Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read about the horrible war that occurred, with so many people being killed that there were none left to bury the dead, and the terrible scent the resulted.  Ether 14:21-23 "And so great and lasting had been the war, and so long had been the scene of bloodshed and carnage, that the whole face of the land was covered with the bodies of the dead. And so swift and speedy was the war that there was none left to bury the dead, but they did march forth from the shedding of blood to the shedding of blood, leaving the bodies of both men, women, and children strewed upon the face of the land, to become a prey to the worms of the flesh. And the scent thereof went forth upon the face of the land, even upon all the face of the land; wherefore the people became troubled by day and by night, because of the scent thereof."

In the Old Testament we read about how Nehemiah rebuked the people for not honoring the Sabbath day and put a stop to buying and selling on the Sabbath.  In our own day, Sunday seems to be a day of business as usual instead of the holy day that it should be. We need to make sure that we're honoring this day in a way that would be pleasing to the Lord.  Nehemiah 13:15-22 "In those days saw I in Judah some treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sheaves, and lading asses; as also wine, grapes, and figs, and all manner of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day: and I testified against them in the day wherein they sold victuals. There dwelt men of Tyre also therein, which brought fish, and all manner of ware, and sold on the sabbath unto the children of Judah, and in Jerusalem. Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil thing is this that ye do, and profane the sabbath day? Did not your fathers thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city? yet ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the sabbath. And it came to pass, that when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the sabbath, I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates, that there should no burden be brought in on the sabbath day. So the merchants and sellers of all kind of ware lodged without Jerusalem once or twice. Then I testified against them, and said unto them, Why lodge ye about the wall? if ye do so again, I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy."

Some verses with a thought booklet exhort us to to be kind, merciful, longsuffering, forbearing, and forgiving.  And above all we need to have charity, the pure love of Christ.  Living this kind of life will let the peace of God rule in our hearts.  Colossians 3:12-15 "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read about how Ether prophesied unto the people but they would not listen to him and cast him out, threatening to kill him.  So he hid in the cavity of a rock by day and came out at night to view the destructions of the people.  During the second year of him being in hiding, the Lord commanded him to go and testify to Coriantumr that if he did not repent, all his people would be destroyed and he alone would survive to see the fulfillment of these prophesies and to see another people receiving the land for their inheritance.  He would be buried by those people.  But Coriantumr refused to repent or listen to Ether.  Instead, he sought to kill him.  Ether 13: 13-22 "And I was about to write more, but I am forbidden; but great and marvelous were the prophecies of Ether; but they esteemed him as naught, and cast him out; and he hid himself in the cavity of a rock by day, and by night he went forth viewing the things which should come upon the people. And as he dwelt in the cavity of a rock he made the remainder of this record, viewing the destructions which came upon the people, by night. And it came to pass that in that same year in which he was cast out from among the people there began to be a great war among the people, for there were many who rose up, who were mighty men, and sought to destroy Coriantumr by their secret plans of wickedness, of which hath been spoken. And now Coriantumr, having studied, himself, in all the arts of war and all the cunning of the world, wherefore he gave battle unto them who sought to destroy him. But he repented not, neither his fair sons nor daughters; neither the fair sons and daughters of Cohor; neither the fair sons and daughters of Corihor; and in fine, there were none of the fair sons and daughters upon the face of the whole earth who repented of their sins. 8Wherefore, it came to pass that in the first year that Ether dwelt in the cavity of a rock, there were many people who were slain by the sword of those secret combinations, fighting against Coriantumr that they might obtain the kingdom. And it came to pass that the sons of Coriantumr fought much and bled much. And in the second year the word of the Lord came to Ether, that he should go and prophesy unto Coriantumr that, if he would repent, and all his household, the Lord would give unto him his kingdom and spare the people— Otherwise they should be destroyed, and all his household save it were himself. And he should only live to see the fulfilling of the prophecies which had been spoken concerning another people receiving the land for their inheritance; and Coriantumr should receive a burial by them; and every soul should be destroyed save it were Coriantumr. And it came to pass that Coriantumr repented not, neither his household, neither the people; and the wars ceased not; and they sought to kill Ether, but he fled from before them and hid again in the cavity of the rock."

In the Old Testament we read about how the people covenanted with the Lord to keep the commandments, not marry outside of Israel, honor the Sabbath Day, and to pay their tithes.  Nehemiah 10: 29-31, 38 "They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes; And that we would not give our daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons: And if the people of the land bring ware or any victuals on the sabbath day to sell, that we would not buy it of them on the sabbath, or on the holy day: and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt. And the priest the son of Aaron shall be with the Levites, when the Levites take tithes: and the Levites shall bring up the tithe of the tithes unto the house of our God, to the chambers, into the treasure house."

Some verses with a thought booklet warn us not to use vain repetitions when we pray.  Do we often find ourselves saying the same words over and over when we pray, not even really paying attention to what we're saying?  If so, this is not good.  We need to pray from our heart and speak as if we were speaking to a loving Father who we're grateful to and who wants to help us with our needs.  In fact, He loves us and knows our needs so well that He knows of them before we even ask.  Matthew 6:7-8 "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

Daily Thoughts

n the Book of Mormon I read that Christ loved the world so much that He laid down His life for all of us.  Unless we show forth charity, the pure love of Christ, we cannot inherit the place which has been prepared for us.  Ether 12:  33 "And again, I remember that thou hast said that thou hast loved the world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the world, that thou mightest take it again to prepare a place for the children of men."

In the Old Testament we read about the wondrous miracles that the Lord wrought among the children of Israel--He brought them out of Egypt in the midst of their afflictions and divided the Red Sea so they could escape their persecutors.  He lead them with a cloudy pillar by day and a pillar of fire by night. And He gave them commandments.  Did you ever think of commandments are blessings from the Lord?  They are!  He fed them manna in the wilderness and made water come forth out of rock to quench their thirst.  What a loving Lord to do all these things for His children!  But after all this, they hardened their hearts and did not obey the commandments.  They forgot all the wonders that the Lord had done for them and refused to obey Him.  Even though He was gracious, merciful, full of kindness and had not forsaken them, they made a molten calf to worship and claimed that it had brought them forth out of Egypt.  Can you imagine?  In yet in spite of their inexcusable behavior, the Lord continued to sustain them in the wilderness for 40 years, so that they lacked nothing.  Even their clothing did not wear out.  What a loving and long suffering God!  Let's learn from the bad example of the Israelites and show the Lord gratitude and love and obedience. He only gives us commandments because He loves us and wants us to be happy.  Nehemiah 9:9-21 "And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea; And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day. And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters. Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go. Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant: And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.  But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments, And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage; but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not. Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations; Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go. Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.  Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet describe the joy a father shows when his prodigal son returns.  He throws a party for him and kills the fattened calf to make a big feast.  What a celebration!  Likewise when we return to our Heavenly Father, after we have strayed, He rejoices over us.  We are His beloved children and He welcomes us with open arms.  Luke 15:22-24 "But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry." 

