"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not". D&C 6:36

Day #3:
The verse I am thankful for today is D&C 6:36. It reads:

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not".

I am so grateful for the simple doctrine that is taught in this passage of scripture. It gives me instruction on what to do in any given situation. I must focus to my thoughts on God. I must trust God. And I must exercise faith in God so that fear will have no room to survive or grow. It is not always easy to do these three things, but when I do them, I am able to feel peace and comfort, and when needed, I am given the courage to wait.

The interesting part in all this is that the easiest ways I have found to direct my thoughts to God are the "primary answers": pray, read the scriptures, sing a primary song or hum my favorite hymn, love and serve my family. I am so grateful for simple ways to focus on God. He definitely makes it worth the effort.

What are ways you look to God in all your thoughts?

"Feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:3)

My awesome husband had asked me for several weeks to remember to turn the cold water off in our shower so it wouldn't drip. I kept forgetting. I finally asked him to leave me a note. This is what he left me:

My husband loves me and leaves me little notes...

It is a simple way to help me remember to turn off the cold water "a little more" after showering. I have learned that even though the note is right in front of my face on the mirror, unless I take the time to read it, I don't remember to do it.

I need "notes" to help me remember to do small things that make life better, to accomplish tasks, or to help my children (just to name a few items of which I need help remembering). I am always telling my family, "Leave me a note or I won't remember".

As I was looking at the various notes I have stuck everywhere from my children and my husband to help me remember things I need to do, I realized that God leaves me little notes, too. The trick is, I must read them. These little notes from God are throughout the scriptures. I love getting notes from God. Here are just a few of the notes that have come to mean a lot to me:

" For the natural man is an enemy to God...unless he yields to the enticings of the holy Spirit..." (Mosiah 3:19)

"If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15)

"For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37)

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27)

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not" (D&C 6:36) 

"...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." (Alma 37:6)

"If ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (D&C 38:30) 

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great" (D&C 64:33)

We all need help remembering, but to be reminded with a note only helps if we read the note. I think Nephi said it pretty well: "Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:3). God is talking to us, we just need to read His words and then "go and do" (1 Nephi 3:7). This I testify.

"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (D&C 88:6)

Friends are invaluable. They are a source of strength in times of need, joy, pain, sorrow, renewing, aging, birth, death, and just life. Friendships change and they grow. A true friend is one that forgives and loves even when we aren't perfect. I have found friends that will never fail me, they are full of wisdom, and I can turn to them any time. I love the advice I receive from these friends because it is never wrong if I follow the advice I receive from them. I am never manipulated or coerced, but always loved into action. It is a great relationship. If we don't have any contact for a while, we immediately reunite and I am so glad we do and I always think, "Why did I wait so long to visit these friends", because it is always my choice if we don't keep in touch.

These friends are the scriptures or often called the standard works- The Old and New Testaments, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price (you can access them all here). I love spending time with these friends. They are so filled with love, knowledge and wisdom, and truth. They are spiritual and will help us draw closer to God if we follow what they tell us to do (see The Book of Mormon: Introduction). We can all choose to be friends with the scriptures. "They can become stalwart friends that are not limited by geography or calendar. They are always available when needed. Their use provides a foundation of truth that can be awakened by the Holy Ghost. Learning, pondering, searching, and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet with friends, values, and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world" (Elder Richard G. Scott). In this world, we all need friends that will lead us and help us draw closer to Christ.

I would like to share a couple of my "best friends" (for this is what they have become to me) with you and take just a few brief moments and explain why they have become so treasured to me.

One of my dearest friends is found in 1 Nephi. It is when Nephi is given the vision his father had of the tree of life. Nephi is asked by the angel if he knows the "condescension of God" (1 Nephi 11:16). Nephi replies: "I know that He loveth His children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things" (1 Nephi 11:17). Nephi admits he doesn't understand all of God's ways or reasons. What he does know is that God loves His children. This has given me great strength and comfort many times and continues to do so. I don't understand everything that everyone goes through, but I know we are loved and God has a reason for everything. Sometimes our trials can become our greatest blessing. If we ponder the atonement, it was the greatest trial for the Savior of us all, and is the greatest blessing and gift for all of us (see D&C 19:16-19).

I have mentioned and talked about this friend before. It has blessed my life many times. It is simple and straight forward. "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not" (D&C 6:36). As children of God, we must move forward in this life, which is a temporary separation from our Father in Heaven, with faith. Because of the veil of forgetfulness it is too easy to not remember who we really are and sometimes wander around fearing what may or may not happen. My dad has frequently given me great advice. He says you shouldn't worry about what you can't control. When we look to our Father in Heaven we can quit worrying about all the "stuff" we can't control, like our children's behavior, or if our children are going to get in a car accident, or if we are going to lose our job, or if we may or may not get sick, or whatever life may bring us....Instead, we must "...look to God and live" (Alma 37:47)! ~ That is another great friend.

