness, and treasures of knowledge. I esteem these truths greater than life itself.

My hope and prayer is that we will all turn to Him and renew our commitment to live wholesome and good, clean lives, be honest in our dealings with our fellowman, love our neighbors and treat our own families with kindness and respect.

Heidi

https://www.comeuntochrist.org/beliefs

Pres.Nelson; Spiritual Treasures- Oct. 2019:

• “I hope the sisters understand the spiritual treasures that are theirs in the temple.” 
• “Emma was counseled to ‘lay aside the things of this world and seek the things of a better’ and to hold fast to her covenants with God…’this is my voice unto all.’
• How I yearn for you to understand that the restoration of the Priesthood is just as relevant to you as a woman as it is to any man….”
• “...covenant-keeping women...have access to . . . “all the spiritual blessings/treasures the Lord has for His children.” ..direct access to the power of God.” 
• “The heavens are just as open to women who are endowed with God’s power flowing from their priesthood covenants as they are to men who bear the Priesthood. I pray that truth will register upon...your hearts...because I believe it will change your life….you have the right to draw liberally upon the Savior’s power….
• “How do I draw the Savior’s power into my life?” The Holy Ghost will be your personal tutor….
• I invite you to study prayerfully Section 35 of the Doctrine and Covenants….
• ...put aside many things of this world….examine your life meticulously and regularly…
• ...consecrating your life to the Lord
• Sisters...society’s guardians of morality… we are not of the world; we are covenant Israel
• As a righteous, endowed Latter-day Saint woman, you speak and teach with power and authority from God….we need your voice teaching the doctrine of Christ.
• Your prayers, fasting, time in the temple, and family history work will open the heavens to you. 
• *I entreat you to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power….
• All our efforts to minister...proclaim...perfect...redeem...converge in the holy temple….where you will receive your highest spiritual treasures.  
• ...greatest of all blessings, ...eternal life. 
• I would like to leave a blessing upon you, that you may understand the priesthood power with which you have been endowed…
• 
  

Closing Remarks: Pres. Nelson

-Individual worthiness requires a total conversion of mind and heart to be more like the Lord….to be a holier person

-Each home can become a true sanctuary of faith…

-The crowning jewel of the Restoration is the holy temple. It’s sacred ordinances and covenants are pivotal to preparing a people who are ready to welcome the Savior at His Second Coming.

-...become more holy...walk on the covenant path in a higher and holier way….

-..with the Lord’s help, nothing is impossible….

-General Conference next April will be different than any previous conference. In the next six months I hope that every member will prepare for a unique conference that will commemorate the very foundations of the restored gospel. (then he lists some ways to prepare)

-I leave with you my love and blessing that each of you may become happier and holier with each passing day…..

Holiness and the Plan of Happiness, Pres. Eyring

My prayer for today is that I may help you understand that greater happiness comes from greater personal holiness…..  Qualifying for the gift of holiness requires humility, meekness, and patience. 

Tree Trimming, Making Wooden Bowls

In the midst of the Peace of the Christmas Season, we've still been busy with life. Some things just need to get done and we've had to prioritize so as to not become overwhelmed and still be able to focus on what matters most.

We've had a tree in our front yard that is big and beautiful in the Spring but very messy and difficult in the fall. We've also got a steep driveway that we need to add stairs to so as to not fall when it's icy. (yes, that happened last year.) We concurred that we'd have to remove the tree to make way for a walkway and widening of the drive. So, that's what we've been doing the past several days. It's been a lot of hard work out in the cold, but...good to finally get it done.

Yesterday, we took a huge load to the landfill and made friends with several others' doing the same thing.  :)  And, I posted 'FREE" on our local FB marketplace groups, for the good firewood, and had about 12 people respond wanting it, two of whom were making wooden bowls and one, wooden spoons.

It's always thrilling to know that people appreciate something of great value and will make good use of it. That's been a good lesson of this experience and something we hope to never take for granted; that all things can serve a purpose and when we might not have use for something, someone else may.

Christmas: Finding Peace

As a mother, I've often wanted to give my children more temporally than I've been able to. Each Christmas I'd feel sad, especially as a single-parent for so many years, that I couldn't give them what they wanted or needed, or what I would have liked to give them. There were sometimes tears, mostly on my side.

Now, as a married woman, with 5 additional children and 14 grandchildren, I still feel the same. We're on a limited budget of time and resources.

For this reason I have been grateful for the teachings of my own mother who gave me the most important gift; the gift of a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the understanding of what matters most.

I often reflect on these thoughts: what can we do to help lift, strengthen and bless our family, that will be meaningful, keep the Spirit of the season, and help them feel of our love? For...that is what matters most.

I am very grateful for the recent First Presidency Devotional about the true meaning of the season and these powerful messages from Elder Kearon:

“We must be careful not to be so busy and tired from trying to do too much that we miss the focus of the season and are unable to figuratively kneel at the manger, worship the newborn King, and bring our own personal gift to Him,”.

“Is your schedule too packed? Are certain cultural traditions and pressures causing you undue stress and preventing you from receiving and reflecting the joy of Christ’s birth? How might you simplify your calendar this Christmas and plan better for next?”

“Perhaps this year you don’t send the Christmas cards, or you let go of some other media-inspired expectation you have of yourself. The cost in either time or money will take away some of your ability to focus on the Savior and feel His Christmas joy.”

“Perhaps this year you have a simplified Christmas with more homemade gifts and gifts of service, because the pressure and cost of trying to buy it all is too great—and unnecessary—and it will take away some of your ability to focus on the Savior and feel His Christmas peace.”

“As this Christmas approaches, let us do more of what matters and much less of what doesn’t..."

I second his words as they are true and have sunk deep into my heart. I pray we can strive to have more peace this Christmas season by letting-go of what matters less and focusing on what matters most.