The current prophet, President Russell M. Nelson

For many members of the Church, general conference is an incredible spiritual experience. For me, general conference leaves me in a state that I describe as being on a “spiritual high.”

I’ve been very fortunate to be in attendance in the Conference Center a few times during general conference. I’ve sat in the presence of the prophet of God and have truly felt his Spirit. I’ve also participated in general conference via satellite from a remote location. I’ve felt the Spirit then, too. Regardless of whether I listen to the prophet in person or through the marvels of modern technology, I’ve always felt the love that he has for all of us and an assurance that my Heavenly Father knows and loves me.

Our family had another opportunity to attend general conference at the Conference Center a while back. I remember standing and singing “We Thank Thee, O God, For A Prophet” along with the Tabernacle Choir towards the end of the session. I’m sure everyone was focused on President Hinckley, who was the prophet at that time, as he stood there in his usual place on the stand. The Spirit testified strongly to me that President Hinckley was a prophet of God. I could see how moved my family was, especially our boys. I remember thinking that if only we can hold on to that Spirit for the rest of our lives, our family would be just fine. I sat and offered a silent prayer that our boys will remember that feeling when they are faced with trials and tribulations.

We all know that it is practically impossible to hang on to such feelings when we are faced with the realities of life. It is hard to be on a spiritual high when the world we live in is anything but spiritual. But does this mean that we shouldn’t strive for it in our lives? No! If anything, this should make us try even harder to maintain or to get back that feeling of being on a spiritual high.

One of the things that really helps me to maintain or rediscover my spiritual high is by reading and rereading the powerful talks and articles that are available on the Church’s website. We also have the monthly Church magazines and I do urge you to get those if you don’t have them in your homes yet. (You can also get them via the Gospel Library, the Church’s main mobile app.) As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are taught to “seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom…” The scriptures, Church magazines, and other Church-sponsored publications are prime examples of the “best books.” This extends to Church-approved online publications and databases as well.

The online database of articles and talks gives us access to the most recent talks by the prophet and other Church leaders. It also gives us access to the many talks and inspirational messages by previous Church leaders. At the very top of the homepage of the Church’s official web site, you’ll see a menu bar with tabs including “Scriptures and Study,” “Families and Individuals,” etc. Click on “Scriptures and Study” and then, under prophetic teachings, click on “General Conference.” From there, you can find talks from the past several decades. By using the Church’s search bar, you can also find a variety of articles from Church magazines, online publications, etc. You can search for an article by title, by subject, or by author/speaker. You can filter your search in a number of different ways, too.

I’ve found the practice of reading one article a day on a chosen subject to be spiritually uplifting. It helps me to deal with whatever I’m faced with that day. You may not have time to read an article every day and that’s okay; don’t feel as if you have to. I just happen to have the time to do that at this point in my life. I read when I’m waiting in the car to pick up our boys after school. I read when I’m sitting in front of my computer waiting for the right words to come before I write a post. I read when I can’t sleep.

You may only have time to read an article every other day or once a week. Whether it is once a day or once a week, I hope that you do take advantage of this wonderful resource. There have been many times when I’ve found the exact thing I needed at the time by reading these articles. There have been many times when my resolve is strengthened after reading these inspired messages for our times.

I know that each of us will experience times of trials and tribulations. Some will be minor nuisances while others will be almost unbearable. It is my hope that when we do experience those times, we will reach for those moments in our lives when we’ve had the Spirit testify to us about our Heavenly Father’s love for each of us. I hope that we will try to remember those times when we’ve known in our hearts that there is a purpose to life, that our trials and tribulations are only for a moment. When those times come — and they will — remember to reach for your spiritual high.

This article was originally published in November 2007. Several minor changes were made for timeliness and consistency.

Moira T

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”

Remember this nursery rhyme? Does anyone out there really believe that words can’t hurt us? Words do hurt! Words can leave wounds and scars that linger long after broken bones are healed. Words can maim for life!

I’d never heard about American Idol, let alone watched it, until March of this year. Well, the big American Idol finale was last night. Two very talented singers went head to head. From all appearances, the two were both worthy of the title. Both are extremely gifted singers. Both appear to be humble young men from families that love them very much. Last night, one very deserving young man was crowned the victor. The other, just as deserving and just as talented, is rightly proud of the fact that he gave it his all and did his best.

