As I have studied the October 2020 General Conference talks, I have been amazed at the prophetic counsel given. Over and over again, we were told exactly how to find peace. Overcoming the challenges that we have been facing is a daunting task, but prophets, seers, and revelators, as well as other Church leaders, have not only told us it is possible, but necessary. This is a time to show what we are made of—trust God and find peace.

President Nelson spelled it all out for us.

How are we to deal with both the somber prophecies and the glorious pronouncements about our day? The Lord told us how with simple, but stunning, reassurance: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:30)

 

What a promise! It is one that can literally change the way we see our future. … I urge you to take steps to be temporally prepared. But I am even more concerned about your spiritual and emotional preparation (President Russell M. Nelson, “Embrace the Future with Faith,” Oct. 2020 General Conference).

I have taken President Nelson’s counsel seriously. I have reorganized, restocked, and added items to my temporal emergency preparedness supplies. That was relatively easy once items became available again in the marketplace. Spiritual and emotional preparation is an ongoing challenge, but I’m slowly getting there. It ebbs and flows in conjunction with my day-to-day faith.

President Nelson gave us the pattern for us to follow in order to trust God and find peace. I have found great comfort in his words.

“First, …  [C]reate areas where [you will] be safe—places of security. … Second, … [prepare] [your mind] to be faithful unto the Lord. Third, … never [stop] preparing …—physically or spiritually. … [A]s turmoil rages around us, we need to create places where we are safe, both physically and spiritually. When your home becomes a personal sanctuary of faith—where the Spirit resides—your home becomes the first line of defense. … [Y]our endowment has given you constant access to God’s power as you have honored your covenants with Him. … [O]ur spiritual foundations must be solid. … [O]ur faith increases every time we exercise our faith in Him. … The Book of Mormon is our latter-day survival guide. … Life without God is a life filled with fear. Life with God is a life filled with peace. This is because spiritual blessings come to the faithful. Receiving personal revelation is one of the greatest of those blessings. … The adversary never stops attacking. So, we can never stop preparing! The more self-reliant we are—temporally, emotionally, and spiritually—the more prepared we are to thwart Satan’s relentless assaults (“Embrace the Future with Faith,” id).

My attempts at trusting God and finding peace have been met with variations of success. I think I’ve been pretty successful in creating a sanctuary of peace in our home. That part has been easier for me because I am no longer raising children. When your home consists of two somewhat rational adults, creating that sanctuary is much easier than when you are trying to create a peaceful sanctuary with tired and cranky children. However, I have yet to fully lay claim to God’s power through my endowment. I struggle with this. This is an area where I am constantly striving to improve. I know I have that power at my fingertips; the problem is being humble enough to access it. Trusting God is all about being humble.

President Nelson spelled out for me that my spiritual foundation must be on firm ground, and that happens by exercising faith in my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and being willing to listen to the Holy Ghost. I love that he pointed out that the Book of Mormon is our survival guide. When I am actively studying and pondering the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon, it is easier for me to humble myself and listen to the Holy Ghost.

To read more of Tudie’s articles, click here.

Some parts of my patriarchal blessing remind me to seek for spiritual blessings. I found President Nelson’s words stabbing at my heart because I know that spiritual blessings come to the faithful—and my faith ebbs and flows daily, sometimes hourly. I’ve prayed repeatedly over these very difficult months for personal revelation, but admittedly, I have not put in the groundwork preparation for receiving that particular spiritual blessing. Until I can trust God consistently, I don’t think I will ever be good at receiving personal revelation, nor at finding peace.

During the pandemic, I have repeatedly given myself a good talking to about enduring to the end. I’ve told myself over and over that this is a temporary thing, and that I just need to endure it. Each time I do that, I find myself more frustrated than I was before I gave myself this advice. Yes, we all must endure this, but we must learn from it as well. Trials are supposed to help us get better at self-mastery. This should be a time of great spiritual learning for all of us.

“[L]et us not just endure this current season. Let us embrace the future with faith! Turbulent times are opportunities for us to thrive spiritually. They are times when our influence can be much more penetrating than in calmer times” (“Embrace the Future with Faith,” id).

I have a lot to learn about trusting God, and until I can fully and consistently do that, peace will be sporadic and fleeting. Half the battle is knowing what is wrong so you can fix it, right? There’s a great line in the movie Apollo 13 where the engineers are told to “work the problem.” I have learned that I have a problem, and I have identified that problem. I just need to work the problem. My goal is to actively seek opportunities every day to trust God. I’m hoping that after a while, it will become a habit. Here’s hoping that as I contemplate the birth, life, ministry, and atonement of Jesus Christ this Christmas that I will learn to trust Him, and to trust my Heavenly Father. Here’s hoping that by doing so, I’ll more actively listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Here’s hoping that we all will find peace.

