We Are All Enlisted

Today was a "we are all enlisted" kind of day.  I'm not a soldier or anything close to it, but felt an urgent, hopeful, purposeful call to action today.  It was quiet, but direct....and I'm grateful.

We are all enlisted till the conflict is o'er; Happy are we! Happy are we!
Soldiers in the army, there's a bright crown in store; We shall win and wear it by and by.
Haste to the battle, quick to the field; Truth is our helmet, buckler, and shield.
Stand by our colors; proudly they wave! We're joyfully, joyfully marching to our home.
We are all enlisted till the conflict is o'er; Happy are we! Happy are we!
Soldiers in the army, there's a bright crown in store; We shall win and wear it by and by.

Hark! the sound of battle sounding loudly and clear; Come join the ranks! Come join the ranks!
We are waiting now for soldiers; who'll volunteer? Rally round the standard of the cross.
Hark! 'tis our Captain calls you today; Lose not a moment, make no delay!
Fight for our Savior; come, come away! We're joyfully, joyfully marching to our home.

Fighting for a kingdom, and the world is our foe; Happy are we! Happy are we!
Glad to join the army, we will sing as we go; We shall gain the vict'ry by and by.
Dangers may gather--why should we fear? Jesus, our Leader, ever is near.
He will protect us, comfort, and cheer. We're joyfully, joyfully marching to our home.

In a world that is more and more confused each day it is so good to know Who we follow and why we do, and why we're even here to begin with.  ;)  This call to battle is not a physical thing, but spiritual and even more important.  It can be easy to be distracted, even by good things, but I'm grateful for the clarity and peace and purpose I found in these words today.

Mosiah 2:41, "Consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Alma 42:15, "And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also."

3 Nephi 11:15, "And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come."

We are or can be the "Hope of Israel":

Hope of Israel, Zion's army, Children of the promised day,
See, the Chieftain signals onward, And the battle's in array!
Hope of Israel, rise in might With the sword of truth and right;
Sound the war-cry, "Watch and pray!" Vanquish ev'ry foe today.

See the foe in countless numbers, Marshaled in the ranks of sin.
Hope of Israel, on to battle; Now the vict'ry we must win!

Hope of Israel, rise in might With the sword of truth and right;
Sound the war-cry, "Watch and pray!" Vanquish ev'ry foe today.

Strike for Zion, down with error; Flash the sword above the foe!
Ev'ry stroke disarms a foeman; Ev'ry step we conq'ring go.
Hope of Israel, rise in might With the sword of truth and right;
Sound the war-cry, "Watch and pray!" Vanquish ev'ry foe today.

Soon the battle will be over; Ev'ry foe of truth be down.
Onward, onward, youth of Zion; Thy reward the victor's crown.

Hope of Israel, rise in might With the sword of truth and right;
Sound the war-cry, "Watch and pray!" Vanquish ev'ry foe today.

I left church today wanting to spend all my time studying and learning the gospel better, but also wanting to spend all my time doing all the missionary work I could and finding all those that are searching for hope, as well as really wanting to learn how to do my family history research and....it can be overwhelming to think about all that there is to do, but it's also so exciting and helpful to know and have a purpose.  I need to work on my specific focus so that I actually do something, but I'm grateful for the inspiration and the HOPE!!!  We can't do everything, but we can do something...and we must do something.  Today.  :)  ....because God lives, we have a Savior, there is a Plan!  He wants us to be happy, to succeed, to come back to Him....and there is work to do.

Life's Purpose

I just saw this video the other day - Oregon to Patagonia.  I like it and what it made me think about (and maybe I was thinking way too much, but I've read a few related books and scriptures lately that got me thinking more about the message here)!  It's interesting and inspiring - live intentionally, do what you love, make things happen, don't just let life happen, act and don't be acted upon.  What do I really want to do or need to do?  ;)  More importantly, I wonder, what is the right balance....

In some ways the life portrayed here seems somewhat selfish?  Of course - this was just a year, and I can't judge his heart or reasons or purpose or options - of course it's better to be out exploring the world and bettering yourself than sitting at home.  He was doing good along the way, too (even in inspiring others that don't know him with the video); travel and caring to learn about others opens us up to that, but how do we find the right balance for living our lives proactively, setting our goals and working towards them and waiting on the Lord and doing His will?  Who is really in charge of our lives?  How do we live courageously, proactively, and humbly, selflessly?  Being responsible and routine may not be so bad - maybe some of the purpose and point of life is steadiness, but even in our habits I do think we need to be intentional and choose our life and live it fully.