BYU Women's Conference Notes -- Friday

DISCIPLESHIP AND OUR MINISTRY (SANDRA ROGERS):

She was upset with people she could not forgive.  Later, when she was trying to prepare a talk she felt she needed to get rid of these bad feelings to be in tune to give her talk.  She realized that forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.  Sometimes we have horrendous things to forgive; other times its petty things.  But in either case, the Lord can help us find peace and forgiveness.  One time she arrived in Salt Lake at 2:00 a.m. to attend General Conference in the tabernacle.  They slept in and didn't make it until 7:00 a.m. when the seats were full.  They were dressed in warm Arizona clothing, but it was snowing!  They were freezing!  A man who was seated warmly inside came out and told them they should have come earlier.  He rubbed it in that he had a good, warm seat.  And he kept coming out every few minutes to repeat what he said.  Eventually, they did find seating behind the choir.  They tried to enjoy conference, but kept having bad thoughts about that man.  This was 44 years ago.  She has reflected many times since on times when she may have smugly looked down on people standing out in freezing snow while she had a warm seat inside, not literally, but in many similar ways.  We are here to heal, to recover and to set free.  Our lives are the most powerful sermons we can ever preach.  In fact, they may be the only sermons some may ever hear.  We are humbled that our Father offered His only Begotten Son.  He offers peace and comfort and we should offer that same compassion to others.  Christ strengthens us.  We hunger and thirst after righteousness.  If we open our hearts and minds, the Lord will teach us and sanctify us.  We are merciful because we know He is merciful to us.  We are pure in heart because we know that is the key to having the Lord's Spirit with us always.  We are peacemakers because we know the Spirit does not come where there is contention.  We are willing to be persecuted for righteousness sake because we know His promises are sure.  Satan wants us to view women as nearly worthless.  But we know how much the Lord loves His daughters.  Our Savior loves us deeply.  The book Daughters in My Kingdom comes forth in a time when there is much misrepresentation of women's worth.  It testifies of woman's worth and affirms that the Lord will bless us with spiritual gifts as we serve Him through our service to others.  He knows us well.  He needs us to provide earthly watch care to each other.  The covenant women of the church can prevail over any and other challenges.  It has come for such a time as this so we can understand the incredible role women have as they seek out others and provide relief.  Some pioneer women who were leaving Nauvoo wrote "The Lord has beheld our sacrifice, come after us."  We can be disciples who are fit for the Kingdom.  May we follow Him. 

YOU EITHER HAVE TO LAUGH OR CRY: I PREFER TO LAUGH.  CRYING GIVES ME A HEADACHE (KAREN WHITING AND DUELLA B. WILLIAMS): 

She started out saying various things and she asked everyone to respond with "So what?"  She said she has 47 pins holding her leg and ankle together.  She has fallen 3 times in the last month and could not get up.  She got a hole in one the first time she went golfing.  She has been married twice in the temple and has been twice divorced due to their unrighteous choices.  We said "So what?" to all of this.  Growing up the believed three facts:  everyone got married in the temple, everyone had at least six children, and mothers stayed home to take care of the children.  She went to college, wrote to wonderful missionaries, but when she graduated she still hadn't found someone to marry.  She got a job and then met a returned missionary.  They got married on June 13, in sealing room 13, and spent their honeymoon in room 13.  She then had miscarriages. Mother's Day was just awful.  At church they'd ask all the mother's to stand and get flowers, and she was the only woman over 18 not standing.  They adopted a daughter, then another daughter.  Sometimes it seems like we get too much and we ask "why me?"  No one is immune from problems and pain.  Laughter strengthens your immune system.  If laughter was sold at Costco we'd all be buying it in bulk.  She feels that somebody here needs to be told the story of Keisha.  She married the love of her life.  They were excited to start having children, but she miscarried.  Then they had two girls, who are 9 and 7.  Then she got pregnant again, and had a daughter with Down's Syndrome.  This little girl is adorable and amazing.  She is 5 now.  They had three miscarriages after that.  One day Keisha was looking at pictures of Down's Syndrome children in an orphanage and she recognized one that was supposed to be her daughter.  They adopted her.  She laughed for the first time.  After that, Keisha got pregnant with twins.  A year ago she had 3 kids, and within a year she went to 6.  She now grateful that she didn't get pregnant right away because then they wouldn't have adopted Mia, and she needed to have Mia.  The presenter then told how she fell down stairs and crushed her ankle.  She was told she'd never walk again, but she does walk.  There are days that are difficult, but you just have to make it work.  Then she was called to be the Young Women president.  They went to camp.  In the middle of the night there was the storm to end all storms.  Do things that make you happy.  Do random acts of kindness.  She has an addiction to McDonald's sugar free lemonade.  She loves to pay for the people behind her at the drive through window.  She lives in an older community.  The woman next door is 104, the woman across the street is 95.  Other neighbors are in their 90's.  The 95 year old writes thank you letters.  They make us feel good.  Do random acts of kindness.  She met a wonderful man who seemed to have everything.  But he got a brain tumor.  His wife took care of him for 16 years.  His home was destroyed by a mud slide.  They moved and their new home was destroyed by fire.  They lost everything.  Now she always wears black because she lost so many clothes she didn't want to have to match anything anymore.  Her passion was choreography.  She threw herself into that even when her husband was so ill.  She is amazing.  You have to find something that makes you happy and then throw yourself into it.  Denise is a wonderful woman she taught school with.  She gets a headache when she cries, so she avoid crying as much as possible.  She says laughter keeps her sane.  Denise had three children.  In 1997 her daughter was killed in an accident.  In 2002 her son committed suicide.  In 2008 her third remaining child died.  She knows the Lord has a plan for her and she'll be okay.  She's an amazing woman.  She's thankful she hasn't had to go through what she has.  Diana always has a smile on her face.  She's gone through cancer and had a bone marrow transplant.  She was eating with friends and her friend's little boy grabbed her glasses and threw them on the floor. She bent down to get them and her chair fell over.  She was not a petite woman and could not get up.  Everybody was laughing.  When she finally managed to get up she announced to the whole restaurant, "It's okay.  Let's all laugh."  She got her meal free.  If you feel like you're not important, remember "For God so loved _______ (fill in your name) that He gave His only begotten Son."  We all have thunderstorms in our lives, but it takes thunderstorms to have the rainbows.  She hopes we don't all go out of her saying "So what?" 

She has nine kids.  They have a VMW. They all fit in there.  Their vacations are like a big party.  Life isn't always perfect.  We can cry over burning the rolls, or we can laugh about it.  Find some good in any situation.  She and her husband are both strong willed.  Everybody wants to do things their own way.  Her husband says, "Here's what you ought to do."  She thinks "That's a good idea, but I'll do what I want to do." She went horseback riding with her sister and some of their kids.  She came upon a tree.  She thought she could move the branch, but the branch moved her.  She fell off the horse onto the ground.  Her sister didn't know whether to laugh or cry, not sure if she was okay, but she started laughing and then everybody laughed.  It must have looked really funny.  When they got to the top of the ride they had such a beautiful view and enjoyed their lunch, and then what had happened 45 minutes earlier didn't matter.  On her daughter's second birthday it was Sunday and they went to church.  The bishop wished her a Happy Birthday and she snarled at him.  She found out the little girl hit her terrible 2's right on her birthday!  Now that daughter is 20 and the bishop still remembers how cute she was snarling at him when she was 2.  One day she asked her teenage daughter to help with the laundry.  She said no, she was too busy with Facebook and she hated laundry.  She asked her to clean the kitchen and she said no, I hate cleaning kitchens.  She told her mom that she had decided not to do anything in this life that she doesn't want to do.  A year and a half later she went to college and then she had to do laundry and dishes.  Now she's married and has to take care of somebody else.  She signed her son up for soccer.  They called her and said they needed a coach for the team or they couldn't play.  She asked them if they'd called any other parents and they said, "Yes, we've called all the parents."  So she had to coach so her son could play.  She works full time as a nurse, takes care of 9 children, and she and her husband do what they can to spend time with their children.  Being a nurse doesn't define who she is, it's being a mommy that she takes great joy in.  When she went to nursing school she was told not to sweat the small stuff and that it is all small stuff.  She can go through something hard and rise up on top.  She left four children in the van and the 2 year old got it out of gear and started it rolling.  The 4 year old jumped out.  She was running after the van.  She prayed like crazy while running toward the van.  Then the van stopped dead and she was at the door.  There was the two year old at the steering wheel.  She spanked him and threw him in his car seat.  She knew the Lord had stopped the van.  Walking around the van she saw a rock under the passenger wheel and knew the Lord had sent it to stop the van and saved her children.  The Lord knew that the rock was there.  She knows the reason that rock was there.  That rock fulfilled the measure of its creation in saving her family.  We have good days and bad days.  We have broken hearts and unfulfilled dreams.  That's okay.  Find other dreams.  Succeed!  We can laugh.  Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured. Every day is not a glorious day.  Sometimes there is fighting.  But other days are glorious!  They're wonderful!  We can work hard and be happy and have joy.  Sweet is the work.  Reach out and embrace the trials in your life. 