Tudie Rose

Tudie Rose is a mother of four and grandmother of ten in Sacramento, California. You can find her on Twitter as @TudieRose. She blogs as Tudie Rose at http://potrackrose.wordpress.com. She has written articles for Familius. You will find a Tudie Rose essay in Lessons from My Parents, Michele Robbins, Familius 2013, at http://www.familius.com/lessons-from-my-parents.

Most of my own personal depression has been minor, but there have been a few periods of my life when it was almost debilitating. I have had days, weeks, and even months when I didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. That’s when I made up a game. The object of the game is to count how many things I can accomplish in a day. (I have never gotten through a whole day of counting; the point is to get me out my funk, so I quit counting when I’m well enough to function.)

Counting accomplishments begins with the little things: Make the bed, lay out my clothes, brush my teeth, let the dog out, shower, put on deodorant, brush my hair, dress, put on watch and earrings, put in hearing aids, put on glasses, eat breakfast, read my email, etc. Most days, I begin to feel significantly better before I hit 25 items. The point is to get me up and moving—something which can be difficult when depressed. By the time I get to 25, I’m thinking, “Oh, look what I’ve already done, and I’ve been up less than an hour!” I realize that I can get through the day.

Counting helps me accomplish certain tasks throughout the day that can feel daunting while depressed. For instance, since I don’t have a dish washer, I have to wash dishes by hand. Each dish, fork, spoon, glass, bowl, pan, etc. is counted as I go along. By the time I finish, I feel fantastic that I was able to wash 45 or 50 pieces (even if the reality is it took me only 15 minutes). It feels like a much bigger accomplishment by the sheer number of pieces washed.

Laundry is more challenging because I count each household member’s items separately, which requires me to actually think. Two pair of socks for me, three for my husband, now three for me, now four for him, etc. It takes a little concentration by the time I get to ten or eleven pairs for one person and seven or eight for another. Before I know it, I’m actually thinking about something besides how I’m going to get through the day.

A family member of mine uses games to clean her house. She has a variety of “random” methods that she uses. There is a jar containing little papers of household chores, as well as some fun things. She pulls a paper out of the jar, and whatever is on the paper is what she does that day—whether it is paint the living room, or go for a picnic in the park. She also has an app on her cell phone of random things she can do. (Actually, she lives her life this way, including which restaurants she frequents and which board games she plays.) Can you imagine the fun that would put into your day?

Many of us struggle with depression of some form—some minor, some needing the care of medical professionals. Each of us have our own “triggers” when it comes to depression, and many people are triggered by the holidays. Add a worldwide pandemic lasting a year with no end in sight, civil unrest, and a volatile political climate, and you have a recipe for disaster if not checked. If you need professional help, please get the help you need! If you are just going through minor depression, try making a game out of life. If counting or random selection is not your bag, make up your own game. Be creative!

To read more of Tudie’s articles, click here.

I love to decorate my home for Christmas. There is something about twinkling lights and the smell of pine that soothe my soul. I’ve reached the age where my decorating game needs to be seriously downsized, and I had planned to do that this year. However, I thought we needed that boost this year more than ever before, so I went all out for one more season. Next year, I’ve really got to cut this down to a reasonable size for an old lady.

I don’t have a fireplace, but the fake fires on television are mesmerizing. Sometimes I sit and watch the flames until they completely consume the stresses of the day. The aroma of fresh baked Christmas cookies brings joy to my soul, but if you don’t have time or energy, a stick of cinnamon simmering in water on the back of the stove elicits the same joy.

While games are a wonderful way to jump start life, it is even more important to remember the basics: Prayer and the scriptures. No game can equal the peace gained from pouring your heart out to Heavenly Father and feasting on the scriptures. The games do, however, get you out of bed and willing to humble yourself to read the scriptures and pray. If you are depressed, create games, feast on the scriptures, pray, and, if necessary, seek professional help. You are not alone. Talk to someone. There are resources at your disposal.

For more information and resources regarding mental health, visit the Church’s mental health site.

Tudie Rose

Tudie Rose is a mother of four and grandmother of ten in Sacramento, California. You can find her on Twitter as @TudieRose. She blogs as Tudie Rose at http://potrackrose.wordpress.com. She has written articles for Familius. You will find a Tudie Rose essay in Lessons from My Parents, Michele Robbins, Familius 2013, at http://www.familius.com/lessons-from-my-parents.

I love a good science experiment! Show me erupting “lava” or “mysteriously” disappearing compounds and I laugh with delight. The results are generally fast and predictable.

So I found it fascinating that our prophet asked us to experiment on his word and find the results of his gratitude challenge for ourselves.

My sister Destinee is a bona fide scientist. She supervises a lab looking for results every day.

So I perked up as she shared her observations — raw and undiluted — of President Nelson’s gratitude challenge.

Destinee White: A Scientist Experiments with the Gratitude Challenge

A little over a week ago our prophet, President Nelson, issued an invitation to express gratitude to the Lord publicly (on social media platforms) in an effort to flood it with goodness and gratitude (that he hoped would fill the world). The reason – to act as a prescription or medication against the many ills that plague the world, namely, COVID19, hate, civil unrest, racism, violence, dishonesty, and lack of civility.

