Dear friends,
I hope you have enjoyed your week and that all is well with you. Today's message is from the Mormon Messages site. It is a wonderful example of how we can serve others in a time of need and how miracles can and do happen.
Have a blessed week,
Hello Friends!
A friend shared this wonderful YouTube clip with me which inspired me to
further study Elder Busche's devotional talk "Unleashing the Dormant
Spirit." My greatest quest as a mother, wife, and disciple of Jesus
Christ is the constant companionship and recognition of the promptings
of the Holy Ghost in my life. I am grateful for Elder Busche's teaching
about this great gift that is to be ours every minute of every day. What
is it that I am holding back or unwilling to completely sacrifice that
removes me from this privilege? How do I awaken and deepen my desire
for this gift so that it overcomes all obstacles? Elder Busche gives a
wonderful, detailed checklist of questions we can ask ourselves to help
in our quest for the constant guidance of the Holy Ghost. He promises
that we will rejoice every day if we take the Holy Spirit as our guide.
It is through this gift that we will "abide the day" and will not be
deceived ( D & C 45:56-57) as we prepare for and participate in the
Second Coming of the Savior.
Much love to each of you,
Hello friends! Happy New Year!
As I look to the year ahead and consider changes I need and want to make in my life, spiritual changes are those I most desire. I was very impressed by "A Gift Worthy of Added Care," by Elder Neil L. Andersen in the December 2010 Ensign. I am grateful that the Ensign provides a medium for us to frequently read from Prophets and Apostles. I appreciate Elder Anderson's witness that the Holy Ghost:
"A grateful heart, then, comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. This requires conscious effort—at least until we have truly learned and cultivated an attitude of gratitude. Often we feel grateful and intend to express our thanks but forget to do so or just don’t get around to it. Someone has said that “feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”I made a handout above as a reminder to learn to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. I hope you can have a great Thanksgiving holiday and enjoy this message too.
I have been thinking a lot about my role as a mother and the influence of those who have mothered me. I have worn many hats as a mother. I've been a working mother, a work from home mother, a depressed mother, a joyful mother, a mother to a few motherless. I have even, at times had to mother myself! I don't know about you but I have often faltered in my belief of the importance of being "just a mother". The worlds views about motherhood can all too swiftly and silently enter my heart and fog up my divine understanding of the celestial role of mother.
This beautiful talk from one of the most amazing "mothers" I know really help to clear up my vision and helped me see how the many hats I wear can truly help the children of God. I loved this enpowering quote;
Never has there been a greater need for righteous mothers—mothers who bless their children with a sense of safety, security, and confidence about the future, mothers who teach their children where to find peace and truth and that the power of Jesus Christ is always stronger than the power of the adversary. Every time we build the faith or reinforce the nobility of a young woman or man, every time we love or lead anyone even one small step along the path, we are true to our endowment and calling as mothers and in the process we build the kingdom of God. No woman who understands the gospel would ever think that any other work is more important or would ever say, "I am just a mother," for mothers heal the souls of men.So as each of us go throughout our day I hope we will keep in mind we were born to mother. Even if we have not born children to this earth our pre-mortal nature is that of nurturer, guide, love giver, testifier of truth and protector. Our hots as mothers can be many but the most important one is to look around us and mother the people who need mothering.
Dear Friends,
Happy Conference Week!!! I have looked forward to hearing from the
Lord's representatives for many weeks. I am so grateful that where ever
we are in the world, we may hear and read their messages. What a
miraculous day we live in. I was speaking with a friend today about
some of the adversities we are seeing today and she reminded me that the
fact that each of us are here now is a testimony to us of the Father's
confidence in our ability to bear off the Kingdom at this time. That was
a sweet reminder for me.
I found great comfort in hearing President Hinckley's voice and
message. How I miss him. I am sure his efforts continue in the cause
we are engaged in. I am grateful for the simplicity and orderliness of a
new Prophet being called and sustained. How grateful I am for President
Monson and look forward to his words this weekend. I loved President
Hinckley's reminders and encouragement--ever the optimist. His words to
stand firm and that those around us will look to us for guidance and
peace as the world grows ever darker strengthen my resolve to reach out
in loving ways. I also found comfort in his final reminders "They that
be with us are more than they that be with them..Fear not little
flock...Doubt not, Fear not."
