"Charity, the pure love of Christ" (Moroni 7:47)

I think the scripture I need to share today might be something I need to hear myself. I know that we all suffer and have challenges that really try our faith (see 3 Nephi 26:11). Challenges don't always make sense. Which leads me to the scripture:

Beautiful- just because we are loved

"I know that [God] loveth His children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things" (1 Nephi 11:17).

As you endure the challenges of life, I invite you to seek for the love God has for you. It is always there. I have felt it and I want everyone in the world to feel His love. This love is "charity, the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever" (Moroni 7:47). As you seek for God's love, He will fill you up with it. This love is more powerful than anything I have ever felt. It is life and heart changing. Charity is "the love that Christ has for the children of men and that the children of men have for one another. [It is] the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love, not merely affection" (Charity).

The prophet Joseph Smith said, "A man filled with the love of God, is not content with blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious to bless the whole human race" (Bishop Keith B. McMullin). When we feel and then are filled with the love of God, it enables us to keep trying, keep serving, keep hoping, and in so doing, we want others to feel this amazing love. So, we then go forth and help others, lift others, and this love continues to grow within us and for us. God's love for us is truly awesome.

Even though I don't understand "why" or "how come" of everything, I say to you (and myself), God loves you more than words can express. This I testify.

"[God] maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45)

We had a power outage this past weekend that lasted for about 6-7 hours. It had started to bring back memories of the year we had no power for 3 days. You need to know something about me. I get a little edgy when I am cold. A little edgy when I am tired. A touch off when I am hungry. A touch out of sorts when I have an infection. If you throw all of those together...well, let me just say, in the nicest way possible, that all heck breaks loose and it is better to not be around me when they all come together. My family knows that they need to stay out of my way. So, this past weekend, when it was getting closer to the 5 hour mark with no power and it was getting dark outside and the temperatures were dropping, I was really trying to hold it together...I hope the Lord sees fit to take me when "The Big One" comes, I am not much of a "pioneer" without my modern conveniences, such as food, heat, light, medicine, a warm bed, did I mention food?

Sometimes, things just go wrong and for no apparent reason. The power goes out on the best of us, and we are cold, hungry, tired, and we have an infection all at the same time. Things could definitely be worse (I have experienced way worse and I try to accept what I am given and be grateful...note the try, it doesn't mean that I am happy about it, or that it is easy). One of the conclusions that I have come to when bad things happen to good people (which happens all the time), is that "[God] maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45). Power outages, unfortunately, don't skip homes that are paying tithing, or even paying their electrical bills. They happen to whomever happens to be on that grid. Power outages happen to the best of us. They make life inconvenient, change our routine, test our patience, make us slow down, sometimes they make us questions why things have to happen to us, sometimes they may even make us question our faith. These are not necessarily bad things.

Another conclusion I have come to about bad things happening to good people is that unbeknownst  to us, these trials, or power outages, can actually be strength building opportunities for us. The Lord has said, "I will try the faith of my people" (3 Nephi 26:11) and taught through His prophets "...ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith" (Ether 12:6). Sometimes, as I am riding my bike up a long, steep hill I have to look down rather than up. This is the proper placement for my head. The hill looks flatter, I am able to focus on each stroke as I pedal, and I slowly, oh so slowly, make my way to the top. It is with my head down, humbled in prayer that is in the proper position that makes all the difference, when I need help in my deepest, and darkest hours of my "power outages". Elder Henry B. Eyring said, "Trouble itself can be your way to strengthen and finally gain unshakable faith" (Mountains to Climb).



Life isn't always filled with lights and without its storms. I sometimes wish it were. But then I look back at all the growth that has come form all that hard work, diligence, and perseverance of pedaling up those long, steep hills and you know what? I wouldn't change a thing. I to add my voice with the prophet Nephi and say, "I know that [Christ] loveth His children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things" (1 Nephi 11:17). Things work out, if not in this life, then in the next. We are loved beyond measure and we are not left alone in the dark. This I testify.

