To The Mothers In Zion

In To The Mothers In Zion by President Ezra Taft Benson, he gives a list of suggestions for mothers I'd like to share.

 10 Specific Ways Our Mothers Can Spend Effective Time With Their Children

1. Be at the Crossroads-take time to always be at the crossroads when your children are either coming or going-when they leave and return from school, when they leave and return from dates, when they bring friends home. 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Be a Real Friend-take time to be a real friend. Listen to your Children, really listen! 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Read to Your Children-take time to reach to your children. Starting from the cradle. 
   
   
   
   
   
4. Pray with your Children-take time to pray with your children. Family prayers under the guidance of the father, should be held morning and night. Have your children participate in family and personal prayers. 
   
   
   
   
   
5. Have Weekly Home Evenings-take time to have meaningful weekly home evenings. With your husband presiding and your children actively involved. Teach them correct principles. Make this one of your great family traditions.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   6. Be Together at Mealtime-take time to be together at mealtime as often as possible. Share happy conversations, sharing the day's plans and activities. Special teaching moments occur at the the mealtime table.
   

    

   
   

   7. Read Scriptures Daily-take time daily to read the scriptures together as a family.Individual reading is important, but family scripture reading is vital.

   

   
   

   8. Do Things as a Family-take time to do things together as a family. Make family outings and picnics and birthday celebrations and trips special times and memory builders. Attend family events where one of the family members is involved. Attending church meetings together and sit together as a family when you can. 
   

   

   
   9. Teach Your Children-take time to teach your children. Catch the teaching moments. This can be done anytime of the day. Early morning or the end of the day. You are your children's best teacher!
   

   

   
   10. Truly Love your Children-Mothers take time to truly love your children. A mother's unqualified love approaches Christlike love.
   

   

   
   In my own life I was blessed to be able to put some of these suggestions into action. Meal time at the dinner table was a must in my house. Even if it was just my daughter and I, we always ate at the kitchen table. That time allowed me to ask how her day was and allowed me to enter into her daily life a little easier.
   
   Although I was a working mother, I ran a business that allowed me to drop my daughter off most mornings and be there when she arrived home. I could have chosen a different career path, more money definitely would have helped, but I opted to continue doing what I was doing so I could have the flexibility to be home most afternoons when she arrived home. Family home evenings weren't always formal, many were spent watching Fear Factor or Dancing with the Stars, but we always knew that time was dedicated to spending the evening together. When we did have formal lessons or discussions, my daughter always amazed me at how much she loved to prepare and research information for those lessons.
   
   I think most would agree that loving comes natural, but truly listening to your kids can be a bit more challenging. Especially as they get older! It's not easy to just listen so just keep practicing and try to remember to turn your automatic response button off and just listen! 
   
   Let me close by just saying, give it your best shot moms. It's never easy..sometimes every day seems like a struggle. Just continue to strive to do a little better today, than you did yesterday. 

Ether 12: Faith, Hope, and Charity

The piece above is one of my favorite pieces of art. To me it represents our founding fathers being guided by our creator, to build a nation greater than all others on this promised land. For several years now, I've tried to use these three principles as my guiding compass.

As I continued to read the Ether chapters in the Book of Mormon today, I was comforted by the guidance given in Ether 12. It is made clear by Moroni that Faith, Hope and Charity are essential to our salvation. v28 Behold, I will show unto the Gentiles their weakness, and I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity bringeth unto me—the fountain of all righteousness. 

Let me share some scriptures that touch on these attributes specifically.

Faith: 
v3  saying unto them that by faith all things are fulfilled
v12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracles among them
v29 O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith
v31 for after they had faith, and did speak in thy name, thou didst show thyself unto them in great power.

Hope: 
v4 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.
v32  wherefore man must hope, or he cannot receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.


Charity:
v34 And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.
v35  if the Gentiles have not charity, because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them who shall have more abundantly.
 v36 If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful

 These scriptures tell me that in order to receive all the blessings the Lord has promised us, we must have faith that his promises are possible.  It reminds me of a book I read years ago, that said that believing in Christ, is different then believing in the powers of Christ. We must also remain hopeful and positive in life. That need for hope reminds me to Love other regardless of their downfalls and to have hope in humanity, even when the world is looking grim. Having no hope in your heart can harden it and give Satan a way in. Last, but not least is Charity. There is no action greater on this earth, then giving of yourself mentally, physically and spiritually. If we are struggling and can still give charity in any of these 3 ways, we will always have an anchor to the gospel and to Christ. When we loose hold of that anchor, we can become lost. Giving ourselves to others, gives us a purpose. It reminds us that all men and woman on earth are children of our Heavenly Father and deserve his love, regardless of where they come from, their circumstances or their sins. 

