Sometimes I have felt a little distanced in Relief Society, like, feeling lonely in a room full of people. I blame no one for these feelings of insecurity, and I realized that if I wanted to love Relief Society and the sisters who are in my ward, I needed to be responsible for the change. I wanted to have a stronger testimony that this is God's work and He is aware of me therefore I began to ask for such (see Alma 7:23). It has come to me that this is God's organization for woman to aid, serve, lift, and to truly help relieve suffering. I now understand and know that we are not only figuratively, but also, "literally encircled in the arms of His love" (Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley; 2 Nephi 1:15). Here are a couple of experiences that have helped strengthen my testimony of Relief Society and the power of sisterhood that is within this organization.
I have been able to enjoy quilting with four sisters in my ward on a regular basis at the Humanitarian Center (read about the Humanitarian Center here). We are able to tie quilts that are sent all over the world to those in need and visit together. These women are so positive, devoted, caring, and faithful. I have come to truly love these women who love the Lord and serve Him in so many ways. I have enjoyed spending time with them and learning about their lives, their faith, their hopes, and difficult times. Their faith has strengthened my faith and resolve to "endure in faith to the end" (D&C 20:25) even when things don't always go as expected or planned.
Recently, without going into great detail, my mother has had some very serious health issues. A lot of her care and welfare has been my responsibility. My sister and sister-in-law have been an incredible source of support and help. This has been, at times, moments, hours, and days, an overwhelming experience to watch my mother suffer and endure great pain. I have spent countless hours caring for her at home and at the hospital. One day, after having been at the hospital, I came home to make dinner for my family- it was late and I was exhausted. It also happened that my husband was also working late that particular night. I started to pull some things out of the fridge when I turned and noticed a rotisserie chicken on our counter and a loaf of bread. I was confused about where it had come from. I asked my son, "Where did this chicken come from?" My son told me that one of the sisters in the quilt group had dropped it off saying, "Eat this now or when you need it." Tears rolled down my cheeks as I made cauliflower and a small salad to go with it. I was filled with peace and comfort from this small act of kindness. I was literally "encircled about...in the arms of His love" (2 Nephi 1:15). Because of this thoughtful act of service, I felt some relief from my suffering. My burden had been made lighter (see Mosiah 18:8).
The following day, another sister from this quilting group called me to see how my mother and I were doing. It was a simple phone call, but oh, how it nourished my soul, and again, made my burden lighter to bear. It confirmed the words of a prophet: "It is the natural instinct of women to reach out in love to those in distress" (Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley). I was in distress, yet, I felt loved and supported as this dear sister reached out through a simple phone call.
My suffering was again alleviated when my visiting teacher called and asked if she could stop by. I had just returned home after having spent many hours helping my mother. It had been an especially long and emotional day. At the time I was watching my brothers three youngest children so he and his wife could go and visit with our mother. When my visiting teacher showed up to visit, she had in her hands a small plant and a belated birthday card. As we began to visit she said, "I haven't read the message but the first line jumped out at me and it says, 'I will not leave you comfortless" (John 14:18). It couldn't have been more perfectly timed or said. She then bore the most tender and heartfelt testimony of God's love for us, and said, "Even when there is a new mountain to climb, He will guide us and help us in our darkest times". Indeed He does!
God "encircles [us] about...in the arms of His love through the Relief Society whose members are daughters of God who love Him. It is a society of sisters, all connected by service, covenant keeping, charity, faith, and hope. What a beautiful and godly blessing to be surrounded by these precious women, my sisters in the gospel, even my sisters in Relief Society- who act as God's hands in offering relief to those who suffer and encircling us in the arms of His love.
Showing posts with label 2 Nephi 1:15. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2 Nephi 1:15. Show all posts
Friday, September 26, 2014
Saturday, February 11, 2012
"...Nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life" (Alma 32:41).