To me these seemed to echo the warnings found in 2 Timothy of what might be found in our time:

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

President Russell M. Nelson’s Gratitude Challenge

President Nelson said

I have concluded that counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. No matter our situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a fast-acting and long-lasting spiritual prescription. Does gratitude spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief and pain? No, but it does soothe our feelings. It provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.

He goes on to discuss the heartbreak and sadness he has felt and follows it immediately with ways we can all be grateful. He specifically invites us to identify for what, for whom and why we are grateful. Then he urges us to take those public expressions to our private prayers with God.

Initial Reactions to President Nelson’s Gratitude Challenge

I was personally moved by these invitations – feeling the need within myself to express my gratitude more often. As something of a scientist at heart, I was also interested to observe how this gratitude challenge worked in my own life as well as those around me.

The first thing I noticed was blatant opposition from non-members, once members, and members alike. Blasting the prophet for believing that such a simple act could cure the ills that plague us today. Expressing disbelief that such actions are helpful (and actually that this act was in fact causing more harm than good).

Somehow these comments affected me and overshadowed my initial feelings of wanting to follow the prophet’s counsel. I felt guilty for sharing anything that I was truly grateful for especially if it was causing harm to others. I started the challenge, but I was just going through the motions.

The Real Promise of Gratitude

As I began to read the thoughts of so many, I began to observe something else: President Nelson’s comment was absolutely true – Gratitude does not spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief, or pain. And he never promised that it would.

I saw countless examples of people who shared gratitude for events that were outside of their control — things that brought them learning, understanding, compassion, and a closeness to God even through the pain they were feeling. I saw people sharing avenues for healing and hope that they may not have shared in this same way.

For example, one woman who has dealt with learning how to love her husband intentionally even when he had lost his faith in God shared a group of support for any who may be passing through a similar situation. So many people commented on her post expressing gratitude to her for sharing this way to gain support.

Others shared how they were able to make it through trials with the help of the Savior, repentance, or finding new ways of coping. Others honestly admitted the pain and sadness they currently feel, while also gracefully acknowledging blessings they have received.

The Scientist Experiments

I began to ponder more seriously the things I am personally grateful for and to put more of an effort in identifying those things — to really feel the gratitude before posting about it. During the week, I had an especially hard night, involving darkness and feeling lost and alone.After feeling the darkness cloud around me, I had a spark of thought that reminded me of something that President Nelson said in his invitation,

At the end of seven days, see if you feel happier and more at peace.

In that moment, I sought peace in my heart and in my darkened mind. But it was very difficult to turn my head to thoughts of gratitude. I know that I am weak-minded in many ways and I was being attacked in my weakness. With that reminder of the prophet’s words, I had the catalyst I needed (if I would so choose) to help me through the darkness.

Somehow I mustered enough strength to think of something I was grateful for. It might seem strange, but in my scientific/observant mind, I examined myself in that moment: did anything happen? Was anything different? If so, what? Why did it happen?

Elder Rasband said in his April 2020 conference talk “Consider the Goodness and Greatness of God”

…each of us has received gifts that we could not provide for ourselves, gifts from our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son…Every time we use, benefit from, or even think of these gifts, we ought to consider the sacrifice, generosity, and compassion of the givers. Reverence for the givers does more than just make us grateful. Reflecting on Their gifts can and should transform us.

In that moment, there was a change in me, even if only slightly at first. I could not deny that what I was grateful for truly had value to me. And what I chose in that moment to be grateful for led my eyes to look to Christ as He was the one who was giving that gift to me. I felt loved by Him and that was the moment that the spark turned into a bigger flame in my head and heart.

I testify that gratitude doesn’t necessarily remove the hard things from our lives, but it does help to soothe our feelings and provide greater perspective.

A Call to Turn to the Savior

This gratitude challenge from a prophet of God was a call to turn to our Savior and Redeemer. He knows that by turning to Him, we can be eternally blessed. Elder Rasband also explained:

Our Heavenly Father wants us to recall His and His Beloved Son’s goodness, not for Their own gratification but for the influence such remembrance has on us. By considering Their kindness, our perspective and understanding are enlarged. By reflecting on Their compassion, we become more humble, prayerful, and steadfast.

He goes on to discuss many blessings and characteristics we can receive by regularly remembering the greatness of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, which is another form of gratitude.

By acknowledging that every good thing comes from Jesus Christ, we will communicate our faith more effectively to others. We will have courage when confronted with seemingly impossible tasks and circumstances. We will strengthen our resolve to keep the covenants we have made to follow the Savior. We will be filled with the love of God, want to help those in need without being judgmental, love our children and raise them in righteousness, retain a remission of our sins, and always rejoice. These are the remarkable fruits of remembering God’s goodness and mercy.

To read more of Delisa’s articles, click here.

