Wow!! Again, another subject for me to internalize before I write about it. I did not raise my children in the Gospel. I have no reference points for this discussion. There are regrets of course now, that I was not able to raise my children in the Gospel.
How does one do it? What do you do? Why do you do it? Where do you do it?
I listened to those of you that grew up in the church and are raising your children in the Gospel or have raised your children in the Gospel. It sounds like free agency is a strong component.
President Joseph F. Smith had many wonderful suggestions to offer up. The suggestions were ones I have heard over and over the past 6-7 years I have been in church. Parents are responsible for raising their children righteously and the church is the support system with Sunday School, Primary, etc.
Parents need to set the righteous example and begin teaching when young......and I see the young families in our ward doing that! They bring church centered activities to keep them quiet, they teach them reverence, to pray, to give talks, to read the scriptures, family home evening and teaching them to set goals for the Temple.
When I was in Jr Primary, I was amazed how well they read from the scriptures. They got this at home! The love the parents have for the Gospel shines in their little faces.....I saw it every Sunday I was there.
So, what can I add? I can say "BRAVO!" to the parents that are doing their best!!! And if your child chooses to leave the church, continue to love them, pray for them just as you would if they were active.
My sister and my brother prayed for over 30 years for me.....they never gave up on me. I am going to church and I have been to the Temple.......there is always hope!
Now, I pray for my children's hearts to be softened that one day, maybe one day, they will be ready to hear about the Gospel.
Kathy
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Eternal Marriage
Last Sundays' lesson has been tumbling around in my thoughts and heart all week. I have so many different feelings on so many levels on this, that it took time to try to put it all together.
I come from a very broken, splintered childhood that continued into my adult life. This makes an eternal marriage a very difficult concept to understand, to follow, to accept.
I struggled with this for years. I do have an eternal marriage. We will be sealed for 5 years this November. But it was not an easy decision. Coming from a very splintered, broken life, how do you follow a commandment that you don't believe is for you? Where do you find the strength, faith and "endure to the end" attitude to follow this commandment? How do you find the strength, faith and "endure to the end" attitude to follow this commandment? Why do you find the strength, faith and "endure to the end" attitude to follow this commandment?
President Joseph F. Smith stated "The Lord has given us his everlasting gospel to be a light and a standard to us, and this gospel includes his holy order of matrimony, which is eternal in nature. We should not and must not follow the marriage practices of the world. We have a greater light than the world has, and the Lord expects more of us than he does of the them." He also stated "No one can be deprived of exaltation who remains faithful......An undeserving husband cannot prevent a faithful wife from an exaltation and vice versa."
I went forward in faith and obtained my eternal marriage that some how, some way, a plan I do not know will make my eternal marriage work. That some how, some way, my broken, splintered life will be whole when Judgement Day arrives.
I have leaned on the Lord trusting in his plan and in the Atonement, that some how, some way, my family will be whole. My family will be linked through time and all eternity and not splintered and broken as it is now.
Kathy
I come from a very broken, splintered childhood that continued into my adult life. This makes an eternal marriage a very difficult concept to understand, to follow, to accept.
I struggled with this for years. I do have an eternal marriage. We will be sealed for 5 years this November. But it was not an easy decision. Coming from a very splintered, broken life, how do you follow a commandment that you don't believe is for you? Where do you find the strength, faith and "endure to the end" attitude to follow this commandment? How do you find the strength, faith and "endure to the end" attitude to follow this commandment? Why do you find the strength, faith and "endure to the end" attitude to follow this commandment?
President Joseph F. Smith stated "The Lord has given us his everlasting gospel to be a light and a standard to us, and this gospel includes his holy order of matrimony, which is eternal in nature. We should not and must not follow the marriage practices of the world. We have a greater light than the world has, and the Lord expects more of us than he does of the them." He also stated "No one can be deprived of exaltation who remains faithful......An undeserving husband cannot prevent a faithful wife from an exaltation and vice versa."