PATIENCE WITH YOURSELF: YOU ARE CLOSER TO HEAVEN THAN YOU SUPPOSE (JULIE BAGLEY AND MARY ELLEN EDMUNDS): 

Many of us are endlessly compassionate and patient with others, but have trouble being compassionate and patient with ourselves.  Sometimes she likes to read the ending of a book before she reads the beginning so she doesn't stress about what is going to happen to them.  Her husband and children laugh at her.  So she's going to share the end of her talk before the beginning--take time to be holy every single day.  Take time to speak to the Lord and feed on His word.  Take time to help others.  We live in a fast paced world.  We have come to except stuff NOW.  We want things FAST.  But there is a price to pay that involves patience.  Sometimes we wish we were smarter or better looking like somebody else.  Or we wonder why bad things happened to us or our loved ones.  We've all been given blessings and talents, but we've also been given challenges.  How do we deal with them?  Patience!  It's not wise to compare our weaknesses to somebody else's strengths.  God wants to help us eventually turn our weaknesses into strengths, but He knows this is a long term goal.  It takes patience.  It's okay we're not there yet.  A man sold his farm to search the world over for diamonds.  He dies without finding any.  The man who bought his farm back home discovered a hug diamond field on it.  Let's not lose patience and go searching in vain for something we already have.  We need patience to look for what's in our own back yard. Our Heavenly Father has a plan for us.  We need to be patient during the hard times.  He wants us to excel.  She doesn't have patience naturally, she had to cultivate this attribute.  Instead of trying to do better than somebody else, we should just do what we can do.  Do that with patience and you can become who the Lord wants you to be.  Patience is a godly attribute and has a calming effect.  Let the Lord be your guide.  There are three places to look for help--learn form your past, learn from heroes in the scriptures, and learn lessons from studying the life of the Savior.  Four years ago she got a call from Russell M. Nelson.  She was in a good place.  But then she got a call to serve in the Young Women's General board.  The meetings she attended were glorious.  But the women she attended with were wonderful, talented, smart--and comparing herself with them made her feel inadequate. She learned a lesson about divine worth.  None of us is perfect, but the Lord calls us anyway.   Jesus Christ was an example of perfect patience.  In the story of Mary and Martha, she often identifies herself with Martha who was losing patience with her sister.  Jesus told her she was careful in doing homemaking things but it was important that she sit down with her sister.  Her work would wait.  She needed to be patient, with herself and others.  The Savior wanted her to slow down, look to Him, and be holy.  Patience can heal souls.  We can only learn patience by experiencing the very things that try our patience. Moroni teaches us to wait upon the Lord.  When we're asked to do a difficult assignment do we feel inadequate?  Sometimes we know we can't do these things so we have to turn to the Lord for help. He will show us our weaknesses so we can be humble.  His grace is sufficient for the humble and He can make weak things become strong.  All it takes is patience with ourselves and looking to the Lord.  Take time to be holy.  The Lord knows our heartaches and challenges, and also our joys.  He lives and loves each one of us. 

She commended us for our patience in waiting line.  What causes impatience?  We live in a culture and society where we are so busy and we're used to having everything so instant.  Maybe we try to be like Wonder Woman every minute of every day.  We try to keep up appearances.  Being impatient with ourselves keeps us from being truly happy.  Patience is a virtue.  Anger is corrupting and degrading.  A single moment of anger can destroy years of positive deeds.  Every minute you're angry, you're losing 60 seconds of happiness.  Do not run faster than you have strength or means.  Can you picture Heavenly Father being impatient with you, or looking down on you and saying, "You really annoy me." The Lord will be with us even to the end of our days.  He will not leave us comfortless.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  If you don't know this is true, ask Him.  Where in the scriptures does it say, "Be ye therefore perfect by tomorrow afternoon." She's been working on patience her whole life, almost 100 years!  We can work on being patient.  We need to be patient with our efforts to develop patience.  Write down what was happening when you lost your patience.  How did you respond?  Becoming aware of what makes us lose patience can help us find different ways to respond.  Do you have a schedule that's way too tight?  Do we need to chop up your to do list.  Most good things take time.  You can't push them or rush them.  Find healthy ways to relieve frustration.  Punch a pillow.  Count to 10.  Walk up stairs.  Tell a love one, "I think I'm going to lose my cool.  Go run and hide."  Apologize to yourself.  Say, "I'm sorry, self."  Life should be enjoyable.  Try taking a picture of a mess your child made instead of losing your cool.  A clerk brought blanket after blanket down from high shelves to show a customer.  When there was only one blanket left he asked her if she wanted to see it too.  She said, "Oh, I'm not going to buy today.  I'm only looking for a friend."  He said, "Well, I'll bring the last blanket down too.  Maybe you'll find your friend in it."  Impatience is often the result of unfulfilled expectations.  Frustrated with dust?  Dust protects furniture.  Learn to say "I don't know."  Learn to say no to requests you can't respond to.  Use original excuses.  Nobody will know what to say and they'll just hang up. "I'm sculpting a frog out of cottage cheese."  "I'm memorizing my social security number."  "I'm an understudy for a matador.  His name is Al and he got gored."  "I'm working on a poem about mosquitoes."  "I would if I could, but I can't."  Start small, on little things that make you just a little impatient.  Work on the bigger things later.  Decide on your highest priorities.  When there are things you can't change, sometimes you just have to let go.  Be a good example.  We speak of the patience of Job.  But we can all learn to be more patience.  We're often kinder to others, even strangers, than we are with ourselves.  Link faith to patience.  Become more like the Savior.  With God's help, you can turn your weakness into a strength.  Say "I love you."  Apologize.  Forgive yourself.  None of us is experiencing a perfect life.  Never label yourself a failure.  Don't give into the feeling that you just can't do it.  God, who knows our capacity perfectly, placed us here to succeed.   Come unto Jesus.  He will gently lead you. 