I know that as each of us bring our loaf or our fish and dedicate
ourselves to the Work of the Lord, miracles will occur and we will be
able to do all the Lord needs us to do as we prepare for His return.
Much love,
Noni
MP3 Link
President Gordon B. Hinckley
If we are to [be] an ensign to the nations and a light to the world, we must take on more of the luster of the life of Christ.
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My beloved brethren and sisters, I wish to acknowledge my gratitude for your sustaining faith and prayers. The Lord has imposed upon the leadership of this Church a great and serious trust, and you have supported us in that responsibility. We know that you pray for us, and we wish you to know that we pray for you.
Not a day passes that I do not thank the Lord for faithful Latter-day Saints. No day passes that I do not pray that He will bless you wherever you are and whatever your needs.
I wish to remind you that we are all in this together. It is not a matter of the General Authorities on one hand and the membership of the Church on the other. We are all working as one in a great cause. We are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ.
Within your sphere of responsibility you have as serious an obligation as do I within my sphere of responsibility. Each of us should be determined to build the kingdom of God on the earth and to further the work of righteousness.
I think I can honestly say that we have no selfish desires with reference to this work other than that it succeed.
We of the First Presidency are constantly dealing with a great variety of problems. They come before us every day.
At the close of one particularly difficult day, I looked up at a portrait of Brigham Young that hangs on my wall. I asked, "Brother Brigham, what should we do?" I thought I saw him smile a little, and then he seemed to say: "In my day, I had problems enough of my own. Don't ask me what to do. This is your watch. Ask the Lord, whose work this really is." And this, I assure you, is what we do and must always do.
As I reflected on these matters that recent difficult day, I opened my Bible to the first chapter of Joshua and read these words:
"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee" (Joshua 1:9).
I said to myself: "There is never reason to despair. This is the work of God. Notwithstanding the efforts of all who oppose it, it will go forward as the God of heaven has designed it should do."
I turned the pages of the Old Testament to the second chapter of Isaiah and read these words:
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:2–3).
Ever since the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated, we have interpreted that scripture from Isaiah, repeated again in Micah (see Micah 4:1–2), as applying to this sacred house of the Lord. And of this place, since the day of its dedication, an ever-increasing number from across the world have said in effect, "Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that He might teach us of His ways, that we might walk in His paths."
I believe and testify that it is the mission of this Church to stand as an ensign to the nations and a light to the world. We have had placed upon us a great, all-encompassing mandate from which we cannot shrink nor turn aside. We accept that mandate and are determined to fulfill it, and with the help of God we shall do it.
There are forces all around us that would deter us from that effort. The world is constantly crowding in on us. From all sides we feel the pressure to soften our stance, to give in here a little and there a little.
We must never lose sight of our objective. We must ever keep before us the goal which the Lord has set for us.
To quote Paul:
"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:10–12).
We must stand firm. We must hold back the world. If we do so, the Almighty will be our strength and our protector, our guide and our revelator. We shall have the comfort of knowing that we are doing what He would have us do. Others may not agree with us, but I am confident that they will respect us. We will not be left alone. There are many not of our faith but who feel as we do. They will support us. They will sustain us in our efforts.
We cannot be arrogant. We cannot be self-righteous. The very situation in which the Lord has placed us requires that we be humble as the beneficiaries of His direction.
While we cannot agree with others on certain matters, we must never be disagreeable. We must be friendly, soft-spoken, neighborly, and understanding.
Now I emphasize a theme already treated in this conference. To our young people, the glorious youth of this generation, I say, be true. Hold to the faith. Stand firmly for what you know to be right.
You face tremendous temptation. It comes at you in the halls of popular entertainment, on the Internet, in the movies, on television, in cheap literature, and in other ways—subtle, titillating, and difficult to resist. Peer pressure may be almost overpowering. But, my dear young friends, you must not give in. You must be strong. You must take the long look ahead rather than succumbing to the present seductive temptation.
Uncouth-looking entertainers draw big crowds of our youth. They grow rich from high admission prices. Their songs, so many of them, are suggestive in nature.