I am truly grateful for so many blessings in my life. I am grateful for my family and the miracles I have seen throughout my life because of the faith and example of my parents, siblings, and extended family. I am grateful for the gospel which brings peace and hope even in dark times.

I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father, who invites us to do things that will turn our hearts to Him. I am grateful He sent His Son to be an example for us, to enable our success, who suffered for us with the added intention of knowing our suffering perfectly so He would know perfectly how to succor us.

Delisa Hargrove

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have moved 64 times and have not tired of experiencing this beautiful earth! I love the people, languages, histories/anthropologies, & especially religious cultures of the world. My life long passion is the study & searching out of religious symbolism, specifically related to ancient & modern temples. My husband Anthony and I love our bulldog Stig, adventures, traveling, movies, motorcycling, and time with friends and family.

We all have baggage we carry in our hearts — grudges of old, hurt feelings that resurface now and then, raw emotion that never seems to mature into forgiveness. While we are counseled to forgive those who have trespassed against us, it can be the most difficult thing to do. This is multiplied when the pain we’ve experienced has come from someone close — a relative or a longtime friend.

In the Bible, Joseph was sold into slavery by his older brothers. They were jealous of him because he was favored by their father. They sold him and then took his precious coat, tore it, and soiled it with blood. They brought it back to their father, claiming Joseph had been ripped apart by wild beasts and was dead. Their father was grief-stricken.

Meanwhile, Joseph did the best he could and worked hard in Egypt. Eventually he was discovered to be a great interpreter of dreams and became a counselor in Pharaoh’s court. The Egyptians followed his counsel when he predicted seven years of famine would follow seven years of plenty by stocking up on food and supplies to prepare for the upcoming drought. But all the people in the lands around Egypt knew not of the coming famine. They were not prepared and many people starved. Joseph’s brothers traveled to Egypt to beg for food. They came directly to the Pharaoh’s court and pled their case to Joseph himself. It had been so long since they last saw him that they did not recognize him. Joseph knew who they were, though. His heart looked upon them in their afflictions with mercy and forgiveness. Not only did he give them the food they needed, but he revealed to them who he was and had them send for his father. The family was reunited again in love.

This is a breathtaking story of the power of forgiveness. Had Joseph remained bitter all the years he was betrayed, this story would have turned out very differently. But because he had a forgiving heart, he was able to make a terrible situation fruitful. In time, he was in a position to feed all of Egypt and his family not only temporally, but spiritually. His forgiveness softened their hearts too, and they were able to repent of their past transgressions.

I think sometimes how this story could have unfolded. Joseph could have turned to bitterness. If so, he may have missed all his opportunities to develop his talents and become the great interpreter of dreams. Egypt may have suffered for lack of food during the famine. Joseph’s brothers could have died; indeed, the entire region could have fallen. But happily, this was not so — all because of Joseph’s willingness to forgive and to move on.

In some respects, Joseph was thrown into an abrupt move himself, much like my friend. He was forced to “pack lightly” by taking only the things that mattered most. He chose to take his testimony and his forgiving heart. That made all the difference for him in his new circumstances.

We can learn a lot from Joseph, even if we are only in a figurative move in life. Each situation we face is like a chance to “make a move” one way or the other, toward bitterness and anger or toward love and forgiveness. In essence, we move with each choice either toward or away from eternal life. We choose to pack lightly or to carry every ounce of hurt and pain with us.

To read more of Nanette’s posts, click here.

What we take with us determines how happy we will be along the way. I know when I hold grudges, I feel like I’ve been carrying a 20-lb. weight in each hand high over my head — I get too tired to go on. But when I let go of anger, when I forgive those who have harmed me, I am renewed by the Spirit of the Lord. When I “pack lightly,” I have a better outlook on my situation and I have the strength to accomplish things when I lacked strength before.

We have the opportunity each day to rewrite our history. We may not be able to control the trials that come or the severity of them, but we can control how long we dwell on them. We can focus on our misery and go to bed each night feeling more miserable, thus adding to a past full of pain. But if we adopt an attitude of forgiveness in our hearts, exercising it each day with gratitude for our situations regardless of what they may be, we can make the most recent yesterday a good day. The more often we turn our hearts toward good works, the more successful we will be in overcoming emotional pain.

To anyone who is thinking of moving or who is in the middle of moving (whether that is literally or figuratively), I offer the same advice — pack lightly. Bring only the things that matter. Rebuild your life with a renewal of spirit, having forgiven those who’ve tarnished your past. Your own true worth can then shine through your countenance more sincerely, wherever your new destination takes you. Your life is worth beginning again.

This post was originally published in August 2014. Minor changes have been made.

Nanette ONeal

Nanette O’Neal loves the gospel and is very happy to share her testimony on LDS Blogs. She is a convert to the church and still feels the spirit burn strong within her heart. She graduated from Mason Gross School of the Arts with a degree in music education and has taught children and adults in the private and public sphere for over twenty years. Nanette continues to study the gospel and the art of writing. She writes weekly inspirational articles on her blog and is currently working on an LDS fantasy novel series, A Doorway Back to Forever. You can find her at NanetteONeal.blogspot.com. Nanette has a wonderful husband, talented son, and three beautiful dogs.