Great friends help us live! God wants us to LIVE! "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). To truly live and have joy is to "live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you" (Alma 34:38). This is joy~ recognizing that the Lord is aware of us, and loves us and blesses us with all we have. When we "always remember Him" (D&C 20:77,79) we are seeing God in our lives and living in thanksgiving daily for the "tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he that chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance" (1 Nephi 1:20 italics added). We are so loved!!!

These are some of my best and dearest friends. They have lifted, carried, guided, taught, and loved me through life. These friends, the scriptures, are from a loving, all powerful, all knowing God, who loves us and wants us to have joy. Read them. Study them. Get to know them and you will have a relationship not only with the scriptures, but with the Lord. The promise is, "Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (D&C 88:63, see also Psalms 69:18; Zech. 1:3-4, Ezra 8:22-23). We can all use more friends and there are many good ones to be had. The Savior Himself said, "Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks" (D&C 98:1). There is no better friend than the Savior. This I testify.

"...It is according to faith that miracles are wrought..." (Moroni 7:37)

There are a lot of things that people fear: fear of heights, fear of death, fear of the dark, just to name a few. When I was little I would have a reoccurring dream of the world being on fire and my family could fly and I couldn't. It was a terrible nightmare that I would have a lot. I feared having it. Fear is an interesting thing that effects our body. It is a natural response that takes place when we feel threatened or when we are put in a stressful situation. Fear isn't all bad. It helps to protect us from danger and helps that natural response kick in to run when we need to get out of somewhere. Fear can protect us from danger, but fear is a reaction to things that are around us or sometimes in us, such as our thoughts and not true protection. We need to learn how to control our fear and rely upon something more powerful and stronger than fear for protection. Something so powerful when developed and used properly it can move mountains ( see Ether 12:30), if needed we could have children when told it isn't possible (see Hebrews 11:11) , and or even be translated (see Hebrews 11:5). The power of faith is more powerful than fear.

But in our world where the impossible is made to seem possible, like in the movies when the not so great guy is able to don stretchy pants, a cape, and get some super powers (miraculously) and fly around the world, or skip around the city and save every one by beating them up, all the while he can drink all the alcohol he wants and sleep with all the women he wants. And he has all the money he could want by breaking every commandment including, but not limited to: lying, cheating, getting even, stealing. This isn't power at all. This is fake. This is what we should fear, but we look at it as entertainment and think nothing of it as our children watch, believing (or perhaps wishing) that life should be handed to them on a platter with no consequences...kind of hard to swallow even as I type this.

Real power comes from faith in Jesus Christ and must be based "upon correct knowledge or it cannot produce the desired results. Faith in Jesus Christ is the first principle of the gospel and is more than belief, since true faith always moves its possessor to some kind of physical and mental action; it carries an assurance of the fulfillment of the things hoped for. A lack of faith (or fear) leads one to despair, which comes because of iniquity (sin or unrighteousness)" (Bible Dictionary). This is real power! If we want to have the kind of power that will change our life, we must go to the real source of All Power. And this is Jesus Christ.

Okay, if faith is more powerful than fear, why is it that we seem to fall back on fear so much? We have "fears" that creep into our lives or things happen and we react out of fear. But, we don't have to react out of fear. It is getting to the point that we don't react out of fear, but act in faith that the Lord wants to bring us to. It is a process of growing and learning. He says: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not" (D&C 6:36). Having the Savior be a part of every thought...that is really what He wants for us. He wants us to be one with Him (John 17:21). That is why He comfortingly tells us, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10). That's powerful stuff. If we want this power, then we need to believe in Him, and we need to start somewhere, we must have "faith to believe" and He will start working in our lives and miracles will take place (see Alma 37:40).

In today's world we are always wanting miracles to happen. And "it is according to faith that miracles are wrought" (Moroni 7:37). Miracles cease "if there be no faith among the children of God" (Ether 12:12). There are miracles of healing, protection, and powers greater than man. But the "greater miracle is a mighty change of heart by a son or daughter of God (see Mosiah 5:2). A change of heart, including new attitudes, priorities, and desires, is greater and more important than any miracle involving the body." (Elder Dallin H. Oaks). The miracle of a changed heart, a person whose "heart is changed through faith on [Christ]; therefore, [they] have been "born of  him"(Mosiah 5:7) is a miracle that effects eternity. Faith in Christ is more powerful than fear. This miracle, a changed heart and being born of Christ, can take place every day as "tender mercies...because of [our] faith, to make [us] mighty even unto the power of deliverance" (1 Nephi 1:20). 