Maybe these ideas contradict and I'm making no sense, but I wonder if sometimes our goals or desires keep us from something else the Lord wants us to do and be?  Is it possible to be too focused or stubborn that we miss something else that might be more important?  How can we be selfless and still loyal to our goals?  How do we best strive to improve and make the most of life while being humble enough to give it all up when and if and as we have to?  Do we have to?  How does it work? ;)  How do we balance responsibilities, desires, talents, hobbies, and the Lord's will in our life?

What's the difference between fun, joy, purpose, and meaning?  What should we be pursuing here on earth? growth? learning? becoming?  How do we find the proper balance between that intense focus and trying to accomplish something, recharging our batteries, doing something we love, and selflessly giving our lives to the Lord?
Thoughts?!

I don't think we can judge anyone else's purpose or life (so I hope that's not how this sounds), and I think there are many ways to find the right balance in life.  We are each so different, but I found these talks and thoughts helpful to me in thinking about these questions:

• Developing a Christlike Character by President David O. McKay
• Christlike Attributes - the Wind beneath Our Wings by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
• The Character of Christ by Elder David A. Bednar
• Give Us, This Day, Our Daily Bread by Elder D. Todd Christofferson
• 10 Characteristics of Jesus Christ and How to Develop Them
• Christlike Attributes

As President McKay said, "Man’s chief concern in life should not be the acquiring of gold, or of fame, or of material possessions. It should not be the development of physical prowess, nor of intellectual strength, but his aim, the highest in life, should be the development of a Christ-like character."

Selfishness

I loved and really needed to hear the talks today in sacrament meeting, particularly the reference to this talk by Elder Neal A. Maxwell - "Repent of [Our] Selfishness":

"Selfishness is really self-destruction in slow motion....Each spasm of selfishness narrows one’s universe that much more by reducing his awareness of or concern with others.  Some selfish moderns need a Copernican reminder that they are not the center of the universe either!.... 

"Selfishness...causes us to be discourteous, disdainful, and self-centered while withholding from others needed goods, praise, and recognition as we selfishly pass them by and notice them not (see Morm. 8:39)..... 

"In contrast to the path of selfishness, there is no room for road rage on the straight and narrow way....Unselfishness is best grown in the family garden, and, likewise, diligently performing seemingly ordinary Church duties can further help us to overcome selfishness. The unselfish are also more free. As G. K. Chesterton said, if we can be interested in others, even if they are not interested in us, we will find ourselves “under a freer sky, [and] in a street full of splendid strangers." 

"Meekness is the real cure, for it does not merely mask selfishness but dissolves it! Smaller steps could include asking ourselves inwardly before undertaking an important action, Whose needs am I really trying to meet?....  

"Individual selfishness is finally acculturated. Then societies can eventually become without order, without mercy, without love, perverted, and past feeling (see Moro. 9)..... 

"Selfishness is actually the detonator of all the cardinal sins. It is the hammer for the breaking of the Ten Commandments, whether by neglecting parents, the Sabbath, or by inducing false witness, murder, and envy....Some of the selfish wrongly believe that there is no divine law anyway, so there is no sin (see 2 Ne. 2:13). Situational ethics are thus made to order for the selfish..... 

"Of unselfish George Washington it has been written: “In all history few men who possessed unassailable power have used that power so gently and self-effacingly for what their best instincts told them was the welfare of their neighbors and all mankind.”  Power is most safe with those, like Washington, who are not in love with it! A narcissist society, in which each person is busy looking out for number one, can build neither brotherhood nor community..... 

"In contrast, as I close, consider unselfish Melissa Howes, whose comparatively young father died of cancer several months ago. Just before, Melissa, who was then nine, was voice in family prayer, pleading, “Heavenly Father, bless my daddy, and if you need him more than us, you can have him. We want him, but Thy will be done. And please help us not to be mad at you.”"

Selfishness and pride truly are universal sins, but that makes it so much more important to be vigilant and humble enough to desire to change and work on doing it, with the Lord's help.  I think the reason this talk stood out to me so much was because lately I've been thinking about different forms of selfishness and Elder Maxwell's words are so clear and direct and a great reminder.