APPRECIATION: A FREE GIFT TO SOMEONE EACH DAY (JUDY B. TERRY AND JENNEFER BARNEY YOUNG): 

She loves to watch people and compliment them.  It's important to show appreciation.  It is contagious.  When you feel gratitude, express it.  Appreciation that is not expressed is not appreciation. If you can't find a person to express appreciation to, find something to express your appreciation to--even if it's to your toothbrush.  Never let a day go by without saying thank you to someone or something, and especially to Heavenly Father.  Give prayers of gratitude.  The small courtesies sweeten life.  Saying please, thank you and excuse me may seem outdated, but politeness is never out of style.  We never outgrow courtesy and appreciation.  We need to be examples of showing appreciation to others.  Oh the kind words we give shall in memory live and sunshine forever impart.  If you pass someone without a smile, give them one of yours.  If you smile at someone and they smile back, you win!  If they don't smile back, you still win, because you smiled at them.  Let's spread a little sunshine.  Represent who you are.  When someone is performing or speaking, smile at them.  Communicate that you're listening. When her grandchildren come to her house, they give her a hug.  They have so much love and happiness.  Make life better by just being part of it.  President Monson is a great example of showing love.  His daughter tells how when she comes to visit her parents, his dad greets her with love and tells her she is beautiful.  She is made to feel welcome.  She is home.  Scatter sunshine all along the way. Cheer and bless and brighten every single day.  Be alert.  When the Lord prompts us, we should act on it.  When you're in the right place at the right time to help, be thankful you can help someone in need.  One day her daughter felt impressed to call a friend who she knew would be home alone and asked if she could come spend the night.  They had a nice visit together.  Five years later that friend wrote her a letter telling her thanks because she had contemplated suicide that night.  Her son's friend found out he had a brain tumor and wasn't expected to live.  Her son was able to teach this young man about the plan of salvation--that death is not the end.  We do live again.  The friend was very humbled.  Then the son asked his friend if he would like a priesthood blessing, which he said he would like.  When the blessing was over, he stood up and hugged the two elder and said he appreciated it so much.  To show his appreciation, he shined both of their shoes.  They were both crying.  What a special way to show appreciation, through small and simple acts.  The man passed away a couple of weeks later.  Serve with Christlike attitudes.  President Monson always sees the best in people.  He lifts them and inspires them.  What can we do to follow that example?  How about if we get acquainted with a neighbor, or talk to a teenager in our ward?  We can find something good in the people around us and praise them.  If you're standing in line, talk to the people behind you and find something nice to say to them.  She knows one young man who was in a long, long line and struck up a conversation with the lady behind him.  They're married now.  Someone wrote an anonymous note to her son 20 years ago telling him how much they appreciated him.  What a wonderful idea!  She's thankful for the notes she has received.  She's been a widow for 17 years.  There were times she would pull down the covers of her bed and there were sweet notes from her children.  When her son shared with his daughter the note he'd gotten 20 years ago, it inspired her to write a note to a boy in her junior high, commending him for sitting with people at lunch who had no one to sit with them, even though people made fun of him for doing it.  The boy's sister told the girl that he cried when he read the note.  We are children of God.  He loves us.  May we appreciate our own talents and appreciate those around us who help is grow and learn.  She knows she can be with her husband eternally again. 

Appreciation is a wonderful thing.  It an be expressed to our Heavenly Father in prayer and to our family in words or notes.  Sometimes people use words of gratitude in flattery, thinking of themselves.  But true gratitude is appreciation for the other person.  Appreciation can be a free gift to someone each day.  Having appreciation and not expressing it is like wrapping up a beautiful gift but not giving it. Two year olds are just learning how to speak.  A large part of their vocabulary  is "thank you."  They us it all the time.  She got a letter from her son's soon to be bride.  She expressed great love and appreciation to her for raising such a wonderful son.  It's also a gift to us when we express appreciation.  It makes us happy also.  Her three year old granddaughter was diagnosed with cancer.  They expressed gratitude for little things.  They appreciated when she was well enough to go out, or well enough to eat a few bites.  Corie Ten Boom prayed prayers of thanks for all kinds of things in their concentration camp.  Her sister thought she was crazy when she thanked the Lord for the fleas.  But later they learned that the fleas had kept the guards out of their barracks.  The Savior expects us to show our appreciation.  We'll be happy as we do so.  The Savior was a wonderful example of showing appreciation.  Heavenly Father introduced His son and said He was "well pleased."  We need to have an appreciative heart.  In seeing her granddaughter with cancer and all the suffering through the treatments, it gave her an appreciation for who she is.  Our faith in Christ changes our perspective.  Come unto Christ.  Love God with all your might, mind, and strength.  Become holy, without spot.  We don't need to get discouraged, we just need to keep moving forward.  Keep progressing in the right direction.  Give appreciation to all we come into contact with.  Our natures can be changed through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  Our appreciative hearts can be enlarged.  Give the free gift of appreciation each day.  If we can give it to one person, we can give it to all people.  Touch others with a kindly touch.  If we make the world a better place, we will be happier.  

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read that if we will come unto Christ, He will show us our weaknesses so that we can be humble.  If we show forth faith and humility, the Lord will make weak things become strong.  Ether 12: 27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

In the Old Testament we read about how Ezra read to and taught the people from the book of the law, so that they could understand. It's very important that we read and study the scriptures and understand them.   Nehemiah 8:1-3 "And all the people gathered themselves together as one man into the street that was before the water gate; and they spake unto Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded to Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein before the street that was before the water gate from the morning until midday, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law."

A verse from a thought booklet simply tells us that if we have ears, we should use them to listen.  How good are we at heeding warnings given to us?  Sometimes news reports will warn us to avoiding driving unless absolutely necessary and if we do need to get out on icy roads, to use extreme caution and drive slowly.  But many people get out and drive like they normally would, and end up sliding off the road into a ditch as a result.  When we're warned about things in the scriptures or through our church leaders, do we just merrily go on our way, ignoring the warnings and lettting them go in one ear and out the other?  Or do we listen and heed the advice?  Matthew 11:15 "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

BYU Women's Conference Notes -- Thursday

BUT IF NOT -- MARIE STEEL, BRENT TOP:

Two months ago she and her husband celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary. Contrasting their good and bad times makes a beautiful tapestry. It would not be the same without both good and bad.  Faith can bring miracles, but it has to be the will of our Heavenly Father.  After her son came home from primary one day he said he'd learned that faith could move mountains and he was sure his faith could cure his mother's arthritis.  She explained that sometimes we need to learn from our experiences and so Heavenly Father helps us bear them instead of taking them away.  Complaing and murmuring will not make our adversities go away.  Instead of asking "Why me?" maybe the question should be "What can I learn from this experience?"  When her daughter was a high school sophomore, she became fatigued and run down.  Later she got a headache and neck pain.  They took her to the ER.  She had leukemia.  Their world had been turned upside down.  One day she was picking out prom dresses and then she was fighting for her life.  She kept hoping this was a bad dream she'd wake up from.  They prayed constantly.  Her cancer was very agressive and the treatment would have to be very agressive.  The chemo wiped out her immune system.  Priesthood blessings brought peace and comfort.  Friends all over the world were praying for her.  There was a feeling of profound love and support.  A fundraiser bake sale was organized by a friend.  A niece had been hit by a car 16 years earlier and went through head trauma.  This niece understood what it was like to be hospitalized for long periods.  She provided great encouragement and support.  She made a card that said, The trials that we are facing have a purpose." Heavenly Father eases the burdens that are upon our shoulders, even so we cannot feel them upon our backs.  We can bear our burdens with ease.  They are made light.  Christ knows what it feels like to have chemo with all its side effects.  Are we placing our faith in an outcome that we desire, or do we have faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ?  If it is the latter, we can trust that they know what is best for us.  Her daughter went into remission and then had a bone marrow transplant.  We do not have total control over our lives, but we do have control over our attitude toward our circumstances.  Her daughter is doing well now, attending college.  But she will be unable to bear children.  However, instead of thinking of what she doesn't have, she is grateful for what she does have.  A friend's husband was killed in an accident and left her with six children to raise.  She was not prepared for what happened.  But she remembered a scripture, Be still and know that I am God.  What we learn in our youth sustains us through our trials later in life.  Heavenly Father has a perfect plan for us.  No pain we suffer is wasted.  All that we suffer and endure builds up our characters.  It is through sorrow and suffering that we gain the education we need.  The afflictions we suffer in this life refine us and prepare us for that which is to come.  Bad days come to an end and heavenly promises are kept. 