Pornography is everywhere with its seductive invitation. You must turn away from it. It can enslave you. It can destroy you. Recognize it for what it is—tawdry and sleazy stuff created and distributed by those who grow rich at the expense of those who see it.
The sanctity of sex is utterly destroyed in its salacious portrayal in the media. That which by its nature is inherently beautiful is corrupted in its popular presentation. I was pleased to note that our Church-owned television station here in Salt Lake City refused to carry a network program of a salacious nature. It was also interesting to note that the only other station belonging to this network to cancel the broadcast was one in South Bend, Indiana, the location of the University of Notre Dame. It is comforting to know that there are others who feel as strongly as we feel and are willing to do something about it.
Life is better than that which is so frequently portrayed. Nature is better than that. Love is better than that. This kind of entertainment is only an evil caricature of the good and the beautiful.
You young men and women who are hearing me today, you university students on many campuses realize that one of the great problems on these campuses is binge drinking. It diminishes abilities. It destroys lives. It wastes money and time and constructive effort. What a sorry sight it is to see bright young people damage themselves and ruin their opportunities with excessive drinking.
It was a great tribute to the students of Brigham Young University when the Princeton Review found them to be the most "stone-cold sober" student body in America. Most of you, of course, cannot attend BYU, but wherever you are you can live by the same standards required on the BYU campus.
I recently read in our New Era magazine an article on young Latter-day Saints in Memphis, Tennessee. In some instances, they are the only Latter-day Saints on campus. One of them is quoted as saying, "I may be the only member in my school, but . . . even when I'm physically alone, I'm never spiritually alone" (in Arianne B. Cope, "Smiling in Memphis," New Era, Oct. 2003, 23–24).
Another is quoted: "I know a lot of teens wonder if they really know if the gospel is true. But . . . here you have to know one way or the other because people are asking you about it every day. Every time you answer a question, you share your testimony" (New Era, Oct. 2003, 25).
These young people, scattered through that big city, have learned to stand together, to bolster one another.
God bless you, my dear young friends. You are the best generation we have ever had. You know the gospel better. You are more faithful in your duties. You are stronger to face the temptations which come your way. Live by your standards. Pray for the guidance and protection of the Lord. He will never leave you alone. He will comfort you. He will sustain you. He will bless and magnify you and make your reward sweet and beautiful. And you will discover that your example will attract others who will take courage from your strength.
As it is with the youth, so it is with you adults. If we are to hold up this Church as an ensign to the nations and a light to the world, we must take on more of the luster of the life of Christ individually and in our own personal circumstances. In standing for the right, we must not be fearful of the consequences. We must never be afraid. Said Paul to Timothy:
"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
"Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord" (2 Timothy 1:7–8).
This Church, I submit, is far more than a social organization where we gather together to enjoy one another's company. It is more than Sunday School and Relief Society and priesthood meeting. It is more than sacrament meeting, more even than temple service. It is the kingdom of God in the earth. It behooves us to act in a manner befitting membership in that kingdom.
You men who hold the priesthood have such a tremendous responsibility. You must avoid the sultry siren voice of the world. You must rise above it. You must stand in the stature of the priesthood of God. You must eschew evil in all of its forms and take on the nature of goodness and decency, letting the light, the divine light, shine through your actions.
There is no way that a home can be a place of refuge and peace if the man who resides there is not an understanding and helpful husband and father. The strength to be gained from our homes will make us better able to face the world, more acceptable to the society in which we move, more valuable to those who employ us—better men.
I know many such men. It is evident that they love their wives and their children. They are proud of them. And the marvelous thing is, they are tremendously successful in their chosen professions. They are magnified and honored and respected.
And to you women. I spoke at length to the women of the Relief Society a week ago. That talk represented my heartfelt views concerning you. You too can take on the luster of Christ. You too can be strong and encouraging and beautiful and helpful.
I remind all of us that we are Latter-day Saints. We have made covenants with our Heavenly Father, sacred and binding. Those covenants, if we keep them, will make us better fathers and mothers, better sons and daughters.
I believe that others will rally around us if we will do so. We can stand for truth and goodness, and we will not stand alone. Moreover, we shall have the unseen forces of heaven to assist us.