It’s been interesting to watch the frenzy that surrounded this show, especially on the internet. Actually, I don’t think “interesting” is quite the word I want. I believe the one I want is “disheartening.” That’s the word that comes the closest to describing how I feel. I found it absolutely disheartening to read some of the unkind things that were written about the contestants, especially the young “Mormon kid” from Utah. It was especially disheartening to realize that some of the meanest things written about him were written not by teenagers but by adults.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we know that each of us will experience adversity in our lives.

“Adversity comes from different sources…Adversity may sometimes come because of others’ poor choices and hurtful words and actions” (“Adversity,” True to the Faith).

Negativity in the media is nothing new. We’ve dealt with it on a large scale ever since television became a common household item. However, the anonymity afforded by the internet seems to have given rise to a whole new level of mean-spiritedness in our society.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:

“…Negative speaking so often flows from negative thinking, including negative thinking about ourselves. We see our own faults, we speak—or at least think—critically of ourselves, and before long that is how we see everyone and everything. No sunshine, no roses, no promise of hope or happiness. Before long we and everybody around us are miserable” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Tongue of Angels,” April 2007).

This post is really not about American Idol. It’s about how we view and treat each other. It’s about what we say about each other and how we say it. It’s about showing a little more kindness and compassion with the words that we speak and write. It’s about doing unto others as we would have them do unto us.

As a parent, I know how crucial my words are to my children. The right words can lift and motivate while the wrong words can destroy. I have no doubt that my words affect my children whether they’re 8 years old or 19 years old. Because I know this, I’m very careful with my words, especially when I’m angry or upset.

Should I be any less careful with what I say to or about other people’s children? Of course not! Should I be any less considerate of what I say about anyone else? Absolutely not!

Does this mean that we can’t correct or offer constructive criticism when necessary? Of course not. Does this mean that we will like everyone that we’ll come across? No, definitely not. Does this mean that we’ll all be in agreement on every issue and matter that arises? Of course we won’t! BUT we can disagree without being mean. We can correct with love. We can even vote, praise, and cheer for our favorite American Idol without belittling the talent and character of the other.

Elder Holland continued:

“Our words, like our deeds, should be filled with faith and hope and charity, the three great Christian imperatives so desperately needed in the world today. With such words, spoken under the influence of the Spirit, tears can be dried, hearts can be healed, lives can be elevated, hope can return, confidence can prevail.”

There is a hymn that we sing in Church that I hum to myself when I find myself being less than charitable in my words. The first line reads, “Let us oft speak kind words to each other/At home or wherever we may be.” Friends, there is enough meanness and hate in the world. Let us try to be a little more considerate of each other. Let us try and speak kind words, not only within our homes but in our neighborhoods and communities and yes, even on the internet.

Moira T

Like many parents, we gave our teenagers cell phones so that they would have a way of reaching us (and vice versa) in case of an emergency. This was especially important to us as they had reached the age where they were driving themselves to local school events and other extracurricular activities.

Before they were given cell phones, we made sure that they understood there were certain rules that we expected them to keep. In other words, they received the “talk.” We educated them as much as possible on how to use their cell phones safely and wisely. It was quite similar to the many talks we had on Internet safety. They nodded their heads and acted as if they understood fully what we were trying to teach them. For awhile, it looked as if we were home free. They were educated users of the Internet and other technology, including cell phones.

Then one night, our 16-year-old woke us up in a panic. Apparently, a “friend” he’d been communicating with on his cell phone was having some very serious problems and had texted our son to tell him all about it. This was alarming in and of itself, but when we found out that our son had never met this “friend,” we were even more scared. Obviously our son had forgotten one of the things we tried to teach him — never talk, text, or communicate with anyone on his cell phone or online that he hadn’t already met in person. Was this friend even a real friend? Was this person even a teenager like our son or someone posing as such to draw sympathy or something more from our son?

I believe that all of us learned some important lessons that evening. I learned that as a parent, I need to keep talking to my kids about the perils that come with the marvels of technology. I need to remind them over and over again, even when they roll their eyes and tell me, “We know, Mom.” Our son learned firsthand that we have rules for a reason. He learned that using technology such as the Internet and cell phones comes with responsibility. On a happier note, I was reminded that our son trusted us enough to come to us even though he knew there would probably be some consequences.