One of his favorite stories is from the Old Testament when Daniel and his friends were sentenced to death in the burning fiery furnace.  Daniel said that God could deliver them from the burning furnace, but if not, he would still serve the Lord.  We can know that God can do all things, but if He doesn't choose to take our afflictions away, we can still demonstrate faith and continue to serve the Lord.  When he was a mission president, he would get emergency phone calls with bad news for his missionaries.  One time a missionary had a mother with cancer.  He had fervent faith that his mother would get well and was very hopeful.  But the "but if not" came for that missionary.  He had the dreaded task of telling this missionary that his mother had died, even though he had prayed so fervently for her cure.  He wondered if this missionary's faith would falter.  But not for a moment did his faith slacken nor his work suffer.  He wondered if this missionary was in denial and would eventually crash and burn.  But he did not.  This young man finished his mission as a spiritual giant.  He said "I held on to the iron rod when I could not see the tree of life."  That is such a profound thought!  We want to see the end form the beginning.  But have no witness until after the trial of our faith.  We need to learn to walk to the edge of the light and perhaps a few steps into the darkness, and we'll find that the light will continue on ahead of us.  We have to walk into the darkness of our lives at times.  Sometimes storms will beset us and threaten our grip on the iron rod, but we must remain steadfast.  Often when our lives remain agreeable we refuse to seek the Lord.  CS Lewis met and married when he was in his 60's and he found the joy he never had in his 20's.  However, his wife got cancer and then died.  He had profound grief, pain and loneliness.  Twenty years earlier he thought he had all the answers, but now he had questions and doubts.  He wondered why God felt so absent in his time of trouble.  He said you never know how much you really believe anything until its truth of falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you.  It is easy to say you believe a rope to be strong and sound as long as you are merely using it to cord a box.  But suppose you had to hang by that rope over a precipice.  Wouldn't you then first discover how much you really trusted it?  Only real risk tests the reality of belief.  Nothing less will shake a man.  After suffering in his grief, C.S. Lewis started seeing the light.  He journeyed out of the darkness of doubt.  He said you can't see anything properly when your eyes are full of tears.  A drowning man cannot be helped because he clutches and grabs.  How can we get to the point where we say to the Lord "Thy will be done" and really mean it?  A great deal of God's will must be done by us.  We must be an agent as well as a patient.  We must ask to be enabled to do it.  There are always duties to be done, often neglected duties to be caught up with. That is holding on to the iron rod--continually day by day and hour by hour.  Holding on to the iron road is every prayer we pray, every scripture we read, every church meeting we attend, every act of service we give, every bit of love we show to others.  We need to daily hold on to the iron rod even when we can't see the tree of life.  That is what that missionary did during his hours of sorrow.  He got up each day and prayed and studied scriptures and he went to work.  He held fast and he endured.  There is no one great thing that we can do and then be done and do no more.  Every day, month after month, year after year, we need to develop our characters and weed out our imperfections.  Noble deeds may be done every day, and each one draws us that much nearer to deity.  Press forward in your good times and bad times and your "but if not" moments.  God loves us with a perfect love and will be with us in our fiery furnaces. 


ARMED WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS AND WITH THE POWER OF GOD IN GREAT GLORY -- RUTH TODD

There is incredible strength from all these women gathered together.  She was a brand new freshman at BYU in 1979.  Yes, she turned 50 on her last birthday. While sitting here in the Marriott Center she received a witness that Spencer W. Kimball was indeed a prophet of God.  In 1980, Camilla Kimball stood at this pulpit and her talk impacted her life and still effects her today.   Her husband brought her here to the Marriott Center for a basketball game on their very first date.  She has memories as a child while her parents were away of hearing a siren and thinking they'd been killed in an accident and they were never coming home.  She has always been a worrier.  Her parents taught her to pray when she was afraid.  Just as vividly as her memories of her worries, she remembers answers from Heavenly Father after she prayed, feeling comforted.  A wonderful warm, calming feeling would come over her.  As this experience was repeated, it became a personal message of peace from a loving Heavenly Father to a frightened little girl.  She knew the power of prayer.  All her life she has known that prayer strengthens us.  The Lord needs all of us and He is especially counting on you!  Nephi saw that in the latter days there would be few who would choose righteousness.  Most would choose iniquity.  How can such a small number withstand the tide of wickedness?  God empowers the righteous.  We may be small in number and scattered throughout the earth, but our influence for good is magnified by the Lord when He arms us with His power.  A pioneer family who was crossing the plains were faced with a storm of hail, show and wind.  The husband became too weak to even swallow when the wife tried to give him food.  During the night, he died.  He was placed in pile with 13 others who had died during the night, and they covered him with snow.  The ground was frozen too hard to bury him.  She continued on with three young children.  She did make it to the valley and said that the Lord had blessed her.  After all she had endured, she kept her faith and testimony and gave thanks to God.  There are pitfalls around every one of us.  Her testimony of prayer has grown stronger with every passing decade.  Prayer is a great gift which Heavenly Father has given us.  You cannot reach your potential alone.  You need help from the Lord.  The more we read the scriptures, the more we realize we want to read.  There are personal answers to your individual questions found in the scriptures.  Serve others.  With so much suffering all over the world, it will take efforts of all good people working together to help.  Serve willingly in whatever capacity you are called.  At 80 years of age, a lady was visited by her bishop.  She thought he was coming to help her, but he called her to be the new primary president.  No matter where we are in life's journey, each of us has the opportunity to be instruments for the Lord and make a difference in other people's lives.  She went shopping with her daughter for a new swimsuit.  The swimsuits the daughter choose were not modest and they couldn't agree on what to buy.  They left the store with zero swimsuits.  Children need parents with strong standards who will stick to them.  Set a standard in your home and your life and stick to it.  You can do it!  Have a strong influence on your children.  The stripling warriors said they did not doubt for their mothers knew it.  Those mothers' daily lives must have been wonderful examples! If their mothers hadn't been unified in their faith in Jesus Christ, it would not have been possible to produce 2,000 faithful sons. We are blessed with God's protective power.  If you want to be armed with righteousness, pray, read the scriptures, attend the temple.  Work together to increase in faith and personal righteousness.  We each have different talents and abilities, and have various circumstances in life.  It takes all of us!  We don't want to do without a single one!  We each get to search for the path that the Lord has in mind for us. The guidance of the Holy Ghost can help us understand our Father's will for us.  Never feel your contribution is less than somebody else's.  Don't be judgmental.  There is no place for criticism or holding grudges.  Negativity drives away the spirit.  We must be one in Christ.  Even as a child, she realized her Heavenly Father wanted her to be happy and feel peace.  What a gift peace is!  It's not the world's peace, it is His.  There is joy to be found in service and in personal communication with our God.  Whether we find that joy, it's up to us.    65 years ago a lady told her aunt how happy she was!  She was graduating from college and would be married soon and was so excited about her life.  Her wise aunt told her that she could be that happy every day of her life if she would meet each day of her life with gratitude.  Now 65 years later, this woman is widowed and diagnosed with terminal cancer, but she still meets each day with joy and gratitude.  She has lead a joyful life. 

