Not a Hair Shall Be Lost

Every Thursday morning I go to the temple, often with a concern on my mind. This particular day I had all the usual worries but I was also melancholy about how much hair I have lost since April when I stopped taking Pembro. It falls like rain sometimes! 
I like to spend time in the peace of the celestial room, praying and listening for God's word to me. When I randomly opened the scriptures, my eyes fell on these words in Alma 40:23 from the Savior through His prophets about the resurrection. 
"Not a hair shall be lost!" 
Now, how can that be a coincidence! I am constantly amazed at Heavenly Father's ability to comfort me with His very own words in scripture. I love the Scriptures! Why Not Believe?

Grace to Walk

Bountiful Temple - family photo

I've been tired lately. I never know if it's MS or Melanoma and really, it doesn't matter. I just have to keep going as long as I can. I'm dreading the day I am too tired or too sick to keep pushing forward. 

One thing I really look forward to is going to the temple and feeling peace. I love doing sealings for my ancestors and hearing the promised blessings for eternal families. I remember what the Savior has provided for us and it comforts me. I prayed as I drove, "Heavenly Father, I am so tired. Please help me to feel strengthened and able to cheerfully serve today." 

I took advantage of the few minutes I had before the session started to go into the exquisitely beautiful Celestial Room for some quiet time. I picked up the Book of Mormon on the table next to me and opened it up randomly, something I often do to see if Heavenly Father has any special message for me. My eyes fell upon this verse:

"I know, in the strength of the Lord thou canst do all things." (Alma 20:4)

I had no doubt that scripture was specifically for me to read that day, another witness that He is aware of all of us and our needs. I have a testimony that he is ever mindful of us in our times of need, trials and challenges. A quote from one of my favorite songs by Building 429, "You Carried Me"

"I stand only because You've given me grace to walk"

Click here to listen to You Carried Me

I've been so busy, I missed the reasons 
I missed Your love, and I nearly missed it all 
Still You've loved me, and You've healed me 
You've given all and it brought me to Your cross

I stand only because You've given me grace to walk, 
Only because 

You carried me, You carried me 
You carried me through it all 
And I believe, Yes I believe 
You'll carry me all the way home 
Cause mercy covers all 

I know the scripture, I've known the songs 
I sang the words from my hollowed heart 
But You've spoken softly through the storm 
I've heard Your voice and I've felt the calm 

I stand only because You've given me faith to walk,
Only because 

I know that you love me 
I'll never doubt it, I can't live without it 
Your mercy has found me 
I am astounded, I can't live without it

Sand or Rock?

Sand
or
Rock?

Last month my family visited our homeland, the Piedmont Valleys of northern Italy. There in the Italian Alps, Waldensian families hid for hundreds of years from the persecution brought upon them by holding fast to the truths taught by Christ's ancient apostles. Early church missionaries, led by Lorenzo Snow, discovered these families prepared to be taught the fulness of the restored gospel. We hiked overgrown, narrow paths to find the rock- solid home of these early saints hidden in the steep hills of Eissart, Italy. How the missionaries ever found them I will never know. Abandoned for over 180 years, it still stands as a monument to the conviction and sacrifice of faithful ancestors to the truth of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Facing persecution again from their own neighbors, they left their ancestral home in the middle of winter, with little more than the clothes on their backs. They crossed the Alps, traveled to England,crossed the Atlantic and arrived in Council Bluffs to begin their pioneer trek in the first handcart company during the summer of 1856. Arriving penniless and having lost their youngest child to illness, they came with faith founded on the rock of the Redeemer, the Savior of mankind. They would instill this in their children, to serve and rely upon this firm foundation. Their descendants would return through the years to share His gospel of happiness as missionaries themselves.

Like the wise man who built his house upon a rock, not sand (Matthew 7:24), we should build our testimonies upon the firm foundation of the immovable Rock of the Redeemer which will protect us from the storms and trials that lie ahead. Helaman speaking to his sons stated it perfectly, " And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)

Recently, we have seen the effects of shifting sand on a society of changing values. Only those whose testimonies are built upon a foundation centered on Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel will be able to withstand the winds, rain, and storms of adversity.
As we approach this Christmas Season, let us be reminded that He is the Only Begotten One, the Savior born for all mankind, that all might live again because of Him. He invites, "...follow me, and do the things ye have seen me do." (2 Nephi 31:12). May we seek to do those things that will cause us to become more like Him, that we might have a fulness of joy. He is the way, the life and the light of the world. I testify of His gospel of happiness and unconditional love for all.




Michael Beus, Farmington Utah North Stake

Stones

My most unfavorite thing is kidney stones. I have SUCH sympathy for anyone who deals with them! I've been blessed to live in an age where you can have mulitple lithotripsies to prevent them from killing you off, haha! Everything you hear about them is true... 

In all the bad news my MRIs have brought, I couldn't help but rejoice that my kidney stones were staying the same size and NOT moving! FABULOUS news!

While I was reading Ether 2 in the Book of Mormon the other morning the last couple verses jumped out at me. The brother of Jared and the Lord are having a planning meeting about the courageous voyage they are about to embark on in tiny little dark boats for an extended period of time, submerged in the blackness of the depths of the sea.

The answer..... was STONES! 

The Lord has prepared me for "crossing this great deep... the waves and winds... even a flood" of trials by giving me kidney stones! Who could ever have thought something good could come of that constant unrelenting pain that lasts for hours. That great King of Heaven and Earth, my Lord and Savior, unto whom I completely "commend myself"  knew! (Ether 6:4)

I pray that I will be "found faithful" at my last day. (Ether 4:19)

Keep It Up!

Our stake recently underwent boundary changes, making 10 wards from 8, requiring one ward to attend a church in a neighboring suburb. A lot of people were feeling lost and concerned about the future, a little displaced and out of sorts. Our Stake President was masterful as he conducted the meeting and there was no question when it came time for a vote that the Stake Presidency had made every effort to do the Lord's will. He told us that in order to grow we needed to be challenged and in meeting the challenge we would become what the Lord intended us to be. To the credit of obedient saints, there wasn't one dissenting vote.

This past Sunday our Stake was fortunate to have Elder M. Russell Ballard visit our Stake Conference. It had been 15 years since a General Authority had visited our stake and it will probably be at least that many more years before one visits again. He was inspiring on many levels. I was able to tell him about his words motivating me to begin this blog and he said to "Keep it up!" so I will try to post more often.

My favorite part was while he was speaking to the whole congregation on Sunday morning. He asked all the children to listen closely and he leaned into the microphone and said, "You have the right to be heard and understood but you do not have the right to be disrespectful to your parents." Good words.

He said a lot of encouraging things and told us that when he is very tired and wonders if he will have the strength to attend the next assignment or event, he looks at a picture of the Savior and remembers Him and finds courage to go on. I loved that. I love all of our General Authorities and appreciate the time they spend serving the members of our church.