Christ is with us as we exercise our faith in Him and we have nothing to fear. He says: "Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world." (D&C 50:41). We get to choose faith over fear. This I testify has the power to work miracles in our lives. This will change eternity.

 "Choose faith over doubt, 

choose faith over fear, 

choose faith over the unknown and the unseen, 

and choose faith over pessimism."

~Elder Richard C. Edgley

"...the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)

I like to make salads and sometimes I just put a few random things together and it tastes really good. That's what this post is-a tossed salad of random thoughts, a few of my favorite things that taste good alone, as well as together and sometimes randomly. The great thing about a salad is that it can be an appetizer or it can be a meal in and of itself. Here are the random thoughts-you'll have to make your own salad or you could share your favorites with me as well.

"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not" (D&C 6:36). This is a challenge for me to do, but I think of this scripture often. The Lord is inviting us to look to Him in everything. Everything. As we do we are changed. Changed from relying on man to relying on the Master and "Creator of all things" (Helaman 14:12). We need not fear because as we look to Him, our eyesight improves and we can see better "the things that matter most" (Elder Uchtdorf), and our long term vision becomes eternal and our fears melt away. This can happen every day.

"For thus saith the scripture: Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve" (Alma 30:8). It is our choice whom we want to serve. I tell our children, just about every time they leave the house, "Make good choices." Making good choices has long term effects upon us mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically. "[Choose] the good part...I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls" (2 Nephi 2:30). When you make good choices, you have no regrets because you can look back and know you did your best.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). I love this passage of scripture. I think about this one often and our children say it as well. We can do all things with Christ. Just yesterday, on a long bike ride, as I was riding alone and my legs were sore and my behind was sore and I was very tired and I still had 10 miles to go and I had a head ache, I started thinking about this. I can do all things through Christ...every hard thing, and there are many hard things in life, and sometimes I just have to take them minute by minute, but I keep pedaling and guess what, I move forward. And we can and we will make it to the end. And it feels great when we endure through all the hard stuff! Christ will help us get through every hard thing...He truly will and does strengthen us.

"...by small and simple things, shall great things come to pass..." (Alma 37:6) I know that isn't the whole passage of the scripture, but that is what I always think about. (If you would like to read it in it's entirety please click the link.) Too often I don't give myself credit for the little things I do. I will quickly dismiss the time I take to call someone or write to them or something that I thought was insignificant that was actually very helpful and made a big difference for someone. It is by the small things, like watering a garden daily, that a beautiful garden will grow. It is by reading the scriptures daily that the Spirit will be felt more powerfully in our lives. It is the prayers that make a difference. These may be the "pat" answers, but they are the small and simple things that will make the big difference in our lives.

"If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). I have come to love this scripture. I use to think that I could have my own agenda and do my own thing and do it my way and show God I loved Him. But it is so simple. And it is so freeing! Keeping the commandments isn't binding, it allows me to be free from fear of disease, free from hate, free from the sorrow that comes from making really bad choices (and I have had my fair share of those...I don't want to go there again.) We are free to feel true joy and happiness when we keep His commandments because as we do so we are following the One who knows True Joy and True Happiness. "When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives" (Pres. Ezra Taft Benson). God never said that we wouldn't have trials or sorrow if we kept His commandments. Life isn't a piece of cake, but I have found that I am more at peace, a better mother, happier, more loving, and life is easier, even when it's hard, if I keep His commandments.

"O be wise; what can I say more?" (Jacob 6:12) I say this to our children and our children say this a well because...God has given us a brain. He wants us to use it. Be wise in the days of our probation, this life (see Alma 12:24). We will have problems and challenges, He will help us solve them, but He has also given us the Spirit, the scriptures, the words of prophets (read their words here), church, good leaders, family and friends to help us. He want us to make it easier for ourselves by making good choices and being wise with the things He has given us. We are wise when we pray for strength to endure the burdens and challenges rather than ask them to be removed. We are wise when we learn from Christ's example and turn to Him rather than turn from Him. "O be wise, what can I say more?"

The scriptures are a powerful and incredible tool for us to find strength and guidance. They are the words of Christ, they are His voice and will "tell you all things which ye should do" (2 Nephi 32:3). The scriptures are true. This I testify from my own experience, my own reading, my own study, and from my heart. I invite you to read and find out for yourself.