Repentance......

For most, repentance is more a journey than a one-time event. It is not easy. To change is difficult. It requires running into the wind, swimming upstream. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.” Repentance is turning away from some things, such as dishonesty, pride, anger, and impure thoughts, and turning toward other things, such as kindness, unselfishness, patience, and spirituality. It is “re-turning” toward God.
How do we decide where our repentance should be focused? When a loved one or friend suggests things we need to change, the natural man in us sometimes pops up his head and responds, “Oh, you think I should change? Well, let me tell you about some of your problems.” A better approach is to humbly petition the Lord: “Father, what wouldst Thou have me do?” The answers come. We feel the changes we need to make. The Lord tells us in our mind and in our heart.

Neil L. Andersen, “‘Repent … That I May Heal You’,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 40–43

Repentance Can Restore.....

A Disciple’s Journey

BRUCE C. HAFEN

BYU Devotional Address, 5 February 2008

Describing a disciple’s journey from darkness into light, the Lord told the early Saints: “And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you.”35 Having an eye single to God is then just one condition we must meet before the Atonement can bless us with the attributes of divinity. As Moroni said, “Touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing . . . and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; . . .then are ye sanctified.”36

I heard President Hinckley once say that prosperity leads to indulgence, and indulgence leads to sin. Indulgence means gratifying our vain desires in the proud belief that we deserve to have it all, so we keep one hand on the wall of the temple and one foot on the dance floor at Club Babylon.

Many people feel they have a right to indulge themselves: eating too much, spending too much, and reveling in creature comforts. But, as one friend said, if you don’t get out of your comfort zone, you won’t learn. And if you don’t learn, you won’t grow. And without growth, you won’t find joy.

Today’s flood of pornography (addictions) usually results from overindulgence. But note this irony. Alma told his son, “Bridle all your passions.” Why? So “that ye may be filled with love.”37 Pornography and addictions can destroy marriages, shattering the true romantic dream of eternal love.

Imagine that! Fake love can destroy real love. What a cheap and dirty trick! And worse, yielding to porn and addictions is a classic example of touching the unclean thing, of refusing to deny oneself of ungodliness. This double-mindedness has consequences: We cannot then be perfected in Christ—not because He lacks the power but because we just lack the discipline. Thank heaven repentance can restore discipline.

Never Squat With Your Spurs On.......

Never Squat With Your Spurs On

Will Rogers, who died in a 1935 plane crash, was one of the greatest political sages this country has ever known. Some of his sayings:

1. Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.

2. Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.

3. There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works.

4. Never miss a good chance to shut up.

5. Always drink upstream from the herd.

6. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

7. The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back into your pocket.

8. There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence and find out for themselves.

9. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

10. If you're ridin' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and then to make sure it's still there.

11. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it back.

12. After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he started roaring. He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him. The moral: When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

Repent.... That I May Heal You.......

I am amazed at the Savior’s encircling arms of mercy and love for the repentant, no matter how selfish the forsaken sin. I testify that the Savior is able and eager to forgive our sins. Except for the sins of those few who choose perdition after having known a fullness, there is no sin that cannot be forgiven. What a marvelous privilege for each of us to turn away from our sins and to come unto Christ. Divine forgiveness is one of the sweetest fruits of the gospel, removing guilt and pain from our hearts and replacing them with joy and peace of conscience. Jesus declares, “Will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?” Repenting is quiet and quite private, daily seeking the Lord’s help to make needed changes. Neil L. Andersen, “‘Repent … That I May Heal You’,” Ensign, Nov 2009, 40–43 The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.   - Thomas Szasz

Good Women......

Good women always have a desire to know if they are succeeding. In a world where the measures of success are often distorted, it is important to seek appreciation and affirmation from proper sources. To paraphrase a list found in Preach My Gospel, we are doing well when we develop attributes of Christ and strive to obey His gospel with exactness. We are doing well when we seek to improve ourselves and do our best. We are doing well when we increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. We know we are successful if we live so that we qualify for, receive, and know how to follow the Spirit. When we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we will not be disappointed in ourselves. We can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when we feel the Spirit working through us. Peace, joy, and hope are available to those who measure success properly.

Julie B. Beck, “‘And upon the Handmaids in Those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit’,” Ensign, May 2010, 10–12

Adoption.......

I was reading an article the other day about author Jason Wright's unsuccessful election campaign. In it, he wrote:

I couldn’t help but think how different my life would have been if Heavenly Father had answered a prayer or two. 

I’m so grateful he didn’t.

It wasn't long before I found myself humming a Garth Brooks tune (yep, that one) and thinking about my own unanswered prayers. Gratitude filled my soul that Heavenly Father loved me enough not to give in to my pleadings. He knew better. He had something different planned for me. Something richer. Something that would help me grow and bring me closer to Him. Something that would lead amazing people and opportunities into my life.