Many leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have spoken about the blessings as well as the dangers associated with technology. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave this timely counsel:

“With modern technology even your youngest brothers and sisters can be carried virtually around the world before they are old enough to ride a tricycle safely across the street. What were in my generation carefree moments of moviegoing, TV watching, and magazine reading have now, with the additional availability of VCRs, the Internet, and personal computers, become amusements fraught with genuine moral danger” (“Sanctify Yourselves,” Jeffrey R. Holland, October 2000).

Modern technology is indeed “fraught with moral danger.” This by no means takes away from the immeasurable potential technology presents for good in our lives. I am very grateful for the many advances in modern technology because it has blessed our lives in so many ways. However, I’m also well aware that with these benefits come many pitfalls and we must be vigilant lest the pitfalls overcome the benefits.

Bottom line: don’t stop talking to your kids about technology, whether it be the Internet, cell phones, or any other aspect of media now and in the future.

This article was originally posted in March 2008. Minor changes have been made.

Moira T

Into every life there come the painful, despairing days of adversity and buffeting. There seems to be a full measure of anguish, sorrow, and often heartbreak for everyone, including those who earnestly seek to do right and be faithful.

The thorns that prick, that stick in the flesh, that hurt, often change lives which seem robbed of significance and hope. This change comes about through a refining process which often seems cruel and hard. In this way the soul can become like soft clay in the hands of the Master in building lives of faith, usefulness, beauty, and strength. For some, the refiner’s fire causes a loss of belief and faith in God, but those with eternal perspective understand that such refining is part of the perfection process (James E. Faust, “The Refiner’s Fire,” April 1979).

Adversity is a given in life. We will all experience it. It is for this very reason that we are here in this mortal journey – to prove ourselves through our trials and tribulations. During times of adversity, some choose to abandon faith in the Lord. Others choose to remain steadfast and true. They choose to hold fast to their faith and continue to serve the Lord and their fellowmen.

Service is a big part of being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We may be asked to teach Sunday school, conduct music, teach small children, lead the congregation, teach early morning seminary, or to help with the Sunday bulletin. It really doesn’t matter where in the Church we’re asked to serve. What matters is that we serve to the best of our abilities. What matters is that we use the talents the Lord has blessed us with to serve Him and our fellowmen in whatever capacity we’re asked to serve.

I’ve seen and felt the hand of adversity this year. I’ve also witnessed an outpouring of blessings through the selfless service of others.

Yesterday, I was released as the Relief Society (women’s organization of the Church) president in our ward (local Church unit). This means that as of yesterday, I’m no longer the Relief Society president for our ward. A release from a calling in the Church usually comes about when one is being called to serve somewhere else, is moving out of the ward, when personal or family circumstances change, or it might simply be time to give someone else an opportunity to serve in that position. We’re moving back to the West Coast in a week!

As the Relief Society president, I came to love each of the women in the ward. However, there is a special place in my heart for those sisters who experienced great adversity over the past year. Some sisters have serious health-related challenges. Others are struggling financially. There are problems in marriages and other family relationships. The list goes on. Each is dealing with trials and adversity in her own way. With faith in the Lord and with help from her sisters in the Relief Society, each sister continues to move forward, one step at a time.

Sometimes, serving and helping someone else does require a lot from us, but I’ve found that these times are very rare. Most times, it’s the small and sincere acts of love that go a long way in easing someone else’s load. Often times, it doesn’t cost us anything except an hour or two of our time. At times, a smile, a kind word, and a true friend is all that is needed. Someone who will listen and not judge. Someone who understands, who cares, who looks past the shortcomings to the person inside. Someone who is willing to share another’s burden, even if it is just for a few minutes.

Alma, a prophet of The Book of Mormon, taught us that to become true disciples of Jesus Christ, we must be willing to bear one another’s burdens.

And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

 

Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life (Mosiah 18:8-9).

A wonderful thing happens when we strive to serve and help others during their trials – we forget to dwell on our challenges. Our problems may not disappear completely but somehow our perspective changes. What once seemed insurmountable is not quite so overwhelming. We stop feeling sorry for ourselves.

I’m filled with gratitude for the examples of these sisters. Despite personal trials, these sisters chose to serve and help someone else. They remind me on a constant basis that each of us is our sister’s keeper. We are indeed our brothers’ keepers!

Selfless service is a wonderful antidote to the ills that flow from the worldwide epidemic of self-indulgence. Some grow bitter or anxious when it seems that not enough attention is being paid to them, when their lives would be so enriched if only they paid more attention to the needs of others.