The day after the storm...and after the power outage. The sun always comes out after the  storm.

Note how the branch is hanging down from the weight of the snow, this is several hours after the storm has ended.

The mountains from our home. I am standing in our driveway. We received at least a foot or more of snow, and the mountains received 48" or more!

"And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things" (1 Nephi 16:29)

My husband gave me a very generous gift for Christmas. It is called a bike trainer. With it I am able to bring my bike inside the house, hook it up to the trainer and ride it. It is a great way to keep in shape. It acts like a stationary bike, but I am on my own bike and can therefore, prepare for longer rides. As I was riding today, I realized that I get bored riding inside the house and it is hard to stay on the bike for over an hour. It is doing the same thing over and over without going anywhere. It would be easy to talk myself right out of not getting on the bike at all. Then it hit me that this attitude was just like life and living the gospel. I could easily get bored with doing the basics, over and over. But doing the basics is important. The basics are the things that keep one from dropping out of the race when the race gets tough. And life and living the gospel does get challenging, guaranteed (see 3 Nephi 26:11). What's interesting is that I actually am going places while riding a stationary bike, but the results aren't seen until later, on a long ride, when I am back outside.

The Lord wants us to be prepared for this long ride called life, and eventually eternal life. We have to exercise and keep going forward, day by day. He said of us, "That they themselves may be prepared, and that my people may be taught more perfectly and have experience, and know more perfectly concerning their duty, and the things which I require at their hands" (D&C 105:10). He gives us instruction and guidance on how to be prepared. He doesn't want us to go blindly, riding around in circles, or even stay stationary. He wants us to move forward and keep making progress (see Mosiah 1:17). Sometimes it may feel like we are staying stationary when we are only taking small steps, but we are moving forward or even just staying in shape and preparing for "come what may" (Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin).

One of the greatest principles of the gospel was taught to Nephi and his family through the use of  "a round ball of curious workmanship" (1 Nephi 16:10), a "director- or [they]called it the Liahona, which is, being interpreted, a compass; and the Lord prepared it" (Alma 37:38). The Liahona had "two spindles" (1 Nephi 16:10) or "pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which [Nephi and his family] did give unto them" (1 Nephi 16:28). Through the Liahona the Lord would communicate with them: "And there was also written upon them...which was plain to be read, which did give [them] understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which [they] gave unto it"(1 Nephi 16:29). Notice, that is was "according to the faith and diligence and heed" that the Lord would give them direction. This is the same with us. When we receive instruction from our leaders or from the Holy Ghost, or even from our own personal scripture study and act in faith, and diligence, and give heed to promptings or instruction we receive, we are being directed by the Lord. Things will happen in our lives, a step at a time, or a pedal at a time. "And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things" (1 Nephi 16:29).

There are times when I think that riding my bike in the house and going no where isn't really helping. But, it brings me right back to being prepared. I have to ask myself, what am I preparing for? Just like asking, why do I go to church when it could be boring, or someone has offended me? Because it is more than just a meeting. We are preparing ourselves spiritually each week..."For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors" (Alma 34:32). If we are serious about the long ride, we must prepare for it now. We must get in shape daily by doing the basics. Some of the basics that have helped me are: "daily prayer and scripture study" (Elder L. Tom Perry), regular church attendance (D&C 59:9-10; Elder Dallin H. Oaks), paying a full tithe (Malachi 3:10; Elder Neal A. Maxwell), and temple attendance (President Thomas S. Monson; D&C 95:8-9). These are small means that have made a great difference in my life. These are some of the basics that will help keep you in shape spiritually, preparing for the long ride we are doing now, and will be doing in the future.

The Lord wants us to "draw near" unto Him, and He will "draw near" unto us (D&C 88:63). As we prepare daily for the long ride by doing the basics, we can endure the the challenges ahead, because the challenges won't be challenges, but blessings. They will be what lead us and draw us closer to Him. We won't just be stationary, but the Lord is bringing about "great things". This I testify.