I went forward in faith and obtained my eternal marriage that some how, some way, a plan I do not know will make my eternal marriage work. That some how, some way, my broken, splintered life will be whole when Judgement Day arrives.
I have leaned on the Lord trusting in his plan and in the Atonement, that some how, some way, my family will be whole. My family will be linked through time and all eternity and not splintered and broken as it is now.
Kathy
Monday, June 30, 2014
Sacrifice and Service
Good Morning Sisters!
Yesterday at church, I heard stories about the Youth Trek. I heard about the challenges and lessons. I heard about service. I heard about not giving up, not complaining, not giving less than 100%. Our youth and the leaders that went on this journey together, found a strength within themselves they were not aware that they had. They sacrificed for each other, They served each other.
In Sunday School, the lesson centered around David and Jonathan. The special relationship they had. They did not betray each, they had a deep, enduring friendship. They sacrificed for each other, They served each other.
In the combined Relief Society and Priesthood Meeting, we heard a talk from Apostle Holland about Christ and his Apostles -- "1st Great Commandment" Oct 2012 General Conference. It also spoke to Sacrifice and Service. Find the talk and read it again.
As we face our challenges and lessons, we should keep sacrifice and service in the forefront. It will help us to get through the challenge and learn the lesson we need to learn. We need to also learn it is not, I repeat, NOT a weakness to reach out to our families, our friends for support during our challenges. We should not be afraid of being turned away, of being denied this loving support. We need to learn to lean on Jesus Christ our Savior to help us get through all of the trials and tribulations this world has for us.
We need to Come Unto Christ.
Kathy
Yesterday at church, I heard stories about the Youth Trek. I heard about the challenges and lessons. I heard about service. I heard about not giving up, not complaining, not giving less than 100%. Our youth and the leaders that went on this journey together, found a strength within themselves they were not aware that they had. They sacrificed for each other, They served each other.
In Sunday School, the lesson centered around David and Jonathan. The special relationship they had. They did not betray each, they had a deep, enduring friendship. They sacrificed for each other, They served each other.
In the combined Relief Society and Priesthood Meeting, we heard a talk from Apostle Holland about Christ and his Apostles -- "1st Great Commandment" Oct 2012 General Conference. It also spoke to Sacrifice and Service. Find the talk and read it again.
As we face our challenges and lessons, we should keep sacrifice and service in the forefront. It will help us to get through the challenge and learn the lesson we need to learn. We need to also learn it is not, I repeat, NOT a weakness to reach out to our families, our friends for support during our challenges. We should not be afraid of being turned away, of being denied this loving support. We need to learn to lean on Jesus Christ our Savior to help us get through all of the trials and tribulations this world has for us.
We need to Come Unto Christ.
Kathy
Friday, June 6, 2014
Willingness to Forgive
“The willingness to forgive is a sign of spiritual and emotional maturity. It is one of the great virtues to which we all should aspire. Imagine a world filled with individuals willing both to apologize and to accept an apology. Is there any problem that could not be solved among people who possessed the humility and largeness of spirit and soul to do either -- or both -- when needed?”
― Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes
President Hinckley has so many wonderful, thought provoking and to the point insights......This one seems to call to me.....because it is something I have been working on before I came back to church 7 years ago. It has been a struggle for me. As I progress in my knowledge and understanding of the Gospel, I do find it less of a struggle..albeit...small, baby steps...but less of a struggle. I progress and forgive and I find my personal growth magnifies....I find that remarkable!
Precept by precept, line by line, step by step; my spiritual growth increases. My past is full of pain, anguish and struggle. Some I had no control over, some were mistakes I made as a young adult. Fully realizing the power of The Atonement will take a lifetime for me. But as I make my slow but sure progress, the willingness to forgive increases. The power of my past is slowly losing it's hold on me.
I reflect upon my progress....some days, I feel like I am on the way...no one can stop me. Other days, it feels like I have slipped and lost my footing. I find myself leaning more and more on Heavenly Father. And part of that progress is letting go of the past and forgiving so I can move on, so I can progress, so I can have a more pure heart. So I can be more of what Heavenly Father wants me to be.