TRUSTING IN THE LORD'S TIMETABLE -- MICHELLE BROWN, JANIE PENFIELD

One night her phone rang at 3:00 a.m.  It was a neighbor who asked if her husband could help her husband who had fallen in the bathroom.  Sometimes we need help with things we can't do ourselves. We need to put the "us" in trust.  Hope is trusting in God's promises.  We must trust the Lord enough to accept His will and know that He has a plan.  We also need to trust in His timing?  Our faith needs to include trust in the timing of the Lord.  Stick to the task till it sticks to you.  On November 17, 2010 her husband came home from work and they enjoyed a dinner together.  She was getting a migraine and decided to stay home so her husband took their son.  Her husband slipped on the ice and was taken to the hospital.  He got a CAT scan and then they sent him to a room.  He had hit the back of his head.  They had to put a breathing tube in.  They tried to bring the swelling in his brain down and it would go down for awhile, but then increase again.  He got multiple CAT scans.  During quiet times when she was alone with her husband in his room, they would pray together, even though he could not speak.  This brought great comfort.  Family and friends prayed for him and she felt strength from the prayers.  The Lord was with them through it all and she knew she could do whatever she had to do.  She trusted in the Lord.  She felt peace.  November 24, Thanksgiving Day, their family met together in the hospital and had a family prayer. She felt peaceful and felt that Heavenly Father had a plan.  December 1 her husband suffered a massive stroke.  His brain showed no activity.  She was confused because she had felt so good when she prayed and didn't think this would be the outcome.  She called her son on his mission and told him whatever decision he made about his mission, she would support.  His first thought was to come home immediately, but he prayed and felt he still had work to do on his mission so he stayed.  He was willing to stick to the task and continued to serve his mission.  He just returned from his mission two days ago.  She knows he did exactly what his father would have wanted him to do.  As her sweetheart passed on, she trusted in the Lord.  She was blessed with a confirmation that this was the Lord's will.  The Lord doesn't take a man away from his family for trivial reasons.  She has seen blessings poured out to their family.  Don't ever miss an opportunity to be a servant and help someone else trust in the Lord.  You never know what the Lord's plan is for you and your family. There will be trials in your life and you may not be prepared.  But never give up an opportunity to serve others. Be willing to submit to all things.  As you do so you'll come to understand the Lord's timetable.  Then we can be prepared for whatever life brings. 

She is 35 years old and single and the last thing she wanted to talk on was trusting in the Lord's time table.  The Lord's words are sure and will not fail.  The Lord is constant and all blessings will eventually be ours if we are faithful.  Waiting for "eventually" to come is hard. When will we choose to make His plan, our plan?  We all need to increase our trust and faith.  How do we learn to have more faith in the Lord and His timing?  Choose to put the Lord first.  We can choose who we want to be.  We can make ourselves into anything we want.  We can choose to put the Lord first.  Making and keeping covenants adds powers to our lives.  Spend some time in the scriptures every day.  It is also essential to pray every day.  If we want to hear the Spirit's whispering, we must listen carefully.  Unless you attune yourself, you will miss it.  It takes conditioning.  While hiking up a mountain, a friend researched the best path and the best plan.  They trusted their friend and were lead up and down the mountain safely.  The Lord will provide us with the direction we need as we travel life's trail.  We can have faith in the outcome, even though we don't know all the things we'll find on the way.  We need to put the Lord first in our lives. Choose to be a disciple of Christ.  Live worthy of and follow the promptings of the spirit.  The world calls for us to be rich, be selfish, be pampered.  But a true disciple needs to make time to be about the Lord's business each and every day, strengthening others and increasing our faith and righteousness.  We should learn what the Lord would have us learn, do what He would have us do and become what He would have us become.  We lift others in their weaknesses.  Nurse and guide those who need us.  We can count on the Lord 100% of the time to keep His promises to us, if we keep our covenants with us.  Last spring she completed an Olympic Triathlon.  She had friends who encouraged her as she trained for this event.  Without her support group, she never would have completed this event.  Her choices allowed her to finish.  We too must train and prepare the for the challenges that come into our lives.  We must devote and time and effort daily necessary.  If we can truly believe the Lord has our best welfare at heart, we can have faith in His timing.  We need to move from the big picture to the little picture.  We live in mortality with the veil blocking our view of eternity.  If we could see things from Heavenly Father's perspective, we could view things eternally.  Sometimes she feels like she has faith in eternity, but she worries about the plan for his own life if she never gets married in mortality.  Will she always have her sister as her insurance beneficiary?  Sometimes she feels dissatisfied with her life and that makes her lose the spirit.  We all struggle with different things that lead to sadness--infertility, unemployment, illness.  We must choose to look up.  We will be strengthened and we'll feel peace as we have faith to look up and the courage to follow the Lord's direction.  If you lack faith, work to build it.  Trust in His timetable.  We need to do the right things at the right time.  We can choose to be comforted.  Sometimes we think things are going well, but then the relationship fails, the job ends, things don't turn out the way we had hoped.  Don't forget that the Lord loves us and is mindful of us.  We must pray constantly for help.  God does answer our prayers.  He will be with us through it all.  God has a timetable for each person.  Don't refuse to be comforted.  Let the scriptures refresh you.  The gospel will shape and guide our lives.  We can feel the love of God and feel peace.  The Lord promises angels on our left and right to bear us up.  Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.  Feast upon the word of God and endure to the end.  If you do this, you'll have eternal life.  We must choose to be patient.  How are we responding to the challenges placed before us?  Are we choosing to be patient?  Patience is a virtue.  Patience will not be an optional attribute in the next world.  As we develop more patience, we'll be of good cheer as we seek the Lord's will.  To everything there is a season.  The Lord will lead us along.  We must choose to be patient.  Choose to put the Lord first, build faith, be comforted.  The Lord loves us and has a plan for each of us that is far better than we can imagine.  We will find the peace that comes form having an eternal perspective.

SPEAK WELL, SHARE WELL; ACCENTUATING THE POSITIVE IN YOUR SPOUSE (GAYLANMARIE G. ROSENBERG, JOHN R. ROSENBERG):

We're all tested in a variety of ways.  We all have powers for good or evil.  We radiate our character and cannot escape it.  We are constantly effecting the world.  We have tests of time, understanding, choice, and character--when, why, what, and how).  How do we respond to the imperfections of others?  He that is without sin among us, let him cast the first stone.  Stop throwing stones at each other.  Focus on getting rid of our own beams.  If needed, give kind and calm correction.  Very little love can come from a person who is not at peace with himself and with God.  We need to take care of our own souls.  If correction is needed, what we say and how we say it is very important.  None of us is perfect.  We need the perfect coach to help us in that process. Christ came to help us in our weakness, not in our perfection.  God didn't send His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  We have the power to uplift each other--powers of grace, love, acceptance, communication, optimism, appreciation, humility.  We can enhance our power to uplift another.  None of us can blame our behavior on someone else.  Through the grace of our Savior, we receive strength and assistance to do good works that otherwise we would not be able to maintain.  Grace is an enabling power.  The power of love.  The place to start is with our own hearts.  What we want with all our hearts will determine in large degree whather we can claim our right to the companionship of the Holy Ghost, without which there can be no spiritual nourishing.  We can begin today to try to see those we are to nourish as our Heavenly Father sees them and so feel some of what He feels for them.  Can we love for Him?  We cannot change or control another's behavior.  When we try, it demotivates them to change.  The power of acceptance.  Can we let it be okay that we are not perfect?  Suppose your husband says, "Why can't you ever cook a decent meal?  Fred's wife is a gourmet cook, why can't you be more like her?" Would that motivate you to kiss him, smile, and go call Fred's wife for cooking tips?  Power of communication.  Communication is more of an attitude than a skill.  In the essentials, let there be unity; in the non-essentials, liberty; but in all things, charity. Never assume your husband can read your mind and don't become irritated that he doesn't do so.  One newlywed woman complained to her friend that she was disgusted with her husband who never did a thing around the house to help her.  The friend asked her if she had asked her husband to help and she said no, she was sure he could see her working away while she was working and he ought to know what he should do.  Later this friend talked to the husband and asked him how his marriage was going.  He said it was great!  He had the best wife in the world.  She told him one thing she loved about her husband is that he helped her around the house, without her even having to ask.  The man said, "Well, if my wife wanted help, I'm sure she'd ask me."  That marriage didn't last a year.  Power of optimism.  It's amazing how good others look when we look for the good in others.  Whatever we focus on will increase.  We progress more by enhancing strengths than by trying to fix weaknesses.  Build a deep emotional reservoir.   Express gratitude frequently.  Make the other person feel good about himself.  The Power of appreciation.  Spend time together.  Communicate effectively.  Deal with crisis in positive manner.  Have strong commitment to each other.  Have high degree of religious orientation.  The power of humility.  It is wise to fear that our own skills are inadequate to meet the charge we have to nourish the faith of others.  Our own abilities, however great, will not be enough.  But that realistic view of our limitations creates a humility that can lead to dependence on the Spirit and thus to power.  How can we be instruments in the Lord's hands if the instrument seeks to instruct?  If we trust God, why not yield to Him? 