While I sat here and compiled this post, I've thought more about the actual picture above. It was made years ago for the Glenn Beck TV show on Fox. I wasn't a viewer at the time, so I don't have first hand knowledge of his thoughts and purpose behind the piece. I do know however, he is LDS and I can't help but wonder if he used this chapter as one of his inspirations.

Why Do We Pay Thithing In the LDS church?

Prior to reading 3 Nephi, I had confirmation and a testimony of the commandments and principles we've been taught by numerous prophets throughout the Bible and Book of Mormon, but reading the commandments and promises received directly from the mouth of Jesus Christ in 3Nephi, really resonated with me the past few weeks. One principle in particular, is the law of tithing. Because I've struggled with this commandment over the years and just recently started paying tithing, I felt the prompting to research more and share my findings and thoughts. 

In Proverbs 3:9-10 it reads  “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine”.  In the Old Testament and throughout the scriptures we are asked to give a part of our resources, as a way to honor and show gratitude the the Lord for all he blesses us with.

We can also think of paying tithing as a way of being obedient to the Lord.  In both 3Nephi 24:10 and Malachi 3:10 it reads "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse … and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” If we have a knowledge of what the lord has promised us, why do we reject the outpouring of our Lord's blessings?  In most cases it comes down to faith or not wanting to sacrifice.  Regardless if we are rich or poor, paying a tithe is a sacrifice. If we have little money, we have little to give. If we make more money, there always seems to be more we have to pay out. An old phrase I've heard shared many times is "I can't afford TO pay tithing", others respond with "I can't afford NOT to pay tithing".  Ask yourself, what are YOU willing to sacrifice in this temporal world to have everlasting joy?  By being obedient members in the LDS church, we are choosing to have faith and trust in our Heavenly Father. Not only have I questioned the "why" of paying my tithing, but I've questioned the "why" on other things I thought were not significant or would not "harm" me in an obvious or BIG way.  What I've come to realize first hand, is that by finally surrendering myself to the lord and not questioning these seemingly "small" actions, I have been immediately blessed.

 

In modern times we are not only asked to give one-tenth of our income, but we are asked to give of our time. In order to do either, we must have our heart in the right place. It's difficult juggling life in this day and age, but not only are we asked to go to church on Sunday for three hours, but as members of the LDS church, we are asked to hold callings to run the church as a whole, but also our local services each week.  Because our clergy is not paid, as members we choose not only to give our money to the Lord, but our time as well. Giving money and the time required to successfully fulfill or callings, does nothing for us or the Lord spiritually if we do so with a hardened heart. 2 Corinthians 9:7-8 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always ha,ving all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work”.  

One of the last reasons I'll touch on is the happiness we can receive by giving to others. By paying a fast offering and a tithe, our local leaders are given the power to receive revelation on how the money collected can and should be distributed to those in need. In Mosiah 4:26, King Benjamin told his people “I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants". I love what Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “Down through history, poverty has been one of humankind’s greatest and most widespread challenges. Its obvious toll is usually physical, but the spiritual and emotional damage it can bring may be even more debilitating. In any case, the great Redeemer has issued no more persistent call than for us to join Him in lifting this burden from the people.”

I testify to you that by living the comparison of times I haven't paid tithing and have paid tithing, I have experienced the personal blessings promised to us by our Heavenly Father.  As my obedience grows, I keep asking myself "do I want the full blessings promised to me by my heavenly father" and by asking myself that question more frequently, I find making the right choice easier and easier.  We all have struggles and this has been one of mine in particular, but I find comfort in knowing that my Heavenly Father knows where my heart lays and he knows I'm working at becoming more obedient to his commandments each day.

Doing the Right Thing for the Wrong Reason

3Nephi 13 is so full of teaching and examples given by Jesus Christ. What caught my attention was the 4 examples given on doing the right thing for the wrong reason.  I'll share parts of the scriptures  pointing to these examples and then share how these have touched my personal thought and how I've applied the principle to today's world.

Charity: 

1 that ye should do alms unto the poor; but take heed that ye do not your alms before men to be seen of them; otherwise ye have no reward of your Father who is in heaven.