So, what do you do to focus on being selfless?

invisible

Have you ever wanted to be invisible?  Or felt like you were invisible?  It might sounds silly or like something out of a Harry Potter movie, but I've realized lately that I have a problem with wanting to be invisible.  This post might be sharing too much, but then I think that's the whole problem - I may need to be more open, vulnerable, visible.  ;)  So, here goes... This is my attempt to try to start to figure out and overcome (at least to some degree) my desire to be invisible.  :)

I've thought and written a little about this before (okay, a lot, but I didn't realize it):

• Connected (September 2011)
• Here to Learn (June 2012)
• Team, Community, Companionship, Connections (August 2012)
• Inspired (July 2012)
• Courage, Confidence (August 2012)
• Confidence in Him (October 2012)
• Window to His Love (June 2013)
• Freedom (July 2013)
• Claustrophobia vs. an open heart (July 2013)
• music (September 2013)
• Do you have room? (December 2013)
• Accepting Love (February 2014)
• When our fears shall flee away (October 2015)
• To Be Known (January 2016)

As I mentioned in June 2013, I have liked the song "A Window to His Love" for a while, but I am realizing more and more how much I have misunderstood and misinterpreted its message.  I started to realize my problem with being invisible a little over a year ago.  I was talking to a friend about an experience I had running into someone who many people would know.  I had actually talked and worked with her a bit just before we ran into each other, but I was "invisible" (just an email).  I would never have expected her to know who I was and I didn't want her to feel bad for any reason that she didn't....so I didn't say anything to her about the fact that we had talked recently or introduce myself in the context that she would have recognized.  Being the neat person that she is she stopped and asked me about myself and undoubtedly this came up and then she felt bad for not recognizing me.  So, it got me thinking....is there ever a reason to pretend to be small or less than we are?

Marianne Williamson has said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

How can we...how can I be true?  genuine?  By being visible.  Being me.  ;)  I think one reason I've liked "A Window to His Love" so much and why I feel invisible is because I'm an introvert.  I like to be in the background.  I recharge by having quiet time to myself and this song seemed to give me permission to be that - quiet, in the background, invisible, but....maybe that's selfish.  By not inserting myself or allowing others into my life I'm not giving all that I can or should and not growing as I could, either.  I think that what I sometimes saw as "humility" or an occasional lack of confidence might actually have been a form of pride.  Interestingly enough I just found this article by Julie de Azevedo Hanks (the one who wrote "Window to His Love") - 4 Ways What You Think is Humility Could Actually be Pride.  Good article! 

I work in a setting where I relate to the idea of wanting "to be so pure and clear that [no one will] even know I'm here, 'cause His love will shine brightly through me."  I don't want to do anything to diminish or distract or tarnish, so sometimes I think it's best to be "invisible" and not insert myself. And again it goes along with my introverted personality and the fact that I like to observe.  ;)  I love this blog post by a friend of mine that I knew in DC.  I've felt similarly sometimes - “Enough had been thought, and said, and felt, and imagined.  It was about time that something should be done.”  :)

I think this being invisible thing is related to faith, fear - confidence, courage - humility, pride - passive, active - visible, seen, real, open, vulnerable, broken - being present, connected - showing who you are, the good the bad - being genuine - accepting love and giving love - remembering that no man is an island - being mindful - repenting, changing, growing - being committed and invested.

Elder Quentin L. Cook posted something related and helpful on Facebook recently:
"It is common today to hide one’s identity....What we are seeing in society is that when people wear the mask of anonymity, they are more likely to engage in [hateful] conduct, which is so destructive of civil discourse. It also violates the basic principles the Savior taught.
"The righteous need not wear masks to hide their identity. I encourage you to continue to seek to become who you should be—a disciple of Jesus Christ in thought and in action. Set goals to apply Christlike attributes to your lives and pray for help in developing them. As you do, you will allow yourself to be an influence for good wherever you are."

I don't think we need to insert ourselves or draw attention to ourselves unnecessarily.  I think there is still value to being observant, thoughtful, and considerate of others and those qualities are valued in some instances, I'm sure, but for me (and maybe others like me) I think I may need to be more aware of the times where I turn inward and assume speaking up might be getting in the way.