I take you back to the Old Testament:
"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
"And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
"And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (2 Kings 6:15–17).
The Lord has said to us:
"Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. . . .
"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not" (D&C 6:34, 36). In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Dear Friends,
I hope that you are enjoying a wonderful New Year! I recently read Elder Bednar’s devotional address, “Quick to Observe” and feel inspired to share it with you this week. I am grateful to have this master teacher as one of our Apostles. I am grateful for his ability to teach simple, but profound doctrine in a way that I can embrace and observe it. One of my goals this New Year is to more fully access the Gifts of the Spirit available to us. I am grateful for Elder Bednar’s careful and detailed teaching about the blessings of being quick to observe and how this brings the gift of discernment. When we have this gift, we are able to be greater instruments in the hands of the Lord as we discern truth and error, good and evil, and uncover for ourselves and others our better natures. I hope Elder Bednar’s words will lift, inspire, and encourage you as they have me.
Much love,
Noni
MP3 Link
I am just so grateful for the daily miracles and interactions with Christ over the past month or so. His presence has made such a positive impact on my outlook of life lately. I feel like he has truly just taken the reins and has led me down a fruitful and prosperous path. I've fought for many years to keep the reins in my care and control. I've fought until I was so tired and weak that I had two choices- curl up in a ball and quit, or to turn the reins over to Him. He has embraced me in His arms of mercy, comforting my heart and whispering to my mind, that I am his dear child, that He promises he will take care of me. He reminds me of all the times that he has taken care of me and finally I can see it. Finally, I trust in Him enough to just LET GO.
"As He surrounded you with His loving embrace, the Spirit sweetly reminds you of the time before your birth. He held you gently, whispering loving words of assurance, "I will not forget thee, nor forsake thee. I will not fail thee . . ." And then you were born." Painting and quote by Derek Hegsted
For this new year I hope that you all will come to know the Savior personally in your lives. I hope you will feel his presence and see his kind acts of love and support daily. He IS real. He IS there. He IS our master our salvation. He WILL NOT fail you.
This week's talk was one that had a profound effect on me this Christmas season. I still feel like we can celebrate the reason fro the season. I hope you all had a merry Christmas and that you each will have a very wonderful, faith promoting 2009.
If there is a subject you would like covered for next year feel free to email me at talkoftheweek@gmail.com with a suggestion or a topic.
"Maybe Christmas Doesn't Come From a Store"
..........Part of the purpose for telling the story of Christmas is to remind us that Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Indeed, however delightful we feel about it, even as children, each year it “means a little bit more.” And no matter how many times we read the biblical account of that evening in Bethlehem, we always come away with a thought—or two—we haven’t had before.
There are so many lessons to be learned from the sacred account of Christ’s birth that we always hesitate to emphasize one at the expense of all the others. Forgive me while I do just that in the time we have together here.
One impression which has persisted with me recently is that this is a story—in profound paradox with our own times—that this is a story of intense poverty. I wonder if Luke did not have some special meaning when he wrote not “there was no room in the inn” but specifically that “there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7; italics added.) We cannot be certain, but it is my guess that money could talk in those days as well as in our own. I think if Joseph and Mary had been people of influence or means, they would have found lodging even at that busy time of year....... to read more of this talk click this link.
Dear Talk-Of-The-Week Friends,
Yesterday I got a letter in the mail from a friend. She spoke of how the last year has been a year of trials for her. She spoke of how the thing that helped her stay afloat through all the turmoil was to remember her blessings and to focus on them. Inside was a blank list called “50 Things I am most Grateful for…”. It really inspired me to start thinking of all the things I am grateful for. When I woke early this morning I decided to continue my study of gratitude and happened upon this talk after listening to many others. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. I recreated the Gratitude list and have included it for your own personal list. May we all be blessed with the abundance God has in store for us as we focus on the things we are most grateful for. I testify that our Heavenly Father loves us and wants to open the windows of heaven for us! Have a wonderful week! I am off to search for our family “Blessing Basket”!
Sarah
Challenge: Fill out this 50 things I am grateful for list.
