Missing My Missionary

My missionary has been home for almost 3 years now, and I never thought I'd say it, but I really miss having a missionary daughter and the letters they write home. It's hard for me to believe now, but at the time I really did not want her to go on a mission. She had already spent a summer in Peru and I just didn't want her to be gone again, let alone gone for 18 months! She felt like her life was incomplete though, and with encouragement from some very good friends, she headed out to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with whoever would listen. Little did we know how much that mission would enrich and permanently change her life for the better, and mine too! Her letters and insights are treasures to me now, many of them posted on her blog, "A Sorella On a Mission" -> http://katherinebeus.blogspot.com 

Missionaries see many miracles and receive many blessings from dedicating their lives to building God's kingdom on earth. Lucky for me, my niece is serving as a missionary for another few months so I have her letters to lift and inspire me.  She writes of miracles and testifies of truths learned. You will see what I mean about missions making marvelous women when you realize how wise she is for one so young. The Lord surely knows what he's doing. 

I asked her if she would be willing to let me share a story about a miracle she witnessed last month and she agreed. 

Soeur Lonas writes:

     Miracle number one from this week: We found this woman named M___ who was dumpster diving because she just moved from Columbia and she was only able to bring 50 pounds of stuff with her. We helped her bring her treasures back to her apartment and talked to her about our calling and she hugged us a lot and she said we could come back and share a message. But we weren't able to set a specific appointment because she wasn't sure of her son's schedule ... so we went by once later and she wasn't home. 
     Then on Saturday an appointment fell through so we decided to go to M___'s and she was just on her way out of the apartment to go for a walk. We walked with her and she told us that she told her son when she was leaving that she was just going for a walk, but really she was going to talk with God and when she saw us, she knew He had answered her prayer.  
     We made a return appointment for the following day and brought her a Book of Mormon. When we pulled it out she started crying and said that her birthday had just passed and she had prayed and asked God for a book of scripture to help her strengthen her relationship with Christ. She had only been able to bring a section of the New Testament with her from Columbia and she felt like she needed more.  

Another story with a shining jewel of truth in it: 

  C____________ is amazing, she has gone through so much in the last year and it is amazing to see how perfectly it has prepared her to accept the gospel. We weren't worried when she said that she didn't feel prepared to accept a baptismal date yet because she is praying and reading the Book of Mormon every day. And people who sincerely do those things have the desire to make covenants with Heavenly Father. Which is a desire she now recognizes :) We're really excited for her.

Wisdom worth sharing!: 

Pride is choosing not to have all the blessings of the Atonement -- an Atonement which has already been accomplished, and which is infinite. The power and influence of the Atonement in our lives individually is limited only by our own pride.

The power and influence of the Atonement in our lives individually is limited only by our own pride.

Testimony of True Doctrine:

I am so grateful to know that families can be together forever. I KNOW that is true doctrine. I know that as we share true doctrine, the Spirit testifies to the hearts of others' of its truth.

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

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 Paddling

KEEP PADDLING

A series of four framed prints painted by the late Thomas Cole in 1842 entitled "The Voyage of Life" hang in our home. The paintings depict an allegory of the four stages of human life: infancy, youth, manhood, and old age. In these paintings a voyager travels in a canoe on the River of Life.

Wikipedia

He begins his journey in infancy on a calm river with lush green surroundings accompanied by an angel. 

Wikipedia

As a youth, the river bends and turns with adventure and a magnificent castle in the sky. The angel is looking on. 

Wikipedia

As a man, the voyager looks up praying as he helplessly goes through the treacherous rapids with the angel watching from afar. The last painting depicts an old man in a worn and weathered canoe, being led upward toward heavenly light by the guardian angel who has been present since the voyage began.

abcgallery.com

Two weeks ago my wife and I paddled with our son and his family through the Boundary Water Lakes of Northern Minnesota. They are pristine and beautiful, just like they have been for eons of time. These lakes border Canada and are numbered in the thousands. In our small canoes we crossed several wilderness lakes and streams, paddling stroke after stroke. At times with the winds in front of us, it seemed that we were going nowhere. When the winds shifted to our sides, waves rocked the little canoes almost to a tipping point. Our grandsons sat trustingly in the center of the boats while we paddled. The journey was exhausting yet wonderful. It was worth it!

Bearskin Lake

In a way, we are all voyagers on the River of Life, paddling one stroke at time, with angels looking on. Faith, hope, trust and gratitude are only a few of the things we experience and rely on as we paddle away. Who can doubt the trust and faith of the young infant born into a family to be loved, fed, clothed, taught and protected. They are an heritage of the Lord and rely on loving parents and others to paddle for them. The youth have hope for bigger and better, energy for exploration and adventure. Those in the middle years of the voyage are sometimes just holding on as they pray to the Lord and trust in Him to make it through life's rough waters. As we near the end of our journey our gratitude unto the Lord swells within us as we come to a realization of how dependent we are on Him.

Alma speaking to his son Helaman said, "O my son Helaman, behold, thou art in thy youth, and therefore, I beseech of thee that thou wilt hear my words and learn of me; for I do know that whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day" (Alma 36:3).

Nephi tells us, " Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life" (2 Nephi 31:20).

Portaging

Challenges will continue throughout our journey. Our arms may tire as we steadfastly paddle through life's turbulent waters. If we remember to feast upon the word of Christ we will learn His doctrine. It will brighten our hope, replenish our strength and increase our determination to endure. May we 'keep paddling' to the best of our ability and submissively trust in Him whose Atonement is all encompassing.