My grandfather Charles Allan was a Scot through and through. He often quoted from Robert Burns, the great Scottish poet. One of his favorites helps us define mere pleasure:

But pleasures are like poppies spread:
You seize the flow’r, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white—then melts for ever;
Or like the borealis race,
That flit ere you can point their place;
Or like the rainbow’s lovely form
Evanishing amid the storm.
(“Tam o’ Shanter,” lines 59–66)

Only true happiness has the potential to last, to truly lift our spirits, our hearts and minds. No riches are needed; you don’t even need to have your name on all the A-list parties. Passing pleasure does not make lasting happiness. As Elder David O. McKay, then of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,  once said, “You may get that transitory pleasure, yes, but you cannot find joy, you cannot find happiness. Happiness is found only along that well beaten track, narrow as it is, though straight, which leads to life eternal” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1919, 180).

In the book of James in the New Testament, we read, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5.) Here is the solution for your confusion: ask of God and He will show you the better part.

The Prophet Joseph Smith told us, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 255–56).

Virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping the commandments of God are the only true way to obtain true and lasting happiness. Pray, and God, your Heavenly Father, will tell you how to live these worthy values so that you may obtain your righteous desire and be happy.

This post was originally published on December 5, 2007. Minor changes have been made.

Ali C

That may be true, but I also think you can love others for yourself. 

Loving others, even those who may be different from us, is one of the most important ways we can follow the Savior Jesus Christ.

I like to walk in the mornings. If you have followed this column over the years, you already know that. I am not as consistent or hardcore as my wife, but I at least hoof it on occasion. Today when I went to go start my trek, it was pretty dark outside. It may sound crazy, but I thought, “I will wear my sunglasses because the sun will be coming up on my way home.” My pockets were already full, so I perched my shades on my nose even though they weren’t really needed yet. The sunglasses would surely come in handy, as the morning rays appear early on a clear day, especially when walking toward the mountains on the east side.

Once I got outside, it wasn’t quite as pitch black as I first thought. The sun’s rays were creeping over the mountain, and the sunrise imminent. But what I first noticed when I put my sunglasses on is that they made visibility more difficult. It wasn’t too bad because there were street lights shining and stars still about. And since my pockets were already full, I just wore my dark glasses, thinking “It will get light soon enough.” Though I did notice a difference in visage, I was focusing on the oration in my earbuds, so it didn’t really matter. That particular day, I was listening to 3 Nephi 11.

This part of the Book of Mormon tells us about Christ’s coming to the American continent following His resurrection. After Jesus’ death, the people in the Americas were naturally confused because of the great and marvelous changes that had just taken place. This is when Christ appears and proclaims His Atonement. The people heard a voice as if it came out of heaven, but understood it not. Three times the voice pronounced His coming, but people failed to recognize or understand the words. How can that be? I have asked myself that many times, but continued on to the next verses without coming to any conclusion. It didn’t really make sense. Though I have read that phrase numerous times, today I understood the words completely differently.

We are told that we should lose our life for His sake. Does that ever sound confusing to you?

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

 

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

 

For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 

(Matthew 16:24-26)

We are to daily take up His cross—what does that even mean? When we are dealing with challenges, attempting to overcome hardships, and faced with unexpected situations, how can we really do this?

With our current limited vision, it is difficult to see how taking up His cross daily will help.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

 

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

 

(1 Corinthians 13:11-12)

The word darkly is defined as obscurely or enigmatically in this context. We all know what obscurely means as when something is blocking or preventing our vision or understanding, but the word enigmatically sheds further light on our current situation. Synonyms include inexplicably, mysteriously, perplexingly, or unfathomably. Do you ever feel like that?

We are told in the scriptures that we are already seeing through a glass darkly. Maybe that means that despite our best efforts, we do not see and understand everything clearly in this life since our vision is obscured by many other temporal concerns that we have to deal with every day.

Money, mortgages, food, finances, schooling, business, and employment (or the lack thereof) — all these worries concern and stress us at some time or another. They are not life’s focus, however. They instead are a means to an end. I am not saying they aren’t important, necessary, or desirable, but they alone are not the purpose of life.

To read more of Walter’s articles, click here.

Just like wearing my sunglasses in the morning obscures my vision further before it gets light, we don’t always recognize the reason things happen. Yet they are not a surprise to a loving God. I have no doubt that someday we will look back and see why things occurred the way did and how we were benefitted.

Joseph Smith taught, “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it.”

Regardless of the current circumstances of our lives, our loving Savior is willing and able to change and improve us to the point that we experience joy right now and for eternity.

Handling our circumstances well starts with loving and following Him.