2 Therefore, when ye shall do your alms do not sound a trumpet before you

  

4 That thine alms may be in secret; and thy Father who seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly.

In today's world to many people are focused on "what can someone do for me" and "what do I get out of it" if they are asked to do something for someone else.  To many people appear to "do good", not because their heart tells them to, but because they want the recognition that comes with it. If more people were go go out of there way for others, however small or big the deed is, they would realize that providing service for others is often healing to those performing the service. It may appear that the person being served is the benefactor, but spiritually the people serving are usually rewarded equally if their heart is in the right place. 

Prayer:

5 And when thou ^aprayest thou shalt not do as the ^bhypocrites, for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast ^ashut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who ^bseeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

When I think of this counsel I think of two things. First I think of the many public evangelical leaders who preach publicly and speak up about the sins of others, yet what they do behind closed doors is an entirely different thing.  In my childhood years, every few years we wold hear about another scandal with a preacher or pastor involved. For many, they felt the hypocrisy displayed in these very public cases was a solid reason for not participating in any organized church. On a personal level this counsel reminds me that yes, we may participate in public prayer, we may pray on the behalf of others, but ultimately we must focus on our personal communication with the lord. We must go to him in solitude and we must be humble. We must have faith that in those moments of prayer and we will receive the rewards as Heavenly Father sees fit.

Fasting: 

 

16 Moreover, when ye ^afast be not as the ^bhypocrites, of a sad countenance, for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.

17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and ^awash thy face;

18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father, who is in ^asecret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Personally, fasting has been a struggle for me.  By reading these scriptures I know that my intent and my thoughts aren't always where they should be. By focusing on the negatives of fasting and the personal discomfort it causes me, I'm taking away an opportunity that will not only reward someone in the ward temporally, but also reward me spiritually. I think it also comes down to obedience. For years, fasting is one form of counsel that I've rationalized not participating in. Like so many things in life, I need to stop making excuses and JUST DO IT for the right reasons.

Treasures of Heaven: 

 

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where ^amoth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;

20 But lay up for yourselves ^atreasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

It's so easy in this day and age, to want, want and want more. Sometimes we might think of this desire for earthy treasures, only happening on a grand scale.  We might picture those who perform secret acts of corruption, that end up effecting large groups of people. We might picture ruthless criminals partaking in illegal acts to gain money and power.  If we're honest with ourselves, it can happen on a much smaller scale, yet be just as spiritually destructive. Purchasing a house or car you can't afford, running up credit cards to give a perception of a life you can't afford,  finding yourself constantly competing with others to "one up them". It doesn't even have to be money related. You can fall into the same trap by turning down callings because other worldly task are more important, not making scripture study and prayer a priority because "you don't have time",  and putting off temple work when you have a temple just around the corner. These examples are just a few of the traps we can fall into when focusing on our earthy treasures. I have no doubt, if you were to follow the simple counsel just shared on Charity, Prayer and Fasting, your heart can't help but be softened so the focus on heavenly treasures becomes more apparent and desirable.

Modern Lessons in Alma 35

Of all the Alma chapters I read this week, chapter 35 was most significant. It's a small chapter, but it's full of lessons that are still applicable today.

Alma 35:6

And it came to pass that after they had found out the minds of all the people, those who were in favor of the words which had been spoken by Alma and his brethren were cast out of the land; and they were many; and they came over also into the land of Jershon.

The minority that demonstrated faith, chose to repent and then live righteously were persecuted by the majority who did not. Like the early church members and pioneers, they were driven out of their homes, away from their family and lost the majority of their processions and land. Through all that persecution and adversity, they would hold on to the word of God as their firm foundation.

Alma 35:9

And he breathed out many threatening against them. And now the people of Ammon did not fear their words; therefore they did not cast them out, but they did receive all the poor of the Zoramites that came over unto them; and they did nourish them, and did clothe them, and did give unto them lands for their inheritance; and they did administer unto them according to their wants.

When the chief ruler of the Zoramites threatened the people of Ammon, they did not fear their words and stood strong, when caring for the new converts. Instead of fearing death from the conflict and facing possibility of war, they continued to stand strong and follow the counsel of the scriptures. They showed relentless courage by feeding, clothing and giving them land. As a members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we are constantly fighting off threats and standing for our convictions. There are still members across the globe, that are up against laws and policies that make it illegal and very dangerous for them to meet and observe the Sabbath on Sunday. 

