Things happen all the time that seem to have no significance at all and somewhere down the road they just tie into your life.  I realize the Lords' hand in things that are so small but become so large at a later date.

Richards uncle who was not a member, used to do genealogy as a hobby.  He had the money to travel to places where his ancestors came from such as Germany.

He died and since he had no wife or children, his things were basically for his nephews and sister and mom.  This uncle was a slob, his house was a pig sty. Words cannot describe how he lived.  Anyway, due to the nature of the cleanup after his death, people were pitching things out.  His genealogy meant nothing to anyone else and they started throwing it out and grumbling.  I yelled, "No!  I want his genealogy."  Someone said something about genealogy being boring.  I didn't care.  He had put 40 years of work into this. We had boxes and boxes of stuff.  I sifted through it and found a lot of stupid stuff like recipes and weight loss articles.   He gave unorganized a whole new meaning. I got rid of the stuff that wasn't related to family history.  Once I got to the meat of the whole project, I realized what a treasure I had.  I began to compile the information I had.

I had spent hours entering the information I had into Family Tree Maker software.  It was short time after that, that my computer suffered a virus.  I had lost all the information, I did manage to make a backup but when I went to the disk the folder was empty.  I was mad and disappointed and put everything away but knew I would finish it at a later date.  I knew I couldn't let his relatives down by not doing their work. I felt the nudging so many times about getting their work done but I wanted to do it, and not let anyone else do this for them.

They have the New Family Search site up and boy is it great!  I have been working on Richards side.  I got some names printed out to take to the temple. I will be able to have Richards parents baptized and sealed.  While I was doing this, I realized that Richards uncle had paved the way for their work to be done.  I doubt that he knew it at the time.  He had done all the hard work and now it was up to me to finish it.

Now I told that whole story to make my point that things happen all the time that seem to have no significance at all and somewhere down the road they just tie into your life. This is something that I was meant to do.  My patriarchal blessing says that I will many into the church because of my testimonies and that at some time I would know what my mission in life was.  In my mind I had delusions of grandeur of standing atop a great wall like Samuel the Lamanite and preaching. LOL 

I always think I can second guess my Heavenly father.  But isn't that great?!  I look forward to going and doing the work and knowing that I helped in bringing his family to the joy that will be theirs if they accept it.

Tonight on the news, it was reported that our own Christine Gregoire, the governor had let the atheists put up their garbage next to the nativity at the capitol. I became angry and I wrote her a nasty email.  I was overwhelmed with emotion and I knelt and prayed, and I cried so much that my eyes and head hurt.

When I was done, I sat and read the scriptures.  A thought came to mind about the time when the  angel of death passed through Egypt.  Moses was told not to look out but to let it pass by.  I realized that by watching the news, I allowed this bad feeling to come into my mind and heart.  I should leave my mental door closed and allow the wickedness to pass by. If I had not watched it, then I would be untouched by the things that are happening at an accelerated speed.

My desire and yearning to attend the temple has become stronger.  I want to go where I can find peace, now it is my time to stand in holy places.

I am remembering back to a time when I thought my life was over.  A time when I was being drug out to sea and I was fighting so hard to stay afloat.  The waves were hammering at me, and no matter how much I screamed for help, no one could hear me and even if they could, they couldn’t have done anything to help me. If they had tried they would have become endangered also.  I would swim and the undertow pulled me out further.  I was completely alone and I couldn’t do anything to save myself.  There was no one to help me.  My mind went to prayer and I did, I prayed hard.  It was after that the thought came to mind, to put my legs and feet on top of the water.  When I did this, I was out of reach of the undertow and I was able to ride the waves into shore.  I know that my prayer was answered.

For along time I thought this was a neat experience until recently I realized how much this is like our own spiritual safety. We can get swallowed up by life and the ways of the world.  I know for me, it feels like I can barely keep my head above water, so to speak.  Sometimes we feel alone as if no one can help us.  If we put our faith in our Heavenly Father and put our lives in his hands, we can rise above the muck and mire and he will safely take us home. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Tags: Prayer Is My Souls Sincere Desire

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I was born and raised a member of the LDS church, I sometimes think this has got to be one of the hardest religions on earth.  People will either love the religion or hate it, there has been very few times when someone were neutral, and so it goes with being a member also.  I have lost many friends when they found out I was Mormon.  So many times I have had to defend the church and at times I wanted to apologize for the way I believed.

It has been an uphill battle many times.  I sometimes doubted the things I had been taught, I have thought it would be so much easier not to believe the Gospel.  So many negative things are thought about the church and many misconceptions.  I attended a Catholic church and Baptist church but they never felt like home to me.

In all my emotional and spiritual struggles one thing stands out most and that is that the church is true. Yes, I have read LDS books and read scriptures but that alone was not what made me believe, it was that still small voice that bore witness to me.  This is what has influenced me more than anything.

Many people who are investigating the church are up against some horribly tough opposition. I think if I were someone who was seeking out the true church, I would have to wonder also about us "Mormons" :).  Who do they believe?  People who are against the church? Or the church members who are obviously biased?

This is exactly why Joseph Smith went to the grove of trees.  He knew that there was one person who would not fail him, lie to him, or deceive him.  We must all do the same, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is perfect but we as humans are not.  I never have to doubt anymore.

It makes me sad when I see or hear of someone who is falling away from the church or has fallen away.  Satan works overtime and loves to plant seeds of doubt into peoples hearts.  If we are ever watchful and mindful then we will be aware of the little things that Satan will do to drive a wedge between us and our Heavenly Father. I look forward to the day when I can see Jesus face to face and thank him for his sacrifice he made.  Sometimes when life is hard and I feel that I can no longer deal with anything, I take myself to this one thought and it gives me strength and hope.

Tags: Lds Membership Trials

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This election has been very difficult for me. I have never had such a hard time deciding who to vote for.  I prayed about it and got my answer and voted the way I felt I should.  My husband found out and has been calling me names.  I can't say I was overly joyed about either decision and I have felt somber during this time.

Sometime ago, I kept getting this nagging feeling that I needed to get my affairs in order with in the next 4 years. I am not sure what that means but I started focusing more on our food storage and getting myself right with the Lord.

For sometime I have watched as crime escalates and some of the most heinous crimes being reported in the news.  I feel the evil creeping into our lives more and more and trying to overcome so many people.

This is a time to lean upon God even more and look to him for guidance and deliverance.  It can be hard to keep ourselves out of the fray but it is necessary.

Tags: Voting And Preparing

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