Walter Penning

In 1989, Walter Penning formed a consultancy based in Salt Lake City and empowered his clients by streamlining processes and building a loyal, lifetime customer base with great customer service. His true passion is found in his family. He says the best decision he ever made was to marry his sweetheart and have children. The wonderful family she has given him and her constant love, support, and patience amid life’s challenges is his panacea.

There are many things to care about in the world. As time marches forward toward the Second Coming, there will be more turmoil and grief than we have ever known. We will be put in awkward and even dangerous situations. We will have to stand alone in a world of angry chaos. We will often be the lone voice of reason in a room of angry people. Our ethics, trustworthiness, and honesty will be tried on a daily, if not hourly, basis. It will seem as if ours is the lone voice of reason in a world of turmoil. Sometimes the only way to keep our integrity in tact will be to silence the noise.

Silencing the noise of the world may seem like a daunting task at times. It has been difficult for me the last few weeks. It takes real effort. It takes a plan. There may even have to be adjustments to the original plan, but it’s worth it. Amidst the chaos, you can find peace.

Silencing the noise happens when you watch cloud formations. It happens when you stare at the leaves blowing in the wind. It happens when you zone out staring down a squirrel in the backyard. It happens when you enjoy any of the natural beauty of the earth that was created especially for you. It happens when you pray.

As a child, I was an early riser. I remember often zoning out on nature. I loved to watch the sunrise. I loved watching the sun glistening on the dew on the grass. I loved to listen to the meadow larks. I totally zoned out when watching frost on the window, or water dripping from icicles. I’ve moved to a warmer climate now where icicles are nonexistent and frost on the window is a rare occurrence, but roses bloom eleven months of the year. We will get our first rain of the season today or tomorrow. I’m looking forward to watching the rain while wrapped in my favorite quilt and sipping a cup of hot raspberry lemonade or hot chocolate. Even in the chaos of these times, there are many ways to silence the noise.

I don’t want to give the impression that we should bury our heads in the sand and ignore what is happening in the world. Obviously we need to be a voice of reason in the world. We need to care about community issues, national issues, and global issues. The Lord needs us to participate in the world and be His voice—even when it seems like no one wants to hear Him. However, we can’t spread His message if we are so burned out that we can no longer hear Him ourselves. It is not only important to our own sanity to silence the noise; it is important to His work.

To read more of Tudie’s articles, click here.

We are all different, and silencing the noise might look different for you than for me. Maybe for you, that looks like a hike in the mountains or a walk on the beach. I like those things, too, but it’s getting harder for me these days. Listening to quiet music while sitting in my recliner seems to be more my speed lately. Maybe you like to snow ski, water ski, surf on the big waves, or ride in a hot air balloon. Maybe you silence the noise by crafting, knitting, crocheting, or embroidery. Maybe the sound of a power saw as you build furniture silences the noise for you. Maybe it’s a game of solitaire or working on a jigsaw puzzle.

I invite you to actively seek ways to silence the noise in your life. It is important to back away from the world and refill our lamps with oil and our cups with living water. Heavenly Father has given us great responsibility in these times—but He has also provided ways for us to silence the noise so we can reboot. Take advantage of the thousands of ways He has given us to keep our sanity, look within ourselves, and revitalize our spirits. We are needed in these last days, and He has provided the way. All we have to do is to silence the noise of the world and find peace.

Tudie Rose

Tudie Rose is a mother of four and grandmother of ten in Sacramento, California. You can find her on Twitter as @TudieRose. She blogs as Tudie Rose at http://potrackrose.wordpress.com. She has written articles for Familius. You will find a Tudie Rose essay in Lessons from My Parents, Michele Robbins, Familius 2013, at http://www.familius.com/lessons-from-my-parents.

There are a lot of reasons why we settle for less—from ourselves, from others, from life. We can’t do much about what others do, or about how life turns out, but we can—and we must—make the best use of our own life, of our own talents and abilities.

In the Book of Mormon, we learn about the ways we receive talents, or gifts of the Spirit, and how you should use them:

And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.

 

And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

 

And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.

 

(Moroni 10:8,11,17)

I have long been a fan of Mother Teresa—a more giving and truly charitable person, I’ve never known. But did you know that she suffered from pangs of doubt and feelings of inadequacy? Who would ever have guessed that this remarkable woman every doubted herself or in what she was doing? Yet, she did.

Mother Teresa

She hung a poem on the wall of the orphanage she founded in Calcutta. One can only assumed that she posted it there as a reminder to herself—a reminder to keep on keeping on, even when doubt assailed her.

Our Heavenly Father loves us and He has blessed us with many gifts and talents, many opportunities, to fulfill the measure of our creation. When we are being all that we can be, we grow closer to God and our hearts are filled. It is then that we can find true joy and experience happiness in all that we do.

And so I would like to encourage you to search your heart for those things that bring you joy, because perhaps they are a priceless gift that you have yet to fully appreciate. And when life’s trials seem insurmountable and the obstacles before you loom above you, remember who you are—a child of God, an individual with unlimited potential.