Maybe a better word for me in that song might be 'instrument'....instead of being a window to His love maybe I need to work on being an instrument in His hands.  I shouldn't focus on not being seen, but on using my unique talents and experiences to do His work and His will.  That could be scary and hard, so that's where the faith, repentance, courage comes in.  Ultimately, I think many of these thoughts come down to the fact that we need to try to become more like the Savior.  I think that's really the intent behind those words - window and instrument.  He was never invisible.  He was always there giving and caring about everyone around him.  Even when He looked for time alone there were often people that followed and He would still reach out and treat everyone with respect and love.  He had no selfish desires, but was open to giving and loving others, being seen, being a part of the world around Him then and still.  :)  He's there, not hidden from us.

As we learn of Him, walk with Him, I believe we find more confidence and courage to do His will.  I don't think it will have anything to do with being invisible, but in being alive and active and involved and happy.  Believing in Him helps us believe in ourselves and with His help we can be more than we thought possible.  That's the Plan and that's the power of His love that He wants us to feel and then share.  ;)  "Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever" (Moroni 7:44-48).

Look to the Day

Look to the Day by John Rutter

Look to the day when the world seems new again: 
Morning so fresh you could touch the sky; 
The earth smells sweet and ev’ry flower looks bright, 
Shining in a dewy light as you wander by. 
Taking the time to enjoy each moment; 
Tasting the fruits spread along your way, 
Knowing there’s time to spare, 
Dreams you can dream and share: 
Look to the day, look to the day. 

Look to the day when the earth is green again:
Promise of spring after winter’s sleep. 
The sounds of life returning fill the air, 
Music that’s forever there for your heart to keep. 
Deep in the earth lay the seed of life renewed, 
Quiet and strong till the time of spring:
Life in each bud and shoot, 
Life in each flower and fruit, 
Look to that day when earth shall sing. 

Look to the light that will drive out darkness; 
Look to the hope that will conquer fear. 
God’s strength uphold us till the fight is won, 
Till we see our task is done when the day is here. 
Look for that day when there shall be no more pain; 
Sorrow and sighing shall pass away. 
Pray for the day to come, 
Trust that the day will come, 
Look to that day, look to the day. 

Lord, we give thanks for the gifts of life and health; 
Plant a new seed in our hearts, we pray: 
Help us to see, O Lord, 
How it could be, O Lord; 
Look to the day, look to the day

Dance!

Everyone should have the opportunity to attend a dance recital for children ages 3-9.  So cute!  There is something so sweet to learn by watching these cute and talented and courageous and open and vulnerable kids.  I was struck by the humility, the confidence, the fun, the desire they had to learn and to be themselves.  Wouldn't it be great if we could all hold on to that throughout our lives and never lose that desire to learn, and try new things, and perform.  I hope you dance!  :)

I am in your midst

Some of my greatest inspiration and peace and direction in life comes while sitting in the temple, waiting in the chapel for the next session to begin, listening to the organ, with the scriptures open. Sometimes I'm reading something on purpose, but often I just happen to open up to a verse that I really need.  Always I learn something new and then I have a couple of hours to ponder and when I turn to the scripture again there seems to be even more there than before. ;)  It's such a blessing and it was repeated tonight....

In Doctrine and Covenants 29:5, the Lord says in September 1830 to Joseph Smith and a few other elders gathered together: "Lift up your hearts and be glad, for I am in your midst, and am your advocate with the Father; and it is his good will to give you the kingdom."

That's pretty wonderful just by itself and then it goes on:

"And, as it is written—Whatsoever ye shall ask in faith, being united in prayer according to my command, ye shall receive."

And then you go to any of the footnotes and there is much more.  My favorite is this....Doctrine and Covenants 38:7: "But behold, verily, verily, I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and ye cannot see me;"

These verses are spoken to Joseph Smith and other leaders of the Church at the time, but I believe they are recorded and can be applicable to each of us, and they were particularly meaningful to me tonight.  I've been searching for Him.  Sometimes I feel like He is hard to find and I get discouraged.  I was grateful for the reminder that He is most definitely here, even in our midst, but we can't see Him.  We need to ask, seek, be humble, be united, be one....and He is there!

I just saw this post on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's blog that I love, that's so related - "If the Savior Stood Beside Me"

Weeds

There are so many wonderful lessons in the world all around us.  Lately I have been inspired by the grandeur of the planets in their orbit, the power of the weather, the wonder of the seasons changing.  It really is amazing and it all remind me of the marvelous plan that our loving Heavenly Father has for us.  There is so much that is outside our control.  We may not understand the moving of the planets or what to do with too much rain, but I marvel at the lessons we can learn from nature.