It is a struggle, I struggle every day but it is a struggle worthwhile to conquer.
Kathy
― Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes
President Hinckley has so many wonderful, thought provoking and to the point insights......This one seems to call to me.....because it is something I have been working on before I came back to church 7 years ago. It has been a struggle for me. As I progress in my knowledge and understanding of the Gospel, I do find it less of a struggle..albeit...small, baby steps...but less of a struggle. I progress and forgive and I find my personal growth magnifies....I find that remarkable!
Precept by precept, line by line, step by step; my spiritual growth increases. My past is full of pain, anguish and struggle. Some I had no control over, some were mistakes I made as a young adult. Fully realizing the power of The Atonement will take a lifetime for me. But as I make my slow but sure progress, the willingness to forgive increases. The power of my past is slowly losing it's hold on me.
I reflect upon my progress....some days, I feel like I am on the way...no one can stop me. Other days, it feels like I have slipped and lost my footing. I find myself leaning more and more on Heavenly Father. And part of that progress is letting go of the past and forgiving so I can move on, so I can progress, so I can have a more pure heart. So I can be more of what Heavenly Father wants me to be.
It is a struggle, I struggle every day but it is a struggle worthwhile to conquer.
Kathy
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Recognizing God’s Hand in Our Daily Blessings BY ELDER D. TODD CHRISTOFFERSON
Good Morning Sisters,
Please enjoy this talk about remembering our daily blessings.....I am thankful for my family. I am thankful for the Gospel in my life. I am thankful I live in this wonderful country.
What are you thankful for?
https://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/01/recognizing-gods-hand-in-our-daily-blessings?lang=eng
Kathy
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Mother's Day
Hello Sisters,
We have an amazing calling called Motherhood. It has it ups, it has it's downs and through it all, our love for our children grows and blossoms into eternal love, never ending love, with every fiber of our being love.
And if we are not Mother's to a biologic child, we still are capable of having this love for the child we adopt, or the children we call nieces and nephews, the children we teach in Sunday School/Primary; maybe the children we teach out in the world.
This calling works hand in hand with Heavenly Father; it is our destiny; it is our nurturing natures.
President D. McKay states: “Motherhood consists of three principal attributes or qualities: namely, (1) the power to bear, (2) the ability to rear, (3) the gift to love. …
President H. Hunter states: “The First Presidency has said: ‘Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind’ (in James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965–75], 6:178). The priesthood cannot work out its destiny, nor can God’s purposes be fulfilled, without our helpmates. Mothers perform a labor the priesthood cannot do. For this gift of life, the priesthood should have love unbounded for the mothers of their children. …
Our calling is important, eternal and necessary; for all of us to return to Heavenly Father, Motherhood is an important key stone.
Let's take joy in being what we are suppose to be...co-creators with our Priesthood Partner in making eternal families.
Kathy
We have an amazing calling called Motherhood. It has it ups, it has it's downs and through it all, our love for our children grows and blossoms into eternal love, never ending love, with every fiber of our being love.
And if we are not Mother's to a biologic child, we still are capable of having this love for the child we adopt, or the children we call nieces and nephews, the children we teach in Sunday School/Primary; maybe the children we teach out in the world.
This calling works hand in hand with Heavenly Father; it is our destiny; it is our nurturing natures.
President D. McKay states: “Motherhood consists of three principal attributes or qualities: namely, (1) the power to bear, (2) the ability to rear, (3) the gift to love. …
President H. Hunter states: “The First Presidency has said: ‘Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind’ (in James R. Clark, comp., Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 6 vols. [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965–75], 6:178). The priesthood cannot work out its destiny, nor can God’s purposes be fulfilled, without our helpmates. Mothers perform a labor the priesthood cannot do. For this gift of life, the priesthood should have love unbounded for the mothers of their children. …
Our calling is important, eternal and necessary; for all of us to return to Heavenly Father, Motherhood is an important key stone.
Let's take joy in being what we are suppose to be...co-creators with our Priesthood Partner in making eternal families.
Kathy
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