women's conference

it has become one of my favorite nights of the year.. women's conference. gathering to chat and snacking and watching what has become a very spiritual conference session to me. last night was no exception. each talk had points which i needed to hear and ponder, and while everyone is talking about the amazing talk by president uchtdorf,and how forget me not's are their favorite flower, my favorite moment of women's conference was sister julie b. beck speaking about visiting teaching. it spoke to me. i have witnessed the amazing difference that visiting teaching can make, so her message was powerful to me. my favorite quote of the night:

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"When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. He loves us because He is filled with an infinite measure of holy, pure, and indescribable love." (The Love of God, President Dieter F Uchtdorf, Ensign November 2009)

the tempest is raging

i have several things going on in my life that i do not share publicly, or even privately for that matter. matters that press on my heart and my soul. things that cause me heartache, pain and a sense of helplessness. i know it surprises many of you that i keep things to myself, but i do.
(i also know you wish i would keep more to myself....yeah,that's not going to happen.)
during my recent studies i read this talk by robert d hales.
i am like the prophet elijah who fled to the caves during the most tumultuous times to hide from my sorrows and pains. i am frequently admonished likewise to "go and return unto thy way".
i must take comfort and know that though the storm blow all around that i have a peace that can calm my troubled heart and a love that can ease my pain

we will never forget

Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live. Let us stand firm against evil, both at home and abroad. Let us live worthy of the blessings of heaven, reforming our lives where necessary and looking to Him, the Father of us all. He has said, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10).

Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes. We can be an influence for good in this world, every one of us.

- Gordon B. Hinckley

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the best 4 minutes you could spend today....




we can be answers to prayers. we can choose the better.

"We have to forego some good things in order to CHOOSE others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families." - Dallin H. Oaks

i miss that voice!

your weekly inspiration

this video makes me think; how often do i give people chances. do i see the potential in people or do i discount people for the flaws that may exist? how frequently do i give up on myself and not allow myself to try? the answer to both is far too much! i know that i can do better, and i am willing to try.

your weekly inspiration

this weekly inspiration comes from issues that i am dealing with myself. this is an excerpt from elder bednar's talk "and nothing shall offend them".

Understanding that the Church is a learning laboratory helps us to prepare for an inevitable reality. In some way and at some time, someone in this Church will do or say something that could be considered offensive. Such an event will surely happen to each and every one of us—and it certainly will occur more than once. Though people may not intend to injure or offend us, they nonetheless can be inconsiderate and tactless.

You and I cannot control the intentions or behavior of other people. However, we do determine how we will act. Please remember that you and I are agents endowed with moral agency, and we can choose not to be offended.

During a perilous period of war, an exchange of letters occurred between Moroni, the captain of the Nephite armies, and Pahoran, the chief judge and governor of the land. Moroni, whose army was suffering because of inadequate support from the government, wrote to Pahoran "by the way of condemnation" (Alma 60:2) and harshly accused him of thoughtlessness, slothfulness, and neglect. Pahoran might easily have resented Moroni and his message, but he chose not to take offense. Pahoran responded compassionately and described a rebellion against the government about which Moroni was not aware. And then he responded, "Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul. . . . And now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart" (Alma 61:2, 9).

One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others. A thing, an event, or an expression may be offensive, but you and I can choose not to be offended—and to say with Pahoran, "it mattereth not."

in the immortal words of "adrian monk": suck it up!

your weekly inspiration

this week's inspiration is an explanation. an explanation of this blogs title.

improve the shining moments

the words of this hymn are a reminder to me to strive harder to love,remember, and enjoy.

Improve the shining moments;
Don’t let them pass you by.
Work while the sun is radiant;
Work, for the night draws nigh.
We cannot bid the sunbeams
To lengthen out their stay,
Nor can we ask the shadow
To ever stay away.

Time flies on wings of lightning;
We cannot call it back.
It comes, then passes forward
Along its onward track.
And if we are not mindful,
The chance will fade away,
For life is quick in passing.
’Tis as a single day.

As wintertime doth follow
The pleasant summer days,
So may our joys all vanish
And pass far from our gaze.
Then should we not endeavor
Each day some point to gain,
That we may here be useful
And ev’ry wrong disdain?

Improve each shining moment.
In this you are secure,
For promptness bringeth safety
And blessings rich and pure.
Let prudence guide your actions;
Be honest in your heart;
And God will love and bless you
And help to you impart.

Text and music: Robert B. Baird

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your weekly inspiration

it is a blessing to be part of a family who so fully lives their beliefs, and who serve so willingly. thank you for serving, and for sharing with all of us.

"A temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in which sacred ceremonies and ordinances of the gospel are performed by and for the living and also in behalf of the dead. A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on the earth. Only the home can compare with the temple in sacredness."
--Bible Dictionary - Temple

new series

"Day by day, minute by minute, second by second we went from where we were to where we are now....Time never stands still; it must steadily march on, and with the marching come the changes."
from the Music Man, “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.”
“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”
"We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us...Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved."

just some of the quotes from president monson's talk now entitled
"joy in the journey"

look for it, coming to a favorite blog near you.

in this spirit i will list some things that give me pause and a chance to reflect on the amazing life we have.

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controversial or not sister beck always lays it out!

“In order to do our part as women under the Lord’s plan, we must stand strong and immovable in faith, strong and immovable in family, and strong and immovable in relief. We must excel in these three important areas which set us apart as the Lord’s disciples. Through Relief Society we practice being disciples of Christ. We learn what He would have us learn, we do what He would have us do, and we become what He would have us become.”

download the mp3 of this talk here

your weekly inspiration

your weekly inspiration