 

The answer lies in helping to solve the problems of those around us rather than worrying about our own, living to lift burdens even when we ourselves feel weighed down, putting our shoulder to the wheel instead of complaining that the wagons of life seem to be passing us by.

 

Stretching our souls in service helps us to rise above our cares, concerns, and challenges. As we focus our energies on lifting the burdens of others, something miraculous happens. Our own burdens diminish. We become happier. There is more substance to our lives.
(David S. Baxter, “Faith, Service, Constancy,” October 2006).

This post was originally published in May 2008. Minor changes have been made.

Moira T

We live in a world that seems bent on telling us we’re not good enough, pretty enough, or skinny enough. According to society’s standards, we are simply not enough! We are inundated with the world’s idea of beauty and perfection. It is no wonder that so many are unhappy. When measured against such a measuring stick, many of us will be found wanting. Perhaps this is why so many young people struggle with self-esteem.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve of Apostles offered this counsel for all the young women of the Church:

“I plead with you young women to please be more accepting of yourselves, including your body shape and style, with a little less longing to look like someone else. We are all different. Some are tall, and some are short. Some are round, and some are thin. And almost everyone at some time or other wants to be something they are not!

 

But as one adviser to teenage girls said: “You can’t live your life worrying that the world is staring at you. When you let people’s opinions make you self-conscious, you give away your power.” The key to feeling confident is to always listen to your inner self—the real you. And in the kingdom of God, the real you is more precious than rubies.”

How can one as imperfect as I find happiness? Simple: I am happy because I know who I am. I do not let society decide my worth. I’m happy because I have been blessed abundantly by my Heavenly Father. No, I don’t have a lot of money. I’m not as talented as many others. I’m not as smart as a lot of people I know, and I definitely do not look anything like the media’s image of beauty. I have a lot of anxieties and worries. I worry about my children, about the future, and about my husband’s safety. Still, I am so wondrously happy.

I’m happy because I’ve been given many gifts. I have the gift of health. The gift of a happy home. The gift of family. The gift of love. The gift of good friends. The gift of freedom. The gift of the Atonement. The gift of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in my life.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I know that I’m a daughter of God. I know that He knows me personally and loves me as I am. I don’t have to be perfect or to be a certain size for Him to accept me. He accepts me as I am. He knows my many failings and He forgives me when I’m sincere about forsaking those weaknesses and faults.

President Spencer W. Kimball

President Spencer W. Kimball (12th President and Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) once wrote about an interview he had with a couple that was about to be married. He shared this advice with them.

Happiness is a strange commodity. It cannot be purchased with money, and yet it is bought with a price. It is not dependent upon houses, or lands, or flocks, or degrees, or position, or comforts; for many of the most unhappy people in all the world have these. The millionaire has comforts and luxuries, but he has no happiness unless he has paid the same price for it that you can also pay. Often the rich are the most unhappy.

 

If you think that ease and comfort and money are necessary to your happiness, ask your parents and others whose lives are in the autumn…

 

You ask, “What is the price of happiness?” You will be surprised with the simplicity of the answer. The treasure house of happiness may be unlocked and remain open to those who use the following keys: First, you must live the gospel of Jesus Christ in its purity and simplicity—not a half-hearted compliance, but hewing to the line, and this means an all-out devoted consecration to the great program of salvation and exaltation in an orthodox manner. Second, you must forget yourself and love your companion more than yourself. If you do these things, happiness will be yours in great and never failing abundance.

Happiness is a gift that we can all have in our lives. Our Heavenly Father wants us to find true, lasting happiness. He wants us to feel joy in this life. The prophet Nephi taught us that men are so that they might have joy (2 Nephi 2:25).

We’ve been given a blueprint to follow in order for us to find true happiness. It is up to each of us to decide if we are going to be happy by following our Heavenly Father or be unhappy by listening to the world. My happiness begins with me just as your happiness begins with you!

Moira T

These past several weeks have been very challenging ones for our family. For awhile, it felt as if we came through one trial, only to be thrown into the midst of another. The latest and the most devastating to date was the sudden and unexpected death of a dear brother-in-law just two weeks ago.

My brother-in-law was only in his late thirties when he died, still so young and so full of life. My sister and brother-in-law have only been married for four short years. They used to joke that it took them a long to find each other. Like many of us, they were very much in love and looking forward to spending their lives together.