As a mother of four children, who stays at home and is often asked what I do, I frequently ask myself that same question. What do I do? I am so grateful that the Lord has given me an answer. It is really plain, which most often His answers are "plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the understanding of all men" ( 1 Nephi 14:23). This answer comes from The Family: A Proclamation to the World. It states: "Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children". I nurture our children. To some people this means to feed and make food. That is some of what I do. But I have come to learn that there is so much more to nurturing than just making food.
The unabridged definition from my Webster's New World Dictionary for nurture reads: "1) anything that nourishes; food; nutriment 2) the act or process of raising or promoting the development of; training, educating, fostering, etc.: 3) all the environmental factors, collectively, to which one is subjected from conception onward, as distinguished from one's nature or heredity - vt. 1) to feed or nourish 2a) to promote the development of b) to raise by educating, training, etc.-"(Websters New World Dictionaries, 1988). When understanding the entire definition of nurturing then mothers and women can more fully understand what they are really doing and the power and influence they have upon their families and on society.
What we truly are is nourishers. We nourish our children, who are our seed, and then we get to nourish them with the words of Christ. When we patiently teach our children truth we will "nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by [our] faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life" (Alma 32:41). Nourishing takes patience, diligence, time, and vision. When we want to educate, train, and foster development or change we have to have a perspective, and that perspective must be eternal.
The day to day tasks of making food, washing clothes, vacuuming, changing diapers, doing dishes, whatever stage of life you are in, must be kept in proper perspective. "Our Heavenly Father is most pleased when we sacrifice something good for something far greater with an eternal perspective. Sometimes, that may even mean nurturing small but beautiful forget-me-not flowers instead of a large garden of exotic blooms" (Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf). It has taken me a long time to get to the point where I only say, "I am a mother" and don't add anything else to it, such as what my degree is or that I do art or any of my other interests. I am a nurturer of God's children, and that's enough, because I too am a child of God. We are enough with the time and talents which the Lord has blessed us to help build up and nurture His kingdom, which is His children, here on the earth. For we are all God's children, and we all need building, guiding, educating, nurturing. We can build each other by sharing our time and talents and serving and loving each other. Elder Maxwell said it perfectly when he stated: "We desire our women to be unarguably superb individuals, wives, and mothers, and they can contribute so much to this outcome by making the most of their educational opportunities, both now and by having a posture of lifetime learning...[You] give to our children what [you] are. The more a mother brings to a nest, the more nutritive the nest" (Taking up the Cross).
As women of God, who desire to strengthen homes and families, we are daily nurturing our families and our future. One of the most powerful ways to nurture our loved ones is to provide them ample opportunities to "feast upon the words of Christ" (2 Nephi 32:3), and thus help them be "encircled about eternally in the arms of His love" (2 Nephi 1:15). The Spirit will show and teach us how to make this work for our individual circumstances. Having daily scriptures study with our children increases faith and helps give them protection against all the "fiery darts" that will and are coming at them from every direction (see Ephesians 6:16-17).
Another way to nurture is to educate them and guide them with the protection of His Spirit (see Ephesians 6:16) and teach them how to judge and "discern between good and evil" (Guide to the Scriptures). Judging is really about how to make good choices. It is the gift to discern between good and evil, to know right from wrong and then act, not react, using good judgement. This is a life long virtue to be nourished, the virtue of good judgement and how to judge.
There is so much to do as women of God as we nourish our families, not only our own families, but God's family. We "are primarily responsible for the nurture of [our] children" (The Family: A Proclamation to the World) and we are not left alone in this incredible and amazing responsibility. We are "women who know and love the Lord and bear testimony of Him, women who are strong and immovable and who do not give up during difficult and discouraging times " (Sister Julie B. Beck). We are daughters of God and "the most important of the Lord's work [we] will ever do will be within the walls of [our] own homes" (Pres. Harold B. Lee). This I testify.
The unabridged definition from my Webster's New World Dictionary for nurture reads: "1) anything that nourishes; food; nutriment 2) the act or process of raising or promoting the development of; training, educating, fostering, etc.: 3) all the environmental factors, collectively, to which one is subjected from conception onward, as distinguished from one's nature or heredity - vt. 1) to feed or nourish 2a) to promote the development of b) to raise by educating, training, etc.-"(Websters New World Dictionaries, 1988). When understanding the entire definition of nurturing then mothers and women can more fully understand what they are really doing and the power and influence they have upon their families and on society.