One such lesson that I seem to be learning over and over again this spring has to do with weeds!  :)  It's kind of fun to have, for the first time, my own small yard to take care.  When I moved into my new house I inherited a small yard full of completely unruly weeds.  It took me two or three full Saturdays to get it looking like this...

I was pretty proud of myself in getting it to look this good.  Fortunately just a few weeks later there began to be enough cold weather and eventually snow that I didn't have to think too much about my yard again (the blessings of winter!) until sometime in March when my mom pointed out that the yard was completely full of dandelions.  ;)  What!?  They weren't supposed to come back!  And so I spent another few hours getting rid of all the weeds again.  What to my surprise and dismay, but just a week later they were back, and even a few different varieties.

This little experiment / frustration got me thinking and learning and pondering....if you don't want the weeds to come back you have to fill that space in with something else!!  ;)  Problem is I haven't decided what I want to fill the space in with?  flowers?  vegetables?  grass?  bark?  stepping stones?  It takes me a long time to make a decision and the creativity that gardening involves is not a talent I've been blessed with or worked to develop yet.  But, every week that I don't decide what to the plant or do with the space the weeds come back and think they own the place.  They kind of do.

I think there is an important life lesson in this - whether it's our time or our thoughts or anything else... If we don't decide what we want to do with our time or if we don't fill our minds with good thoughts the weeds come back and take over!  So, we must intentionally fill our lives with GOOD so that there is no room for the bad and ugly and distracting weeds!

Que Sera Sera

One of the highlights of my day today - listening to this joyful oldie, but goodie with my Dad and Grandma.  ;)  

Que Sera Sera

When I was just a little girl I asked my mother, What will I be
Will I be pretty, Will I be rich, Here's what she said to me
Que sera, sera, Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera, What will be, will be 

When I grew up and fell in love I asked my sweetheart, What lies ahead
Will we have rainbows, Day after day, Here's what my sweetheart said
Que sera, sera, Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera, What will be, will be 

Now I have Children of my own They ask their mother, What will I be
Will I be handsome, Will I be rich, I tell them tenderly
Que sera, sera, Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera, What will be, will be
Que Sera, Sera

I've spent some time this past week wishing for earlier days (for a few different reasons), but particularly in thinking about my Grandma.  We have enjoyed many neat adventures together over the last 35+ years.  Sweet memories, but I'm reminded each time we talk - memories can disappear (at least for a time).  That can be hard, but even when they do I am uplifted by the happy, kind, loving example of my sweet Grandma!  Even during the confusing and frustrating times she is happy and is a joy to those around her.  What a sweet example that I hope to do better at following!  :D  Worry less, be kind and happy more.  :D

Why am I here?

Even with all the joy and hope that I've found in the scriptures and life lately, there are still hard days and I wonder sometimes - Why am I here?  What am I doing?  Particularly lately I've felt like maybe I could and should be doing something more somewhere else?  This is mostly in regards to my ward and Church service, but a few others things might fall into the category.

That's why I was SOOOO grateful for a very sweet testimony today that helped me understand my place now a little bit better.  ;)  A guy in our ward talked about serving his mission in Tonga.  He served for a time on a very small island where he knew everyone's name and no one was interested in listening.  He loved being a missionary, but wondered if his time might not be better spent somewhere else.  Why had the Lord sent him there?  Surely there were other places he could be making more of a difference.  As he thought and prayed and worried about this he received an answer from the Lord who said, "I brought you to this island, without other distractions, so that I could spend time with you!"  :D  How sweet is that!?  ;)

I believe that wherever we are the Lord truly does want to spend time with us, but the bigger issue (and as this brother pointed out since returning from his mission) is us making time for Him!  I think this is always important, but there may be certain times in our life when we either need a little more time with the Lord or He is specifically inviting us to not worry about a lot of others things and just spend time with Him!  I feel like I've had a lot of time on my hands lately - some I've used well, some less well, but my great desire truly is to spend this time with Him (whether that be in the scriptures, in prayer, in the temple, in service, in His beautiful creations, with His other children...)!  I know this brings the greatest happiness and direction and purpose and I'm very grateful for the reminder....that that's why I'm here.  ;)

More Hope - Hosanna, Hallelujah!

Easter (Jesus Christ, His resurrection, and victory over death and sin) means hope and I've seen it in so many places lately!!!!

• Hosanna!
• What is the Hosanna Shout and Why Do We Do It?
• Provo City Center Temple Dedication
• Hallelujah!
• Follow Him and Find New Life
• Cardinal Timothy Dolan's Easter message

As listed in the links above....my heart has been touched thinking about.....