It is understandable that my sister is devastated and is struggling to be strong. She’s been dealt a blow that only those who’ve felt the sting of such a great loss can understand. She is grieving so deeply it is painful for us to witness it because we all feel so helpless.

There are two things that give my sister the strength to get up every day.

First, she has immense faith in our Lord and Savior. She understands His plan of Salvation. She knows that one day she will be reunited with her “eternal flame” (as they referred to each other) for they are bound together for time and eternity.

Second, she has an incredible army of friends and loved ones that have rallied around her. She’s felt the comforting arms of friends and family reaching out to her from around the world. It’s quite an incredible and uplifting experience to see just how caring and wonderful her friends are towards her. Some of the most touching expressions of love and support came from people she taught and baptized when she served a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints over 16 years ago.

Reflecting on this experience, I’m reminded of the prophet Alma’s words to his people when he taught them what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ.

And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— (Mosiah 18:8-9).

Death and dying is part of the cycle of life. We all know and understand this. However, knowing and understanding doesn’t make the passing of a loved one any easier or any less painful. For most of us, the separation that comes with death, will be one of the greatest adversities we’ll have to face in this life.

How lucky we are that when those times come, we have friends and loved ones who will mourn with us, who will comfort us in our time of need.

As her older sister, I’m so grateful to know that my sister is surrounded by loving friends. I’m grateful that my sister is the strong daughter of God that she is. I know that this experience, as devastating as it is, may bend her for a time, but it will not break her.

I’m thankful that we have the gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Knowing that families are forever, that her marriage is eternal, is a great blessing and comfort to my sister today and in the many days ahead.

Moira T

We all have someone in our lives that we worry and pray about from time to time, if not all the time. We despair over a wayward child who disregards all the values and beliefs that we hold dear. We hurt when a sibling appears to go out of their way to ruin their lives. Our hearts cry out for family members or dear friends that have succumbed to addiction of any form.

What can we do? Is there anything more that we can do? If you’re like just about everyone I know, you’ve already tried everything. You’ve talked to them, counseled with them, reasoned with them, and prayed and fasted for them. You’ve cried, you’ve begged, you’ve threatened, and cried some more. You’ve sought help from within the family and from without. Perhaps, you’ve even tried bribery. You’ve tried it all, everything and anything!

Is it time to give up? No! Never, ever give up!

We still have love. We still have hope. No matter how dark and desperate things may seem, we always have hope, always. A portion of the 13th Article of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reads, “We follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things.” When all else has failed, hang on to hope. Hold on to hope because we really don’t know how things will turn out. They may have a change of heart tomorrow, or next month, or next year. Perhaps, a change of heart may never come. But we just don’t know that. So, we keep that hope burning bright even if no one else does.

Elder John K. Carmack of the Quorum of the Seventy offered this counsel to parents but it can apply to anyone with a loved one in this situation:

Despite our best efforts to raise children who love the Lord, follow His commandments, and live happy, productive, and healthy lives, our sons and daughters sometimes go astray. Straying can mean involvement in drug abuse, criminal activity, immorality, and even abuse of parents and others. Other forms of drifting, perhaps less serious but nevertheless troubling, include underachieving, dropping out of school, and finding little purpose or happiness in life…

Never Give Up. If you cannot seem to reach your daughter or son now, you can at least keep trying and keep loving him or her, for the very will to reach out, nurture, and extend help to another is an act of love that does not always go unnoticed.

The adversary is cunning. He is everywhere. He is known by many names; Satan, Beelzebub, Lucifer, the Destroyer, the Deceiver, and the Evil One to name a few. He exists to bring about misery but he cloaks and disguises it so well that he sometimes manages to fool and attract our loved ones. He revels in destroying anything that is good and honorable. He degrades and demoralizes.

Don’t give him any more power than he has already taken. If he has triumphed over a loved one, fight back. Don’t give him the satisfaction of winning everything, even if the only thing you have left is Hope. Don’t quit on your loved ones. Don’t let the adversary have that pleasure. Never, ever give up. When it comes to our loved ones, there is no “right” time to give up!

Moira T

But what happens when our children make mistakes? Are we as patient or as understanding? Do we forgive? Do we look at it as an opportunity for them to grow, or do we only see the looks that we imagine our neighbors and friends are giving us? Do we view it as a reflection of our abilities (or lack thereof) as parents? Are we somehow threatened by our children’s mistakes because of the way it might make us look?