Michael L. Beus, Farmington North Stake Presidency 

Is It Wonderful To You?

It was the first day without rain last week and I was anxious to get outside and work on the flower beds. As I began weeding I felt prompted to go to the temple instead. I reminded myself that I was already planning on going with my husband that weekend for a ward conference temple night and kept on weeding. I got such satisfaction from seeing the flowers unencumbered by weeds I kept going on to the next bed, and the next, when suddenly the prompting came again, "You should go now to the temple." I heeded it this time and went in to change. 

On the way to the temple I felt like I may have taken too long to decide to go. I might have missed whatever or whomever the Lord wanted me to see, but I knew that I would feel better having obeyed the prompting and I always love the feeling of peace therein. 

Our stake has a drawer in the entry of the temple where members place names of family who have work to be done. I took out five family file cards and knew that the member who had placed those cards would be as glad as the people whose cards I had retrieved to have their temple work move forward. It felt as good as weeding the flower beds to help empty the drawer... with everlasting results! I was happy as I entered the initiatory area of the temple.

For the past few months I have had to wait over an hour to serve but there wasn't even a line that day! As the ordinance worker invited me into the first room I looked at her sweet glowing face and loved her immediately. Her short grey hair was styled and curled around big beautiful blue eyes. As she began speaking it slowly dawned on me that I knew her! I looked at her name tag and saw Tammy Mitchell, the same woman the Lord directed me to when I was struggling after my diagnosis of cancer. (Read the amazing story here) NO WAY!!!! I didn't even know she was Mormon! When she finished speaking I asked her if she knew who I was and she shook her head no and said, "You look familiar but I can't place you." I then showed her my scar and reminded her where we had met. She smiled with remembrance and recognition and asked how I was doing with the cancer now. I told her my scans have been clear and we hope I'll be ok now. I had to move to the next room then and when I came back she was gone. As I was sitting there, marveling at the timing of the whole event, she suddenly appeared around the corner, hugged me and said, "I love you!" I returned the hug and the love and felt so grateful for God's love for us and even his management of the smallest things in our lives if we let Him. 

Today when I read the conference talk "Is It Wonderful To You?" by Bishop Gerald Causse from April 2015 I remembered this experience and wanted to write it up to build the testimony of anyone who is wondering if God is there or if He is aware of you. He is! Let my experience and the experiences of others be an anchor to your faith and engage yourself in the work of salvation however you feel you can.

"To marvel at the wonders of the gospel is a sign of faith. It is to recognize the hand of the Lord in our lives and in everything around us. Our amazement also produces spiritual strength. It gives us the energy to remain anchored in our faith and to engage ourselves in the work of salvation."

I want to use his words because he says it best:

On this special day, I bear witness that the wonders and marvels of the gospel are anchored in the greatest of all of God’s gifts—the Savior’s Atonement. This is the perfect gift of love that the Father and the Son, united in purpose, have offered to each one of us. With you, “I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. … 

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”

Click here to listen to Bsp. Gerald Causse

No Scars

June 2012 

Who doesn't have any scars? I have a HUGE scar from a tiny little freckle that turned into melanoma. It reminds me to put on sunscreen whenever I am going to be in the sun for awhile. Scars can be good reminders to be careful.

Oct 2013 (left)               Oct 2014 (right)

"Our physical bodies, when harmed, are able to repair themselves, sometimes with the help of a physician. If the damage is extensive, however, 

often a scar will remain as a reminder of the injury.

With our spiritual bodies it is another matter. Our spirits are damaged when we make mistakes and commit sins. But unlike the case of our mortal bodies, when the repentance process is complete, no scars remain because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

The promise is: “Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more” (D&C 58:42).

--Boyd K. Packer, The Plan Of Happiness, Apr Gen Conf 2015

No spiritual scars remain if we repent now!

Temples and Tide Pens - Go With The PROS

Meaning to give my keyboard a good cleaning for quite some time, I decided today was the day! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTmOn_TXm24

Click Here to Watch How to Clean Your Mac Keyboard

The title intrigued me because I'm all about natural and "easy" cleaning. ;)

He was right. It just took a minute but I had so many thoughts of spiritual applications:

Sometimes our spirits become grimy 

 from daily exposure to things of this world. 

Daily build up can diminish our ability to hear the whisperings of the Spirit and promptings from the Lord that enrich our lives so much when we hear them and act on them. 

The temple can be our "Tide Pen" to cleanse away the daily grime.

Just like the keys were cleansed from exposure to the cleansing agent, 
our spirits can be cleansed from exposure to the light of the Lord in the temple.

We can keep our spirits "clean" daily using products around the house. 

We can "Go with the PROS" as our Stake Theme suggests:

Pray daily

Read scriptures daily

Obey daily

Serve daily

And one WITHOUT using anything around the house... Fasting monthly. 

I bear testimony that the Lord, through the gift of the Atonement, has made it possible for us to keep our Spirits clean and unspotted from the world. A gift we can thank Him for daily as we repent and recommit to remember Him and His sacrifice on our behalf. 

I thank him reverently...

A Season of Gifts

"Christ's life and light have been ever enduring and constant. 

His birth was unique. 

Adoration of Him follows recognition of who He is.

Kind acts will be the conduit for the gift of His love."