MP3 Link
Hello Friends,
As I pondered what talk to share this week, Elder Scott's 2007 BYU Education Week address "To Learn and to Teach More Effectively" came to mind. My greatest desires are to hear, feel, and heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost and to be an instrument in furthering the Lord's work here on earth. This talk gave precious insights to me for both of these quests. I hope it assists in your learning and growth at this time also. We each have daily opportunities to be teachers, I think some of our greatest come as we fulfill our roles as mothers. Of all the things I hope to instill in my children, the Gift of utilizing the Holy Ghost is the most important to me. I really appreciate Elder Scott's insights about how we can do this. If we consistently and prayerfully use this gift, our passage through this life will be a safe and joyful one. I am so grateful for the great blessing we have to be led by a Prophet and Apostles-they truly are master teachers who show us the way to live happily and return safely Home.
Much love to each of you and a joyful week ahead,
Noni
Good day friends,
This week I learned a lot about the grace of the Savior. I found these definitions on the LDS.ORG website:
Grace is a gift from Heavenly Father given through His Son, Jesus Christ. The word grace, as used in the scriptures, refers primarily to enabling power and spiritual healing offered through the mercy and love of Jesus Christ.
The grace of God helps us every day. It strengthens us to do good works we could not do on our own. The Lord promised that if we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in Him, His grace will help us overcome all our personal weaknesses (see Ether 12:27).
From True To The Faith a publication from the Church comes one of my favorite definitions of grace:
In addition to needing grace for your ultimate salvation, you need this enabling power every day of your life. As you draw near to your Heavenly Father in diligence, humility, and meekness, He will uplift and strengthen you through His grace (see Proverbs 3:34; 1 Peter 5:5; D&C 88:78; 106:7–8). Reliance upon His grace enables you to progress and grow in righteousness. Jesus Himself “received not of the fullness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fullness” (D&C 93:13). Grace enables you to help build God’s kingdom, a service you cannot give through your strength or means alone (see John 15:5; Philippians 4:13; Hebrews 12:28; Jacob 4:6–7).
If you ever become discouraged or feel too weak to continue living the gospel, remember the strength you can receive through the enabling power of grace. You can find comfort and assurance in these words of the Lord: “My grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them” (Ether 12:27).
This week I would challenge you to allow grace to work in your life and open your hearts to the Lord. Let him in to enable your weaknesses to be made strong. Below are two MP3 links because I could not choose which one of these talks was the best. I also truly believe that one may be better for you than the other. The first is by Jay Parry entitled "Receiving the Marvelous Grace of God" He teaches how we can use grace in our daily lives(This talk will be broadcast on BYU Television on April 4 at 3:00 PM.) Second is a talk from Robert Millett, "After All We Can Do: The Meaning of Grace". He goes into great detail for the first 30 minutes about the Saviors grace and then how we can live by grace in our daily lives. Please do not feel like you have to listen to both of these but instead chose the one that appeals to you the most. I know you will be blessed to do all that you can do this week as you allow the grace of the Lord into your hearts and lives.
Lots of Love,
Shauntell
MP3 Link:
Jay Parry, "Receiving the Marvelous Grace of God"
http://www.byub.org/findatalk/opentalk.asp?TalkID=5566&talk=http://byubmp3.byu.edu/edweek06/parry.mp3
Robert Millet, After All That We Can Do: The Meaning Of Grace
http://www.byub.org/findatalk/opentalk.asp?TalkID=578&talk=http://byubmp3.byu.edu/wconf98/rmillet.mp3
Hi friends,
This weeks talk is one that I have personally found much strength by listening to. It is by President Eyring, "The Power of Deliverance". He talks about 3 kinds of challenges that we all will be in need of deliverence from and how by the spirit we will each personally and individually know what we need to do to be delivered. Enjoy and have a wonderful week!
Love,
Shauntell
MP3 link:
http://www.byub.org/findatalk/opentalk.asp?TalkID=5741&talk=http://byubmp3.byu.edu/devos/2008/01/devo01152008.mp3
Text below:
The Power of Deliverance
HENRY B. EYRING
Henry B. Eyring was Second Counselor in the First Presidency
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
when this devotional address was given on 15 January 2008.