Alma 35:15

Now Alma, being grieved for the iniquity of his people, yea for the wars, and the bloodshed, and the contentions which were among them; and having been to declare the word, or sent to declare the word, among all the people in every city; and seeing that the hearts of the people began to wax hard, and that they began to be offended because of the strictness of the word, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.

In this verse, not only does Alma grieve because of the wars and bloodshed, he grieves because of the contention among the people. After all the conviction and faith, the people of Ammon and the new converts shared against the Zoramites and the Lamanites, they were letting disagreements among themselves harden their hearts. This makes me very sad, because today this is still a very big problem. There are people who have  and active participants in our church and then one day someone says something that offends them or hurts their feelings and you never see them again. Not only has this happened in my ward and family, but it's happened to me in the past. It's easier said then done, but sometimes I just have to remind myself that the gospel is the gospel and the church is made of imperfect humans. 

Alma 36:16

Therefore, he caused that his sons should be gathered together, that he might give unto them every one his charge, separately, concerning the things pertaining unto righteousness. And we have an account of his commandments, which he gave unto them according to his own record.

In this last verse of the chapter, it shares how Alma chose to sit his sons down and give them each their own responsibility. Alma knew the importance of their individual relationships and did not give them a one size fits all set of directions. This reminds me that all children are different and all children should be taught and directed according to their own individual needs. One size, does not fit all. 

In The Service of Your Fellow Beings

There are so many guiding principles King Benjamin taught throughout Mosiah, but the topic of Service is one that is particularly close to my heart. Let me share with you Mosiah 2:16-17; the scriptures I'll be focusing on in this post.  

16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.

 17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

 18 Behold, ye have called me your king; and if I, whom ye call your king, do labor to serve you, then ought not ye to labor to serve one another?

In these scriptures he teaches that by serving others, you are directly serving God. He continues by challenging his people to service one another, as he has served them. He tells them not to thank him for that service, but to thank their Heavenly Father and if they give thanks, with their whole soul, they will leave in peace with one another. 

That promise of peace is why I've chosen to devote more of my time to serving others. Heavenly Father lived his entire life serving all of us and serving GOD. He gave everything for us, knowing the outcome, so I choose to repay him by making service a priority in my life. 

I've always gone out of my way to try and help others when needed, but in the last few years, I've dedicated the majority of my extra time to doing service and my heart has changed from that. President Henry B. Eyring wrote a Presidency Message in the March 2014 Liohona magazine titled "Service and Eternal Life". In that letter he talks about how "James the Apostle taught us how the desire to serve others springs from gratitude for what the Lord has done for us." I have a personal testimony of this desire I'd like to now share.

3 years ago in Dallas, I attended a Glenn Beck rally called Restoring Love. One of the planned days was called a "Day of Service". Mercury One had planned an entire day of service for thousands of people, at various locations around the city. When we all gathered at the Dallas Stadium, the shear site of all those people and the buses it required to transport all of us, was an life changing moment for me. 

My daughter and I were able to serve at a local church facility that provided assistance to the needy in the community. I served in the foot pantry and my daughter served in the nursery, where the kids could hang out, while the parents shopped in the clothing area for things they needed. The heat made it miserable that day, but when we left our hearts were filled with that desire to do more. 

That weekend I was blessed with meeting a group of people who had this same desire. The story behind Labor of Love is to long to share in this post today, but I've now found comfort serving with a group of people, from all over the United States, that has made their primary goal to service others as Heavenly Father has commanded.

President Eyring also wrote "The Savior teaches us how we can learn to serve others. He served perfectly, and we must learn to serve as He learned—line upon line (see D&C 93:12–13). Through the service we give, we can become more like Him. We will pray with all the energy of our hearts to love our enemies as He loves them (see Matthew 5:43–44; Moroni 7:48). Then we may at last become fitted for eternal life with Him and our Heavenly Father."

We use that example and choose to service those who others might now feel are worthy. We teach our children to with us side by side. We aren't always the most efficient group, because the people we are serving are the priority and not the project. In following these guiding principles, we often come broken, but leave with our souls healed. 

 Nashville-2015

 Birmingham-2015

If you do not have service in your life or have not made it a priority, I challenge you to do so. The opportunities are right in your backyard and if you can't find the right opportunity, MAKE the opportunity.  I have a testimony that our loving Heavenly Father will reward you for your service, with blessings in this life and in the eternal life.