Anyway Poem

 

People are often unreasonable,
illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

 

If you are kind,
People may accuse you
of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

 

If you are successful,
you will win some false friends and
some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

 

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

 

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

 

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

 

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

 

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

 

You see, in the final analysis.
it is between you and God;
It is never between you and them anyway.

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

Ali C

In some ways, I look back to who I was right when I got home from my mission and imagine myself singing then, like Rapunzel, “When will my life begin?” That period of actively waiting is almost over – once I marry Meghan, it feels like the rest of my life will “truly” begin. 

And what an odd time for my life to begin! When misfortune and difficulty seem to rage around the world, this seems like a weird time for the Lord to be telling me, “Now is the time to get moving.” How is movement possible when the ground beneath you is uncertain? Well, for starters, a foundation focused on Jesus Christ is a foundation that actually doesn’t move and leads in a consistent, correct direction. And also, there are countless examples of people having to move when movement seems difficult.

My study of the Book of Mormon has led me to the story of the leader of the Nephites, Lachoneus, and the band of Gadianton robbers in 3 Nephi 3–4. The leader of the robbers sends a letter to Lachoneus warning him that he will soon attack with his thousands of vicious followers. Pay attention to how Lachoneus responds:

“Now behold, this Lachoneus, the governor, was a just man, and could not be frightened by the demands and the threatenings of a robber; therefore he did not hearken to the epistle of Giddianhi, the governor of the robbers, but he did cause that his people should cry unto the Lord for strength against the time that the robbers should come down against them” (3 Nephi 3:12).

Rather than succumb to the intimidations of the enemy, Lachoneus turns to his own form of strength. In this experience, we find the principle of faith. Lachoneus doesn’t know what’s going to happen — for all he knows, the robbers outnumber him and will easily overrun his people. However, he chooses instead to turn to God. 

But he doesn’t stop there. He comes up with a plan: he gathers all his people into the capital city with enough provisions to last them all 7 years. They patiently wait for the robbers to attack, and when they do, they battle relentlessly and consistently for years, eventually starving out and driving away all of the evil robbers. They end their victory with rejoicing and praising their God (3 Nephi 4:29-33)

Our day is full of evils trying to get us to throw in the towel and stop moving. Nothing cripples someone like fear. When difficulty leads us to fear, we are essentially stopped still in our progression. We’ve all felt that sense of hopelessness that fear gives us. It’s awful! 

What, then, is the cure? Well, for Lachoneus and his people, it was prayer and immediate, faithful action. Perhaps it’s the same for us. Meghan and I have been praying often about our wedding in December. I’ll be honest, it’s a fearful thing trying to plan what’s supposed to be the greatest day of your life amidst a global pandemic, natural disasters, and political turmoil. But through our prayer and faithful action, we’ve found peace and miracles helping us along. Fear is horrible — thank goodness we have access to a perfect, loving, all-powerful being we call Father.

Something special happens when we choose to follow God and not succumb to fear. And when I say follow God, I don’t mean simply following His commandments. This is a day in which following God only as a secondary priority simply will not cut it: fear strikes and beats down those who do not place God as their primary focus. Elder Neal A. Maxwell has said, “If, in the end, you have not chosen Jesus Christ it will not matter what you have chosen.” Following God means we have to go the second mile.

Vaughn J. Featherstone, in 1990, shared this historical lesson about going the second mile:

To read more of Adam’s articles, click here.

“In ancient … times, soldiers could [force] teen-age boys in Roman provinces to carry their heavy backpacks for one mile, but no more. In a typical scene, we would see a soldier walk into a community. A teen-age boy sees him and starts to run and hide. The boy knows that if the soldier has seen him that he will be caught and whipped for running. The soldier does see the boy and motions for him to come and pick up the heavy backpack. Reluctantly, the boy shoulders the heavy load. The soldier motions toward the road leading out of town, and together they trudge toward the first mile marker.

 

“When the marker comes into sight, the soldier motions for the boy to put the pack down. The boy instead agrees to carry the pack another mile. The soldier reminds him that only one mile is required. However, the boy agrees to go ’the second mile.’ As they continue down the road, the soldier begins to talk with the boy. He asks him if he has seen the mighty ocean. The boy replies ‘No,’ so the soldier gives descriptive accounts of his adventures on the high seas. The soldier then relates stories about military campaigns in distant countries and describes snow covered mountains, which the lad has never seen.

 

“The vivid accounts stir the imagination of the young lad as he hears the tales of the seas and of distant lands. The second mile goes quickly, and the boy discovers the secret of ‘going the second mile.’ You go the first mile and you discharge a duty; you go the second mile and you make a friend. The great men and women in history have been those willing to go the second mile.”

When we find ourselves filled with fear, perhaps we should ask ourselves, “Am I following God closely enough?” Those who follow God still have fear, but are not overwhelmed. That second mile is the mile that trades fear for hope, anxiety for peace, sorrow for joy. Getting through the first mile is the challenge. But once we do, with the help of Jesus Christ, we start to see why things are the way that they are and what we can do to help it.