Eternal life is one of the greatest gifts of of.  Eternal wife is also a wonderful blessing.  He grew up in a home clear full of women and he currently lives in a home clear full of women, but coming to Women's Conference is a whole new experience for him!  We are sanctified not by our similarities to our spouse, but by our differences.  In our patience, we possess our souls.  Patience is more then quiet resignation.  It is soul making.  It is self mastery.  We gain dominion over the unruly parts of ourselves.  Suppose you ask your husband to carry a mattress downstairs and he throws it out the window, getting it all dirty.  Make the best of it, if you can be calm.  Getting mad about it after it's already done will do no good.  Some are blessed with five talent spouses, others with two talent spouses, but even if you have a one talent spouse, the Lord will not be pleased if you bury him.  Our talents improve by the labor of love.  Lighten each other's burdens in covenants of love. The gospel is about relationships.  It strengthens relationships.  Our covenants with our spouse is second only to our covenants with the Lord.  If our relationship with Christ requires a weekly recommitment, how long can we go in our relationship with our spouse?  When he was first married, his wife suggested they talk about their feelings.  This idea scared him to death.  He thought her feelings must have been hurt and talking about it would be difficult.  It never dawned on him that talking about feelings might be entertaining.  Heavenly Father doesn't watch us glaringly looking for ways to condemn us.  He watches to know how to lift us.  When he's struggled in his marriage it's because they wanted day 6 privileges on day 1.  When God created the earth, He did it in order.  He didn't create fish before water or man before land. Each day He declared that what He did was very good, even though it wasn't done yet.  Imperfect means unfinished. But each day of our lives, we can feel it is very good, even though it isn't perfect and our lives aren't finished yet.  Be patient with yourself, with your spouse, and with your marriage.  Wait patiently on the Lord.  Patience is more than waiting for something to happen, it's actively working toward goals and not becoming discouraged when things don't happen right away.  Patience speaks with a still, small voice.  The words we use effect our perception of the world.  One day he came home from school and his mother asked him how school went.  He told her he had a substitute teacher, a skinny old woman.  His mother corrected him and said she was not a skinny old woman, she was a slender elderly lady.  Let your speech be always with grace.  Build your spouse in significant ways.  Be of one heart and one mind and treat each other with respect.  Patience combined with love permit us to detoxify our disappointments.  Use the process of time well.  It will cradle us as we develop patient humility. 

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we're reminded that miracles only come after our faith.  We first must believe in the Son of God.  Ether 12:18 "And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God."

In the Old Testament we read that genealogy records were kept among the people.  In fact, most of the chapter deals with giving names of people.  These genealogy records must have been considered important, and likewise it's important for us today to deep genealogy records.  Nehemiah 7:5 "And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,"

In a verse with a thought booklet we're told that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and there is no way to get back to our Heavenly Father except through Him.  John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." 

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that we receive no witness until after the trial of our faith.  In fact, God cannot do miracles among those who have no faith.  So when people say, "Show me a sign and then I'll believe" they're trying to do things in the wrong order.  It just doesn't work that way.  First we show forth faith, THEN the miracles will follow!  Ether 12: 6, 12 "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith. For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith."

In the Old Testament I read that enemies tried to stop the building of the wall, asking Nehemiah to come down and meet with them, but he refused to do so and continued working on the wall until it was completed.  When the enemies heard that the wall was done, they were very upset, but they perceived that this work was wrought of God.  Nehemiah 6:1-4, 15-16 "Now it came to pass, when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and Geshem the Arabian, and the rest of our enemies, heard that I had builded the wall, and that there was no breach left therein; (though at that time I had not set up the doors upon the gates;) That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief. And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? Yet they sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner. So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God."

A verse with a thought booklet is one of hope--that when we cry unto the Lord, He will heal us.  Psalms 30:2 "O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me."

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read a verse that if we have faith in God, it gives us hope for a better world and provides an anchor for our souls, making us sure and steadfast, abounding in good works and being led to glorify God.   Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

In the Old Testament we read about how the enemies of the Jews tried to prevent them from rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, but they prayed to the Lord for help and armed themselves so the work could continue to go forward.  Likewise when we're called upon to do a difficult work and people are trying to hinder us in accomplishing it, if we go forward anyway, with the Lord's help, we can do whatever we're supposed to do.  Nehemiah 4:7-11, 15-18 "But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall. And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.  And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me."

In some verses with a thought booklet we read that just like a loving father chastens his children, our Heavenly Father likewise chastens us because He loves us.  We should not grow weary of this chastening or hate it because it is for our best good.  Proverbs 3:11-12 "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read that prophets were sent to the people to cry repentance unto them, but they hardened their hearts and refused to listen.  This caused the prophets to mourn and withdraw from them.  Ether 11:12-13 "And it came to pass that in the days of Ethem there came many prophets, and prophesied again unto the people; yea, they did prophesy that the Lord would utterly destroy them from off the face of the earth except they repented of their iniquities. And it came to pass that the people hardened their hearts, and would not hearken unto their words; and the prophets mourned and withdrew from among the people."

In the Old Testament we read that Nehemiah viewed the broken down walls of Jerusalem and how the city lied in waste. He decided to build up the walls again and knew that the Lord would be with him in that endeavor.  However, others opposed him in this work.  But he wasn't going to let that stop him.  He knew the Lord would prosper him.  Sometimes when we have a work to do which we know the Lord wants us to fulfill, others will try to discourage us.  We need to turn a deaf ear to them and go forth to do whatever we've been called to do.  Nehemiah 2:13-20 "And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned.  And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work. Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem."

In a scripture with a thought booklet we're reminded that if we lose our life for Christ's sake, we shall truly find it. But if we gain the whole world but lose our own soul, what will we have?  The Lord will richly reward us according to our works.  Sometimes we may feel overwhelmed with trying to serve and meet the needs of our family or others.  But it is in losing ourselves that we will find ourselves.  Nothing we could sacrifice could compare to what Christ sacrificed for us.  Matthew 16: 24-27 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read about the great wickedness of the people and how they hardened their hearts and would not listen to the prophets to told them that unless they repented, great destruction would come upon them.  Ether 11:1-2, 6-7 "And there came also in the days of Com many prophets, and prophesied of the destruction of that great people except they should repent, and turn unto the Lord, and forsake their murders and wickedness. And it came to pass that the prophets were rejected by the people, and they fled unto Com for protection, for the people sought to destroy them. And there was great calamity in all the land, for they had testified that a great curse should come upon the land, and also upon the people, and that there should be a great destruction among them, such an one as never had been upon the face of the earth, and their bones should become as heaps of earth upon the face of the land except they should repent of their wickedness. And they hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord, because of their wicked combinations; wherefore, there began to be wars and contentions in all the land, and also many famines and pestilences, insomuch that there was a great destruction, such an one as never had been known upon the face of the earth; and all this came to pass in the days of Shiblom."