• Palm Sunday and those that cheered and welcomed Him to Jerusalem - HOSANNA!  
• Remarkably this year on Palm Sunday members of the Church in Utah got to participate in the Provo City Center Temple Dedication and rejoice in a building restored to a greater purpose that can bring us closer to Him!  As a part of that dedication, we were reminded of Isaiah 61:3, "Appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."  He gives us beauty for ashes and guides us safely home.  He may ask, "If I want to remodel, what's that to you?"  We can have faith in the owner of the building.  ;)  Sometimes he lets it rain....but we can remember to look at our life through heaven's eyes, give then as Jesus gives...singing, singing all the day, and remember the Savior, Redeemer of My Soul.
• George Frederich Handel's Messiah, particularly as performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir - really incredible!  Some of my favorites:
• "And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it" (Isaiah 40:5).
• "And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness" (Malachi 3:33).
• "Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men" (Luke 2:14).
• "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).
• "Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up; ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in.  Who is this King of Glory?  The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in.  Who is this King of Glory?  The Lord of Hosts, He is the King of Glory" (Psalm 24:7-10).
• "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things" (Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15).
• "But thanks be to God, Who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).
• "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.  Blessing and honor, glory and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.  Amen" (Revelations 5:12-14).
• Anytime we get to reflect on the life of the Savior we are blessed!
• Even during trials across the world or close by, there is hope!  It might seem that all of the world is turning crazy and choosing a different path, but we can still stand up for right and find peace in the chaos!

More Joy

There really is joy all around when that's what we seek!  Tonight I found more joy at the temple, and particularly when I came across this verse:  3 Nephi 28:10, "And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy; and ye shall be even as I am, and I am even as the Father; and the Father and I are one;"

If you go back to the preceding verses you'll find that the Savior is speaking here to the three Nephite disciples who desired to "bring the souls of men unto [Him], while the world shall stand."  So, that's the "cause" that will bring a "fullness of joy" and I believe that is very instructive for each of us.  We may not all be here until the "world shall stand" but we are here in the world now and every time we bring someone (even and maybe even particularly ourselves) to Him we are blessed!

The verses just after this and referenced in the footnotes explain even more joy:

D&C 84:37-38:  "And he that receiveth me receiveth my Father;  And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him."

Obviously we have a few things to balance in life, but reading these verses tonight made me think again about how sharing the gospel and coming to Him can and should be our focus.  Really,  nothing else matters.  Our joy will be full!  :)

I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus

I have listened to this beautiful medley at least 50 times today - I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus / Tell Me the Stories of Jesus sung by Rebecca Mohler.  BEAUTIFUL!!...and kind of what it's ALL ABOUT!  :)

On what I feel is a related note, these few verses in Jacob jumped out at me in a new and powerful way today, helping me see more clearly what His plan is for us, what He wants for us, and how we can be more like Jesus now:

Jacob 3:1-2: 
"But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart.  Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction.
"O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever."

To me this scripture is saying:
1. Most importantly, we must have pure hearts, intentions, desires!  Be genuine, real, want what He wants!
2. We need to look to God steadfastly, always, without doubt, focusing our attention and thoughts on Him.
3. We also need to pray with faith and lift up our heads and receive His words for us.

When we do these things we can and will be able to feast upon His love FOREVER.  He wants to bless us with His love, always, and this is how it will come and how we will enjoy it CONSTANTLY.  What an incredible blessing and what a clear path!  Even just the idea of this direction makes me happy.  What a loving Father who only wants the best for us, His children.

So, I think the next question for me is how can I purify my heart?  What do I need to do today to make my heart pure and my mind firm?

Hope

I shared some similar thoughts (more eloquently) a year ago, but tonight I was again filled with HOPE while listening to the same music about the Savior and His life and love.  Hope did not die when He was killed, but that's where it was ultimately and eternally given to each of us.  

I have always loved the LDS Bible Dictionary's explanation of Resurrection, particularly this ending:
"To obtain a resurrection with a celestial, exalted body is the center point of hope in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Resurrection of Jesus is the most glorious of all messages to mankind."  I was reminded of these words while listening to the cymbals crash with great joy!....and listening to the words of John 11:25-26 in the beautiful song, I Am the Resurrection:

I am the Resurrection and the Life.He that believeth in me, though he were dead,Yet shall he live.And whosever liveth and believeth in me shall never die!