What we truly are is nourishers. We nourish our children, who are our seed, and then we get to nourish them with the words of Christ. When we patiently teach our children truth we will "nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by [our] faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life" (Alma 32:41). Nourishing takes patience, diligence, time, and vision. When we want to educate, train, and foster development or change we have to have a perspective, and that perspective must be eternal.
The day to day tasks of making food, washing clothes, vacuuming, changing diapers, doing dishes, whatever stage of life you are in, must be kept in proper perspective. "Our Heavenly Father is most pleased when we sacrifice something good for something far greater with an eternal perspective. Sometimes, that may even mean nurturing small but beautiful forget-me-not flowers instead of a large garden of exotic blooms" (Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf). It has taken me a long time to get to the point where I only say, "I am a mother" and don't add anything else to it, such as what my degree is or that I do art or any of my other interests. I am a nurturer of God's children, and that's enough, because I too am a child of God. We are enough with the time and talents which the Lord has blessed us to help build up and nurture His kingdom, which is His children, here on the earth. For we are all God's children, and we all need building, guiding, educating, nurturing. We can build each other by sharing our time and talents and serving and loving each other. Elder Maxwell said it perfectly when he stated: "We desire our women to be unarguably superb individuals, wives, and mothers, and they can contribute so much to this outcome by making the most of their educational opportunities, both now and by having a posture of lifetime learning...[You] give to our children what [you] are. The more a mother brings to a nest, the more nutritive the nest" (Taking up the Cross).
As women of God, who desire to strengthen homes and families, we are daily nurturing our families and our future. One of the most powerful ways to nurture our loved ones is to provide them ample opportunities to "feast upon the words of Christ" (2 Nephi 32:3), and thus help them be "encircled about eternally in the arms of His love" (2 Nephi 1:15). The Spirit will show and teach us how to make this work for our individual circumstances. Having daily scriptures study with our children increases faith and helps give them protection against all the "fiery darts" that will and are coming at them from every direction (see Ephesians 6:16-17).
Another way to nurture is to educate them and guide them with the protection of His Spirit (see Ephesians 6:16) and teach them how to judge and "discern between good and evil" (Guide to the Scriptures). Judging is really about how to make good choices. It is the gift to discern between good and evil, to know right from wrong and then act, not react, using good judgement. This is a life long virtue to be nourished, the virtue of good judgement and how to judge.
There is so much to do as women of God as we nourish our families, not only our own families, but God's family. We "are primarily responsible for the nurture of [our] children" (The Family: A Proclamation to the World) and we are not left alone in this incredible and amazing responsibility. We are "women who know and love the Lord and bear testimony of Him, women who are strong and immovable and who do not give up during difficult and discouraging times " (Sister Julie B. Beck). We are daughters of God and "the most important of the Lord's work [we] will ever do will be within the walls of [our] own homes" (Pres. Harold B. Lee). This I testify.
Monday, November 07, 2011
"...I am encircled about eternally in the arms of His love." (2 Nephi 1:15)
This morning at breakfast, as I heaved a huge sigh and said to my youngest son, "Sometimes I just..." "Need a hug?" He interjected. Yes, sometimes I just need a hug. And it started me thinking about how sometimes in life, we just need a hug. But what do you do on those days when you are alone and no one is there to give you a hug? Because right now, our weather is the beginning of grayer and shorter days and longer nights and cold weather...this could be the focus of darkness and feelings of loneliness. Not that you have this feeling all the time, but sometimes, you just... need a hug. So, how can we deal with these real feelings so that we don't "wallow" in this? (My friend said that yesterday "wallow", and it was perfectly said! Wallowing isn't a good thing, it just leaves us stuck in the mud.) So, how do you get a hug when no one else is around?