One of the hardest things a parent has to do is watch their children make mistakes. It is hard to stand by and watch your child make bad choices. It’s even harder to watch them suffer the consequences of those poor choices.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are taught that each of us is given the gift of agency. Agency is the ability and privilege God gives us to choose and to act for ourselves. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that he allowed us to choose.

And now remember, remember, my brethren, that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free.
He hath given unto you that ye might know good from evil, and he hath given unto you that ye might choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you. (Helaman 14:30-31)

He will not force us to obey Him and follow His will. Instead, He gave us the freedom to choose for ourselves. Knowing the pain I feel when I watch my children make mistakes, I can imagine how much more our Heavenly Father hurts when we make mistakes. Yet, as a loving Heavenly Father, His way is not to force, but to guide, to forgive, and to give us chances over and over again.

Can we do any less for our own children? Yes, we’d rather they didn’t make some of the mistakes they made. Yes, we wish they had made smarter, better, worthier choices than they made. Yes, we hurt, we’re disappointed, sometimes we’re even angry. But now is not the time for “I told you so” speeches. Now is the time for love, an outpouring of unconditional love.

As a mother, I need to trust that I’ve raised my sons the best way I know how. I need to remember that I’ve taught them the word of God. I need to remember that I’ve tried in every way I know how, to instill in them a love for everything that is good, virtuous, and praiseworthy. Then, I need to stand back and allow them to exercise their agencies. I will always guide, counsel, and advise, but in the end, it is up to them. I need to acknowledge that they too will make their share of mistakes. When (not if) they fall, I will be there to help them pick up the pieces. When they fall, I will be there to help them find their way back. When they fall, I will forgive them.

President Howard W. Hunter, 14th President of the Church, taught:

To fully understand this gift of agency and its inestimable worth, it is imperative that we understand that God’s chief way of acting is by persuasion and patience and long-suffering, not by coercion and stark confrontation. He acts by gentle solicitation and by sweet enticement. He always acts with unfailing respect for the freedom and independence that we possess. He wants to help us and pleads for the chance to assist us, but he will not do so in violation of our agency. He loves us too much to do that, and doing so would run counter to his divine character.

Given the freedom to choose, we may, in fact, make wrong choices, bad choices, hurtful choices. And sometimes we do just that, but that is where the mission and mercy of Jesus Christ comes into full force and glory. He has taken upon himself the burden of all the world’s risk. He has provided a mediating atonement for the wrong choices we make. He is our advocate with the Father and has paid, in advance, for the faults and foolishness we often see in the exercise of our freedom. We must accept his gift, repent of those mistakes, and follow his commandments in order to take full advantage of this redemption. The offer is always there; the way is always open. We can always, even in our darkest hour and most disastrous errors, look to the Son of God and live.

Don’t you just love that? There aren’t enough words to express how grateful I am for the gift of the Atonement.

I’m thankful for a loving Heavenly Father and for His gift of Agency. The knowledge that He trusts me so much that He allows me to choose gives me the courage to pick myself up when I’ve made mistakes. I’m so grateful for a Church that teaches us about the wonderful principle of Agency. I’m thankful because I know that this gift is available to my children as well. It is available to all of us.

This, and other teachings of the Church, gives me eternal hope. I have hope that, whatever mistakes my sons may make, they will make it right. I have hope that when they do mistakes, they will remember that their Heavenly Father will forgive them if they sincerely repent of those mistakes. I have hope that when they fall, they will pick themselves up and try again. I have hope that when they fall, they will learn and grow and become better men because they corrected and overcame their mistakes.

Moira T

Have you ever had days like that? Sometimes, does it feel as if things, events, and even people are conspiring to make your life miserable, or at the very least, harder than it should be? Well, I sure felt that way today. Fortunately, that didn’t last very long. Today was supposed to be ‘cleaning the windows’ day. It was one of the rare days when the older boys were both available to help with the tall windows so it was a perfect plan. Or so I thought! Apparently, we were meant to do something else today. Something more important. Something that we will all treasure for a very long time.

We didn’t clean windows. We made memories instead. One of the boys came up with the idea. He thought it would be neat if they made a recording of their favorite times with their dad. They wanted to present this to their dad when he deploys in a few weeks. We all agreed that it was a wonderful gift and one that my husband will undoubtedly cherish and love. My husband is out of town for work so it was a perfect day to do it.