These words particularly touched me and helped me realize that if we believe in Him and rely on Him and trust in Him we truly will NEVER die spiritually ever!!  He is hope.  He is life!!

But for those moments when we wonder how it's going to work out, Thomas sings.....

Sometime We'll Understand

Not now, but in coming years,
It may not be when we demand
We'll read the meaning of our tears,
And there, sometime, we'll understand

Why what we long for most of all
Eludes our open pleading hand
Why ever silence meets our call,
Somewhere, sometime, we'll understand
So trust in God through all thy days
Fear not, for he doth hold thy hand;
Though dark thy way, still sing and praise,
Sometime, sometime we'll understand.

Sometime, we'll fall on bended knee
And feel there, graven on his hand
Sometime with tear-less eyes we'll see
What here, we could not understand
So trust in God through all the days;
Fear not, for he doth hold thy hand;
Though dark thy way, still sing and praise,
Sometime, sometime we'll understand

Joy

Today I'm grateful for a meaningful FHE discussion about JOY:

• What has brought you an increase of joy this last week? (I think this is a great question to consider every week!)  :D
• Is there a hymn or scripture that has brought you an increase of joy?

I'm grateful for the joy I found in the week....

• spending time with family in fun (biking) and work (cleaning the garage)
• managing my priorities and tasks and expectations list better this week - not getting so caught up in all that I wanted to do that I wasn't happy with what I was able to accomplish
• visiting temples
• studying the scriptures....the scriptures were full of JOY this week!
• reading....lots of good things, but particularly this GREAT book and quote about JOY:

That We Might Have Joy by President Howard W. Hunter:
"And what of the meek? In a world too preoccupied with winning through intimidation and seeking to be number one, no large crowd is standing in line to buy books that call for mere meekness. But the meek shall inherit the earth, a pretty impressive corporate takeover--and done without intimidation! Sooner or later, and we pray sooner than later, everyone will acknowledge that Christ's way is not only the right way, but ultimately the only way to hope and joy. Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that gentleness is better than brutality, that kindness is greater than coercion, that the soft voice turneth away wrath. In the end, and sooner than that whenever possible we must be more like him. 'To those who fall, how kind thou! How good to those who seek (p. 9)!'"

• listening to music....it struck me at Church yesterday that Christ lives to bless us....everything listed in this song is something completely wonderful and selfless that He blesses us with (I can't think of anything more that we could need or want)....he wants us to be happy....and He is the one that brings joy!!...I also believe it is a pattern for us to learn from....we can have joy when we love and give and bless others as selflessly....  :D

I Know That My Redeemer Lives 
I know that my Redeemer lives. What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead. He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love. He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed. He lives to bless in time of need.
He lives to grant me rich supply. He lives to guide me with his eye.
He lives to comfort me when faint. He lives to hear my soul's complaint.
He lives to silence all my fears. He lives to wipe away my tears.
He lives to calm my troubled heart. He lives all blessings to impart.
He lives, my kind, wise heav'nly Friend. He lives and loves me to the end.
He lives, and while he lives, I'll sing. He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
He lives and grants me daily breath. He lives, and I shall conquer death.
He lives my mansion to prepare. He lives to bring me safely there.
He lives! All glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives!"
He lives! All glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same.
Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: "I know that my Redeemer lives!"

One last serendipitous note....as I'm typing up this post about JOY, what should come on Mormon Music Channel 24/7, but this delightful gem by Janice Kapp Perry:

Surround Yourself with Joy
Life holds much of sorrow, that we cannot avoid.
So when you have the chance, when you have the choice,
Surround yourself with joy.
Surround yourself with children, so innocent and sweet
For life can seem so simple if you can make believe.
Surround yourself with music, and you'll find solace there,
For when your heart is tender, your song becomes a prayer.

Surround yourself with friendship, when you feel all alone.
For in the love of others the sweetest joys are known.
Surround yourself with beauty, enjoy God's handiwork.
In sights and sounds of nature, the voice of God is heard.

Surround yourself with silence, for when you are alone
the whisperings of the spirit are quietly made known.
Surround yourself with heaven, in every waking thought,
For there is peace and safety, within the love of God.
Life holds much of sorrow, that we cannot avoid,
So when you have the chance, when you have the choice,
Surround yourself with Joy.

So, what are you doing today to surround yourself with JOY and increase joy in your life?  :)