I have found a way that helps me feel like I'm getting a hug and like hugging the whole world. It really is a simple thing. It is right in line with the "great commandment" (Matt. 22:36-40) and keeping the commandments is an automatic happy feeling (see Mosiah 2:41). But sometimes we need an extra boost because we are living in this "fallen state" (see 1 Nephi 10:6). The extra boost comes when we "are in the service of [our fellow beings [we] are only in the service of [our] God" (Mosiah 2:17). Serving others helps us get outside of ourselves and have a new view, and see things with a different perspective. Sometimes just giving us the opportunity to serve others helps us say, "I'll keep my bag of troubles, or trials. They aren't so bad." And we are able to "give thanks" for the trials or the little trip-me-ups with which we are blessed. As we serve others we are serving Christ. And it is a way we can "hug" Him. He wants us to love others. By keeping His commandments (the greatest is to love God and love our neighbor) we show our love for Him (John 14:15). We can "hug" Him and He hugs us back, "encircling [us] about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 Nephi 1:15). Feel Him loving you. Feel His hug as you serve others.
Giving thanks...that is a powerful way to give and receive a hug. We have been commanded to "give thanks in all things" (Mosiah 26:39; see also Ephesians 5:20; D&C 59:7). When we start giving thanks for everything something happens inside. There comes a feeling of love, of appreciation, of acceptance, of brotherly kindness. We let go of envy and are humbled by the blessings which Heavenly Father has given us individually and we stop comparing what we don't have to what others might have. Giving thanks is a gift we can give back to our Creator, because He has us specifically in mind when He gives us all we have. It is a way we can "hug" our Savior. He has given us EVERYTHING!!! He has given us our very lives, (Mosiah 4:21), even His own life, that we might live (see Mosiah 3:7-10).
In the Children's Primary Song I Feel My Savior's Love the last verse says: "I'll share my Savior's love by serving others freely. In serving I am blessed. In giving I receive." This is truth. Feel it. We can feel the Savior's love all around us as we serve and give thanks in all we have.This I testify is the way to receive and to give hugs!
Many Hugs!!! OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
I have found a way that helps me feel like I'm getting a hug and like hugging the whole world. It really is a simple thing. It is right in line with the "great commandment" (Matt. 22:36-40) and keeping the commandments is an automatic happy feeling (see Mosiah 2:41). But sometimes we need an extra boost because we are living in this "fallen state" (see 1 Nephi 10:6). The extra boost comes when we "are in the service of [our fellow beings [we] are only in the service of [our] God" (Mosiah 2:17). Serving others helps us get outside of ourselves and have a new view, and see things with a different perspective. Sometimes just giving us the opportunity to serve others helps us say, "I'll keep my bag of troubles, or trials. They aren't so bad." And we are able to "give thanks" for the trials or the little trip-me-ups with which we are blessed. As we serve others we are serving Christ. And it is a way we can "hug" Him. He wants us to love others. By keeping His commandments (the greatest is to love God and love our neighbor) we show our love for Him (John 14:15). We can "hug" Him and He hugs us back, "encircling [us] about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 Nephi 1:15). Feel Him loving you. Feel His hug as you serve others.
Giving thanks...that is a powerful way to give and receive a hug. We have been commanded to "give thanks in all things" (Mosiah 26:39; see also Ephesians 5:20; D&C 59:7). When we start giving thanks for everything something happens inside. There comes a feeling of love, of appreciation, of acceptance, of brotherly kindness. We let go of envy and are humbled by the blessings which Heavenly Father has given us individually and we stop comparing what we don't have to what others might have. Giving thanks is a gift we can give back to our Creator, because He has us specifically in mind when He gives us all we have. It is a way we can "hug" our Savior. He has given us EVERYTHING!!! He has given us our very lives, (Mosiah 4:21), even His own life, that we might live (see Mosiah 3:7-10).
In the Children's Primary Song I Feel My Savior's Love the last verse says: "I'll share my Savior's love by serving others freely. In serving I am blessed. In giving I receive." This is truth. Feel it. We can feel the Savior's love all around us as we serve and give thanks in all we have.This I testify is the way to receive and to give hugs!
Many Hugs!!! OOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
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