At first, the boys were a little awkward but then they got into the spirit of the project. It was amazing how much they remembered. The two oldest at 19 and 16 talked about experiences they shared with their dad when they were as young as 7 and 8. There were many intimate and special moments shared today. It was quite an emotional day for all of us. Tears were shed, and words of love and appreciation were expressed. In the end, we were all blessed just as surely as my husband will be blessed when he listens to these messages in the days to come. Reliving those memories helped us all to remember how important our family is. It brought us closer and strengthened our bond as a family that much more.

What started out as a bleak and rainy day turned into the brightest and most beautiful day for my family. Sure, we still have to wash windows. We lost a day so that probably means extra work but I’d gladly trade a day of washing windows for a day like today if given that opportunity again. What’s an extra hour or two of washing windows if we can have that kind of time with our kids? It reminds me of that commercial on TV. I don’t remember all of it exactly but if our experience today was part of that commercial it would conclude with something like this: “Quality time with the kids – priceless!”

After today, I will try hard to always look for the silver lining in all of my days. Likewise, I will strive to remember that even in the midst of my trials, there is always a silver lining. I know that this knowledge and my faith in the Lord will sustain me in the days to come. Things may not always go as we plan or want but if we trust in the Lord and listen to the promptings of the Spirit, it will all work out. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

Even if you cannot always see that silver lining on your clouds, God can, for He is the very source of the light you seek. He does love you, and He knows your fears. He hears your prayers. He is your Heavenly Father, and surely He matches with His own the tears His children shed.

Moira T

Information is my business so I’m very wary of information that comes from unverifiable sources. I view it with the kind of suspicion reserved for “Get Rich Quick” and “Lose 30 pounds in 3 weeks” schemes. As an information seeker, I need to know where the information is coming from and who it is coming from. Helping others locate elusive information is a huge thrill for me. Sometimes the information needed is seemingly insignificant or of a sentimental value only. Other times, the information requested will have a major impact in the decisions people make. Whatever the reasons, I work hard to ensure that the information I provide is accurate, reliable, and valid. My sister-in-law told me the other day that I was her favorite search engine. She made my day!

Speaking of search engines, I tried a new one recently. You guessed it – it is called ChaCha. I know, I know, old news already! Be that as it may, I finally decided to try it. In case, you’re even slower jumping on the bandwagon than I am, ChaCha is basically a text-message search engine. That’s right – it’s for your cellphone, not your PC. Did you get the part about a text-message search engine? You heard right. So if you don’t speak text, you and I are probably better off sticking with Google.

ChaCha is proud of the fact that questions are answered by actual human beings rather than an automated service. Some questions can be answered in under a minute. Others can take longer than 10 minutes. You simply type the text of your question in either plain English or text lingo if you speak the language, and send it on its merry way to 242242 (ChaCha). As I was saying I was curious about this service so I decided to test it.

I sent in 4 different questions. I chose questions that I considered to be of varying difficulty levels. Three of the questions were answered within a minute. Of the three answers, two were correct and one was incorrect. The last question, the one that I expected would take the longest, was answered in just under 20 minutes. Surprisingly, the answer was correct – incomplete but correct.

My biggest reservation about ChaCha is that I’ve no idea who is answering my questions. The questions I sent weren’t critical to me as I already knew the answers. But what if I didn’t know the answer? What if I had a real question and the answer to that question would determine something important? Would I still go with ChaCha? Probably not! But this doesn’t mean that ChaCha isn’t useful. From what I’ve seen, ChaCha is great and there is certainly a place for such a service. However, for the important things, I need to know that my source is credible and reliable and in order to know that, I need to know who my source is.

When it comes to spiritual questions, isn’t it great to know that there is a reliable source that we can go to? There is no greater testifier of truth than the Spirit. When it comes to questions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we can ask friends, read literature from a variety of sources, and search for information online. We can do all these things and gain a picture of what the Church believes and teaches but to have a real testimony of the truth, we need to go to the source of all truth – our Heavenly Father and His son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. When we pray in faith to our Heavenly Father, having a sincere desire to know, He will answer. When we receive this witness of the Spirit, we can be assured that this source is one that we can trust with our hearts, minds, and souls!

Moira T