Adam Simpson

Adam Simpson is a man of many unique talents, from dancing to ultimate frisbee, from drumming to writing. He was born and raised in Layton, Utah, the middle child surrounded by two sisters. He served a mission in Sydney, Australia, and now attends school at BYU. His love for writing comes from a love of philosophy and a love for God.

Ever.

When I first hung a feeder in my back yard, I was unaware of the lengths these little looters would resort to in order to stuff their cheeks with seeds. Then I discovered the front of the feeder had been torn off by an ingenious squirrel who decided to make it more efficient—at least by squirrel standards.  

Not wanting to risk another mangled feeder, I chose a new one that claimed to be squirrel-proof. When a squirrel climbed onto the perch, its weight caused the port to close. This worked until the nimble critters figured out they could hang by their toes from the roof and pick seeds to their heart’s content. 

I hung a suet feeder and watched the squirrels haul it up to their branch hand over hand. I tried a window feeder which they reached with a flying leap. Shimmying up a tall pole to a platform feeder was a picnic—literally. 

Finally, I discovered a squirrel baffle. Shaped like an Asian conical hat, it hangs just above the feeder. When squirrels jump onto it, they slide right off. (My feeder isn’t high enough to cause injuries from a fall.)

Now I have a simple feeder, not touted as squirrel-proof in any way, with a baffle strung a bit above the roof. It does, indeed, baffle the squirrels. They gaze up at the feeder from the ground. They scurry up the tree and peer down. They cling to the tree trunk with their feet and stretch their hands toward the feeder as if the force of their tiny wills might bring it within reach. 

But they will not stop trying to nick the seeds.

And their persistence pays off. Though the baffle has been largely successful at keeping them out, it is not foolproof. From time to time the baffle shifts so that it dumps the squirrels on top of the feeder instead of onto the ground. 

Constant vigilance is needed to prevent their plundering.

Satan is as relentless as a squirrel, except instead of stealing seeds, he steals joy.

He wants us to be offended, critical, angry. To hold onto grudges. To say the words we know will hurt. Take one small step away from our Savior. And then another, because he knows that being separated from God leads to misery.

And misery is his end goal.

“For he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself” (2 Nephi 2:27). 

When it comes to robbing us of our happiness, he will never give up.

Ever.

The good news is that we can block Satan’s attempts to pilfer our cheer.

President Russell M. Nelson tells us, “The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives” (Russell M. Nelson, “Joy and Spiritual Survival,” October 2016 General Conference).

Where is our focus?

President Nelson adds:

“[Jesus Christ] is the source of all joy. . .”

 

“He. . . offers an intensity, depth, and breadth of joy that defy human logic or mortal comprehension. . .

 

“How, then, can we claim that joy? We can start by ‘looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith’ ‘in every thought.’ We can give thanks for Him in our prayers and by keeping covenants we’ve made with Him and our Heavenly Father. As our Savior becomes more and more real to us and as we plead for His joy to be given to us, our joy will increase.

 

“Joy is powerful, and focusing on joy brings God’s power into our lives.”

We focus on joy when we take steps toward our Savior. When we let go of resentment, bitterness, and frustration. When we forgive. When we speak words meant to heal, reach out in compassion, and fill our hearts with love. When we look for and find God’s tender mercies.

Focusing on joy does not mean we won’t have trials. Afflictions are part of this life. But with our focus in the right place, we can have joy even amid those trials. 

We will always have blessings too. We often experience both hardship and boon all in the same day. Which one we choose to focus on determines our level of happiness. Focusing on joy—the Source Of All Joy—strings up a baffle that shields us from despair.

Since none of us is perfect, from time to time that baffle will shift. 

One of my favorite scripture stories is when Peter walked on the water. Afloat in a vessel tossed with waves amid boisterous winds, Peter asked Jesus, “Bid me come unto thee on the water” (Matthew 14:28). Then he stepped out of the boat and a miracle happened. But when his focus shifted from the Savior to the tumult surrounding him, he began to sink. Realizing his mistake, Peter immediately returned his focus to the One with power to save him. “He cried, saying, Lord, save me. 

“And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him” (Matthew 14:30-31).

To read more of Cami’s articles, click here.

When we feel like we’re sinking, when it seems that our joy is slipping away, or that we’ve been robbed of it completely, our focus needs readjusting. Our baffle has slipped.

Like Peter, we can immediately turn our attention back to the One with power to save, the Source Of All Joy.

Satan will never stop trying to steal our happiness, but we don’t need to sink into his misery.  

When we choose to focus on joy, we will find it—whatever our circumstance.

Cami Klingonsmith

Cami lives in Idaho with her husband, various family members who come and go, and an energetic Siberian husky.
She volunteers as a costume director/seamstress for the drama department at her local high school where she gets to make elaborate clothing most people don’t wear in real life—which is what makes it so fun.
She enjoys reading, bird watching, gardening, and Zumba, but her greatest joy comes from being with her family.