Gratefully Endure to the End

I know I just posted an entry, but I have more I want to write about and want to do it in a different post. This morning as I left for work which was just before seven. I was feeling icky and not excited about being up with the sun and going to work, but as I drove down my street I looked up and saw the sun on its way over the tall wondrous mountains and than as I looked a little to the left there was a hot air balloon near the top of the mountain. It was what I so needed this morning. I'm grateful Heavenly Father places things in our path to show His love, concern, and awareness of us. I love hot air balloons and I love love love our mountains and the awesome sunrises and sunsets that occur each day. I'm thankful when He causes me to look up and see His masterful hand. I love Him and thankful to know He loves me.
Tonight I went to a viewing for a neighbor lady who died last weekend. One of her children said to us she "endured to the end". I've been thinking about that since. "Endured to the end" I want that said of me. And not only at my passing into the next life, but in each trial or challenge I face. Oh how awesome is Our Heavenly Father and His plan! I am thankful for His Son, Jesus Christ who makes it possible to face and overcome every challenge, trail, and heartache we will ever experience. Through Him we truly can do all things. Through Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ we can know what real life is and that it leads to eternal life.  Masaya Ang Aking Puso :)

Faith. Patience. Diligence. Process.

A few weeks ago I received the below message from my mission president. (Each week he sends out a weekly thought of something he's been studying and learning more about.-I love it!) I have been thinking about faith and patience a lot a lot :)  

Faith, Patience, Diligence

Alma went to teach the Zoramites. From this experience we learn so many powerful principles and practices. From the conversion of Korihor through the teaching about Faith, to Amulek’s teaching about prayer, there is wonderful learning that benefits us very much.

The concluding verse in chapter 32 reads: “. . . Ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and yourdiligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit.” (Emphasis mine.)

I don’t know how many hundreds of times I have read this. As I read it yesterday it opened a whole new thought for me. In that verse we learn a “Process”.  Alma applied this process to the accumulation of Knowledge using Faith. As I read it I recognized that the process is the same in the accumulation of anything. The ingredients do not change, only the end goal changes.

When you decide you will have a great marriage it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

When you decide you want a healthy body, it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

When you decide you want happy and productive children, it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

When you decide you want good grades in school, it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

When you decide you want a successful career, it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

More than education, experience, or good breaks, these four powerful principles and activities shall lead us to success.

Once these principles and activities have been applied we will experience the “fruit” from the “tree”.

So, here is the process:

Identify the desired “fruit” (Goal).

Apply Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering for as long as it takes.

Enjoy the “Fruit” forever.

Look and Live

Over the past year I have been studying, pondering, and understanding what it means to look and live more than ever before. I find great strength as I look to God and live as He would have me. I have discovered that I am more patient and dedicated to God's will and timing than my own. I know He loves me and is The Reason I am becoming the woman that I am. I am thankful to know that He is never early or late in His timing and that the trials, sufferings, sorrows, excitement, and goodness in our lives is a way for us to become closer to Him and become more like Him if we choose to look to Him and live.  

Alma 37:47 "...yea, see that ye look to God and live."

3 Nephi 15:9 "Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life."

Thinking About

 

I Stand All Amazed

I Stand All Amazed, Hymn #193

1. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.

[Chorus]
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

2. I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,
That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

3. I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!
Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?
No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,
Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.

Text and music: Charles H. Gabriel, 1856–1932
Mosiah 3:5–8
John 15:13

Looking Outward Together

"Love does not consist of gazing into each others eyes, but looking outward in the same direction." Today as I was driving I this quote came to my mind. I can't remember who said it, but it's one that I have loved for awhile now, but only now I am really beginning to understand what it truly means.

Is Beautiful

The following quote from Elder Richard G. Scott's talk "Finding Joy in Life", I know is rather long, but I couldn't bring myself to cut out some. I hope it conveys some of what I am feeling and pondering about. I linked the full talk at the bottom of the quote. 

"Tears of gratitude formed for this wondrous world in which we live, for the extraordinary beauty our Heavenly Father so freely shares with all who are willing to see. Truly, life is beautiful.

Do you take time to discover each day how beautiful your life can be? How long has it been since you watched the sun set? The departing rays kissing the clouds, trees, hills, and lowlands good night, sometimes tranquilly, sometimes with exuberant bursts of color and form. What of the wonder of a cloudless night when the Lord unveils the marvels of His heavens—the twinkling stars, the moonlight rays—to ignite our imagination with His greatness and glory? How captivating to watch a seed planted in fertile soil germinate, gather strength, and send forth a tiny, seemingly insignificant sprout. Patiently it begins to grow and develop its own character led by the genetic code the Lord has provided to guide its development. With care it surely will become what it is destined to be: a lily, crowned with grace and beauty; a fragrant spearmint plant; a peach; an avocado; or a beautiful blossom with unique delicacy, hue, and fragrance. When last did you observe a tiny rosebud form? Each day it develops new and impressive character, more promise of beauty until it becomes a majestic rose. You are one of the noblest of God’s creations. His intent is that your life be gloriously beautiful regardless of your circumstances. As you are grateful and obedient, you can become all that God intends you to be.

Sadness, disappointment, and severe challenge are events in life, not life itself. I do not minimize how hard some of these events are. They can extend over a long period of time, but they should not be allowed to become the confining center of everything you do. The Lord inspired Lehi to declare the fundamental truth, “Men are, that they might have joy.” ¹That is a conditional statement: “they might have joy.” It is not conditional for the Lord. His intent is that each of us finds joy. It will not be conditional for you as you obey the commandments, have faith in the Master, and do the things that are necessary to have joy here on earth.

Your joy in life depends upon your trust in Heavenly Father and His holy Son, your conviction that their plan of happiness truly can bring you joy. Pondering their doctrine will let you enjoy the beauties of this earth and enrich your relationships with others. It will lead you to the comforting, strengthening experiences that flow from prayer to Father in Heaven and the answers He gives in return." -Elder Richard G. Scott, April 1996 

The creations of this Earth are beautiful and amazing! The Lord truly loves us and blesses us constantly and continually as we discover more of Him and the beauty that is this mortal life. I know real life is eternal life. It is living the gospel of Jesus Christ and partaking of it's fullness each day.