In the Old Testament we read about the great wickedness of the people and how they intermarried with the people of the land who were guilty of great filthiness.  Ezra 9:10-15 "And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.  Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.  And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;  Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this."

In some verses from a thought booklet we read about how those who have come through great tribulation but who have been washed clean in the blood of the Lamb will be able to sit in the midst of the Lamb of God who will wipe away all tears from their eyes.  This life and all its trials will someday be a thing of the past and if we are true and faithful, we'll receive a wonderful reward. Revelation 7:11-17 "And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon I read about how there began to be robbers in the land with their secret combinations.  Com fought against them but could not prevail.  Ether 10:33-34 "And in the days of Com there began to be robbers in the land; and they adopted the old plans, and administered oaths after the manner of the ancients, and sought again to destroy the kingdom. Now Com did fight against them much; nevertheless, he did not prevail against them."

In the Old Testament we read that Ezra and the people fasted and prayed for guidance. If we are faced with a decision and don't know what to do, fasting and prayer and seeking for the Lord's guidance will help.  Ezra 8:21 "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that if we're going to claim to be people of God, we need to do what He says.  If we hear His teachings and obey what He says to do, we're like a wise man who buids his house on a sure foundation that stands against the storms that beat upon it.  But if we hear the Word of God, but don't heed it, we're like a foolish man who builds his house upon the sand.  When storms arise, the house falls to ruin.  Luke 6:46-49 "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great."

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read about the great prosperity of the people.  They worked all manner of ore and metals, had silks and fine-twined linen in which they made clothing, and had all kinds of tools and weapons.  They were a very blessed and prospered people.  Ether 10:23-28 "And they did work in all manner of ore, and they did make gold, and silver, and iron, and brass, and all manner of metals; and they did dig it out of the earth; wherefore, they did cast up mighty heaps of earth to get ore, of gold, and of silver, and of iron, and of copper. And they did work all manner of fine work. And they did have silks, and fine-twined linen; and they did work all manner of cloth, that they might clothe themselves from their nakedness. And they did make all manner of tools to till the earth, both to plow and to sow, to reap and to hoe, and also to thrash. And they did make all manner of tools with which they did work their beasts. And they did make all manner of weapons of war. And they did work all manner of work of exceedingly curious workmanship. And never could be a people more blessed than were they, and more prospered by the hand of the Lord. And they were in a land that was choice above all lands, for the Lord had spoken it."

In the Old Testament we read that Ezra prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it, and also to teach Israel.  It's important to "prepare our hearts" to seek the Lord, keep His commandments, and also to teach other people.  Ezra 7:10 "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet recount the parable of the lost sheep.  Even if we have 99 other sheep, we'll seek after one that is lost until we find it, and they we'll rejoice over it.  So likewise the Lord loves us and seeks after us when we go astray, and the angels rejoice when a sinner repents and returns to the fold of God.  We're each important to the Lord!  And we need to remember how important to the Lord the people who have strayed are, and do everything we can to love them and bring them back to the fold.  Luke 15:3-7 "And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance."

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that the people were so wicked that they hardened their hearts and refused to listen to the prophets that were sent among them and who were calling them to repentance.  However, after the Lord sent a dearth upon the land, and poisonous serpents, they were sufficiently humble that they did repent and turn to the Lord, who then caused it to rain and the people were preserved from famine.  This is a common cycle found in the scriptures.  People often refuse to turn to the Lord until hardships humble them enough that they are finally willing to repent.   Ether 9:28-35 "And there came prophets in the land again, crying repentance unto them—that they must prepare the way of the Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land; yea, even there should be a great famine, in which they should be destroyed if they did not repent. But the people believed not the words of the prophets, but they cast them out; and some of them they cast into pits and left them to perish. And it came to pass that they did all these things according to the commandment of the king, Heth. And it came to pass that there began to be a great dearth upon the land, and the inhabitants began to be destroyed exceedingly fast because of the dearth, for there was no rain upon the face of the earth. And there came forth poisonous serpents also upon the face of the land, and did poison many people. And it came to pass that their flocks began to flee before the poisonous serpents, towards the land southward, which was called by the Nephites Zarahemla. And it came to pass that there were many of them which did perish by the way; nevertheless, there were some which fled into the land southward. And it came to pass that the Lord did cause the serpents that they should pursue them no more, but that they should hedge up the way that the people could not pass, that whoso should attempt to pass might fall by the poisonous serpents. And it came to pass that the people did follow the course of the beasts, and did devour the carcasses of them which fell by the way, until they had devoured them all. Now when the people saw that they must perish they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord. And it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of the earth; and the people began to revive again, and there began to be fruit in the north countries, and in all the countries round about. And the Lord did show forth his power unto them in preserving them from famine."

In the Old Testament I read that Darius sent a decree that the temple should be built and the people building it should be helped instead of hindered.  The temple was completed and dedicated and the people rejoiced.  Ezra 6:2-16 "And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:  In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits; With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house: And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God. Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence: Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.  Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered. And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail: That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed. Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily. And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,"

Some verses with a thought booklet warn us to get rid of all bitterness, wrath, anger, and evil speaking and to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving toward one another.  Just as God forgave us, we need to forgive one another.  The story is told of a woman who would tense up and clench her fists every time the name of her sister was mentioned.  She had not spoken to this sister for many years.  One day a friend asked her what had caused her to cut off contact with her sister.  She replied that she didn't remember, it just happened.  How sad!  Do we allow anger and bitterness to rob us of joys in life that we could feel?  Do we miss out on loving relationships because of our unwillingness to forgive?  Ephesians 4:31-32 "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Moroni was commanded to write the things that he did so that evil would be done away, Satan would have no more power over the hearts of the people, and to try to persuade the children of men to do good continually so that they could be saved. Ether 8:26 "Wherefore, I, Moroni, am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men, but that they may be persuaded to do good continually, that they may come unto the fountain of all righteousness and be saved."

In the Old Testament we read how the people of Judah were trying to build a House of the Lord, but the people of the land were attempting to hinder them in the work. In fact, they even hired counselors to frustrate them in accomplishing the building of this temple.  Often when we want to do something good, we'll find people who will oppose us and try to keep us from our righteous goals. Will we allow others to weaken us and get us to cease the work the Lord wants us to do?  Ezra 4:4-5, 24  "Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."

Some verses with a thought booklet tell us that if we trust in the Lord and are upright in heart, we can be glad, rejoice, and shout for joy. However, if we're wicked, we will have many sorrows.  We all want to be happy, so it seems like a no-brainer that we keep the commandments and do what is right.  Psalms 32:10-11 "Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.  Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart."

Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read about how the people turned to secret combinations like those of old, and the Lord warned that any nation that did so would be destroyed.  He left a warning to all that we need to repent of our sins and not allow these murderous combinations to come among us.  Ether 8:22-23 "And whatsoever nation shall uphold such secret combinations, to get power and gain, until they shall spread over the nation, behold, they shall be destroyed; for the Lord will not suffer that the blood of his saints, which shall be shed by them, shall always cry unto him from the ground for vengeance upon them and yet he avenge them not. Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be."

In the Old Testament we read about how the faithful people contributed to the building of the temple, each giving according to their ability.  Ezra 2:68-69 "And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:  They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet remind us to put on the whole armor of God so that we'll be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  There is a battle going on between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.  If we're going to win our fight against wickedness, we need to take upon us the whole armor of God, including the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of pece, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And then let's not forget to pray always!  Ephesians 6:10-18 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"