That something was adoption.

I don't know what kinds of children my husband and I would have created together. All I know is that I am so happy - so blessed - that I got the ones I did, the way I did.

First and Second Step....

New people in ARP react in various ways to the First Step. Most of them accept the idea of powerlessness, but only with reservations. They find it difficult to believe there is nothing they can do directly to change their loved one’s behavior.

Step Two immediately sounds the ringing note of hope. It assures us that help is at hand, the help of our Father in Heaven that is beyond anything we can understand or imagine.

What can God do for me? He can “restore us to sanity.” It can set my feet on firm ground and show me the way to renew my life which now may be too troubled to allow me to think straight.

My despair may have been so great that I had lost the faith I once had—the complete, surrendering faith in something beyond myself.

Today’s Reminder

In my great need of comfort and reassurance, the Second Step suggest I surrender my will to the wisdom of a LOVING GOD in my effort to find a sane and reasonable way of life.

“A little consideration of what takes place around us every day, would show us that a higher law than that of our will, regulates events; that our painful experiences are not necessary. A believing love will relieve us of a vast load of care. Oh, my brothers, God exists!”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

My Self.....Actions....

Today’s Reminder

I will pick out just one character defect I can freely admit, and reason it away, right out of my whole being. Let’s say I analyze my impulse to resent. If I convince myself of its futility, I will see unexpected, welcome changes in my experience.

I will examine my real reasons for every decision I make that involves taking action. If this shows me I am deceiving myself as to my true motives, I will try to correct this self-deception at its source.

“We know well enough how to excuse and color our own doings, but we find it difficult to accept those of others.”

Feed My Lambs.....

All of us have tried at some time to nourish another person’s faith. Most of us have felt the concern of others for our own faith, and with it we have felt their love. More than a few of us have had a child look up to us and say, “Would you like to go to church with me?” or “Would you pray with me?” And we have had our disappointments. Someone we love may not have accepted our attempts to nourish their faith. We know from painful experience that God respects the choice of His children not to be nourished. Yet this is a time to feel renewed optimism and hope that our power to nourish will be increased.

The place to start is with our own hearts. What we want with all our hearts will determine in large degree whether 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.

Henry B. Eyring, “‘Feed My Lambs’,” Ensign, Nov 1997, 82

Facing Responsibilities....

Our inspiring slogans mean such different things to different people! One woman, faced by a crisis, may say confidently: “I will let go and let God.” In this case it is a courageous statement of faith that good must prevail, and that any decision she might have made, based solely on her human judgment, could have been unwise. She leaves the problem to God, expecting His guidance on what to do

In another instance, Let go and let God may be a despairing statement of defeatism, an expression of apathy, of unwillingness to play one’s role in the task at hand.

Those who simply turn their backs on their problems are not “letting go and letting God”—they are abandoning their commitment to act on God’s inspiration and guidance. They do not ask for or expect help; they want the whole job done for them.

I cannot simply shrug off the responsibility for facing my problems, however great they may be. True, I need God’s guidance, but acting upon it is my job; I cannot evade it without turning my back on life itself.

“Let me not yield to apathy or defeatism, when in and all around me are the evidences of a loving
God who will help me in all my need.”

Be of Good Cheer.....

None of us makes it through this life without problems and challenges—and sometimes tragedies and misfortunes. After all, we are here to learn and grow from such events in our lives. We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will be saddened. However, we are told, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”2

How might we have joy in our lives, despite all that we may face? Again from the scriptures: “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.”3…

From the holy scriptures we read, “Behold, the righteous, the saints of the Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in [Him], they who have endured the crosses of the world,… they shall inherit the kingdom of God, … and their joy shall be full forever.”9

I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior as we turn to them will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us.

My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith.”

2. 2 Nephi 2:25.
3. D&C 68:6.
9. 2 Nephi 9:18.

Forgivness......

Most of us need time to work through pain and loss. We can find all manner of reasons for postponing forgiveness. One of these reasons is waiting for the wrongdoers to repent before we forgive them. Yet such a delay causes us to forfeit the peace and happiness that could be ours. The folly of rehashing long-past hurts does not bring happiness. Some hold grudges for a lifetime, unaware that courageously forgiving those who have wronged us is wholesome and therapeutic. Forgiveness comes more readily when, like the Amish, we have faith in God and trust in His word. Such faith “enables people to withstand the worst of humanity. It also enables people to look beyond themselves. More importantly, it enables them to forgive James E. Faust, “The Healing Power of Forgiveness,” Ensign, May 2007, 67–69  

Self Abuse....

Not forgiving is self abuse Do not let those who you can’t forgive live rent free in your head and cause pain any more. FORGIVE and be free Remember, forgiving is for you it doesn’t mean what the other person did is OK