Life: The ordinary miracle

Today began as a very frustrating day and thing after thing was becoming upsetting. After a while I knelt by my bed and prayed my sheer anger and confusion to a kind Heavenly Father. As I prayed I expressed my pleas for help and hope. What happened next proved to me once again that God is aware of all of His children and that he knows us by name. Drying tears from my eyes I headed down the stairs to prepare a quick lunch before work. The impression came to check my mailbox outside. It wasn't mail time and I thought it an odd, but I thought to myself "self, why not?"   So I did. Inside I found 3 brightly colored pieces of paper with "nice notes" from members of the ward (congregation). These were unsolicited but greatly appreciated. Also inside I found a handmade bookmark with a note from a neighbor reminding me to believe in myself and to believe in God. I'm not sure what inspired her to leave that there but I felt such gratitude for her kind gesture. Ne...

To begin today I start by quoting a text message I received yesterday from a friend of mine. Said she, "I can't let myself think about it because I cherish his friendship."  Now to explain further let me give you some context. As many young single adults do, we were having a discussion about dating. A particular person she discovered interest in was one of her very best friends. She therefore discounted him and took him out of the running. Something about this drew me to great distress. Haven't we been taught our entire lives to marry our best friends? Why on earth would you take someone out of the running because they are your friend? Shouldn't that make a person more of a choice? As a Latter-Day Saint, I view marriage as an eternal covenant. This means that I'm not marrying someone for here and now, but for eternity. Personally, when the thought of eternity comes to my mind I don't imagine being with some stranger that I met on the street randomly ...

Recently I was talking to my wonderful grandmother of 92 years who is currently struggling with her health. (At 92 that's no shocker) Suddenly I came to realize that I never knew when would be the last conversation I would have with her. As the realization dawned I began to focus more on what was being said. I began to listen more carefully, and concentrate on her needs. I was more deliberate in my expressions of love, and I truly cherished every moment. Then the thought came to my mind... Do I really ever know when anyone is going to pass on to the other side? I have had experiences in my life and in my own family that have proven to me time and again that life is short. I know that. It is a lesson I have already learned, so why is it so hard to apply?  Every day I have the chance to talk to people. Many of whom I do not know. What if I was the last person on earth that they ever talked to? What would their last message from earth life be? Is it a positive message? Am I sh...

In Matthew 21:16 we are reminded that out of the mouth of babes and sucklings we hear perfect praise. One particular primary song was brought to my attention this week, and I believe that its words are perfect praise, and a powerful lesson for each one of us to live every day!  Says, the hymn,"The Lord needs valiant servants to do His work in the Latter-days who follow the teachings of Jesus and serve His people in a loving way. I will be His Servant and Keep my Covenants valiantly. I'll stand for truth, I'll stand for right! The Lord can depend on me!" In the words to this song we learn the important message that each one of us are needed in the work of the Latter-days. We have a very specific purpose: to be someone that the Lord can depend on. We learn how to be such a person. First, we are to follow the teachings of Jesus. What are the teachings of Jesus? They are the scriptures. We live in a day where the scriptures are available to each one of us wi...

When Jesus Christ spoke to His disciples at the Sermon the Mount in Matthew 6 he encouraged them to change their lives. He spoke of real prayer. He taught of putting God first and worrying more about the moment than the past present or future. When the Prophet Moses spoke he taught the ten commandments reminding us who to love first, some things we need to do, and some things we need to be sure we do not do. Love your neighbor as yourself. Keep the Sabbath day holy. Honor your Father and Mother, etc. So what if Christ, or his Prophet spoke today? What would they say? Well the answer is that they do speak and we were blessed to hear their words this very weekend. They said, to doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. They said that when in the service of the Lord, it is not where you serve, but how you serve. They taught that the past is to be learned from, but not lived in. The value of true church only coming through the atonement. The challenge it is to lift people on on...

Back in the day when  person wanted meat they would go to their local butcher. (Some people still do) They would ask the butcher to help them see the meat of the best quality, flavor, etc. The butcher would help them and they would happily go on their way. If the butcher did good work they would return for the same favor again and again.  Now, you may be asking yourself. What on earth does a butcher have to do with anything. Let me explain how I am blessed to be a butcher of sorts in my own life.  It turns out that men still need help to find their meat. Yes ladies I apologize, but in this analogy you are being compared to a piece of meat. Often these men come to my "butcher shop" or my home seeking help to find the correct flavor or taste of meat. I carefully listen to what they need and then assist them in finding and securing their flavor.  Most of the time, this butcher like lifestyle is actually quite rewarding. When it works out and the meat and th...

In The Book of Mormon Alma desires to speak with the trump of God and to shake the earth crying repentance to every people. But he rebukes himself saying, "But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me." (Alma 29:1-3) For some reason in the past year or so there has been an increase in LDS women seeking more than the Lord has allotted unto them. They seek to gain the priesthood, wear pants to church, and demand "equality" from their leaders. Each of these wishes aren't in themselves sins necessarily. (I mean clearly the Lord is not going to smite someone down for wearing pants to church.) It is my personal opinion that the real question comes back to the doctrine of the church. In a world of confusion it is important to know where you stand. Are you for me or against me asked the Lord? When you prayed about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, did you receive an answer? Did ...

"My life is a gift, my life has a plan, my life has a purpose, in Heaven it began. My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth and seek for God's light to direct me from birth. I will follow God's plan for me. Holding fast to His word and His love. I will work and I will pray. I will always walk in His way. Then I will be happy on earth, and in my home above." "There once was a man who was asleep one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Saviour appeared to him. The Lord told him He had a work for him to do, and showed him a large rock explaining that he was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, and for many days he toiled from sunup to sundown; his shoulder set squarely against the cold massive surface of the rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling his whole day had been spent in vain. Seeing that the man showed signs of discouragemen...

Sometimes I have a strange fascination with leaving gifts for people spontaneously and unexpectedly. They can be random gifts like a dollar store toy, food like gifts, or notes with kind words. There is just something about the surprise in someones eye and the extra smile that steals across their face for a brief moment. Well today I was pondering on how much joy I felt at giving someone a small blessing and the thought occurred to me, no wonder God loves to bless His children. He feels joy when he sees how happy we become. With his perspective he can tell the exact moment we need his gifts of love the most and he knows just how to help us perfectly to feel remembered and loved. Just think if you had all the resources in the world so you could just spend time blessing people. Well God does and I believe he enjoys granting us answer to prayer and celestial surprises along the way.