"...that ye may learn wisdom..." (Alma 32:12)

Learning wisdom...

Do you ever feel like you are having experiences in life in which...well, that you got the short end of the stick? I have been feeling like this off and on since I got diagnosed with CRPS (March of 2016; learn more about CRPS here and here). But today I have had to stop and think a bit after having a new insight from this scripture:

"I say unto you, it is well that ye [have ...insert challenge here], that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye [have...said challenge], that ye are brought to a lowliness of heart; for ye are necessarily brought to be humble" (Alma 32:12)

 When I read it like this, "it is well that ye have CRPS, that ye may be humble, and that ye may learn wisdom"...I wanted to say, "What?! It isn't well. This really, really stinks (to put it mildly)!" Sometimes I get caught up in, "...but I can't do such and such" thinking, especially, I can't ride my trike or go on hikes anymore! To say nothing about all the shoes and boots in my closet that I can't wear!

Then I had to pause.

I have to be still. "Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still." (Psalm 4:4). I really like that...stand in awe...be still. I have found that when I am still, when I am calm and not all whiny or mad, or full of self pity, it is then that I receive answers, or peace, and I understand better what I need to do...or not do. Sometimes it takes me a bit to be still. But when I finally get there I realize that life is more than the doing or the getting.

I believe that this life is "a time to prepare to meet God..." (Alma 34:32). And to prepare I must learn how to be godly, which includes learning patience, long-suffering, spiritual endurance, being quick to forgive, healing, sorrow, joy, peace, being still...you get the idea.

It is not "necessary" that I ride a bike. But it is "necessary that I learn wisdom" (see Alma 32:12). "Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished" (Ecclesiastes 4:13). Admonished is to be "warned of something to be avoided" (Dictionary). Another favorite about wisdom: "O be wise, what can I say more? (Jacob 6:12).

I invite you to pause, to be still. Take time to think about what godly attribute or quality you are learning. I know life isn't fair, but it sure is worth learning wisdom.

This is an interesting photo to me as I can see the "shine" on my left foot where my nerves have been damaged. And the "tan" is not really a tan at all, but rather, it's kind of a "burn" from the heat of the sun, not the light of the sun, if that makes any sense at all. Indeed, I am so grateful for my feet, as I can still walk -not for exercise, but for function- and that's enough for now.

"...be of good cheer..." (John 16:33)

My mom, a woman of great strength and good cheer

As thoughts of my mom distill  upon my heart and mind, I hear her voice in my head call out, "Be of good cheer!" She would enthusiastically say it, frequently, as I was leaving her home. Rather than saying good-bye on her answering machine, she ended the message with, "Be of good cheer". Those were words of comfort she afforded me when I was seeking support and understanding. I believe it was her motto, and she truly lived it.

Those same words were spoken by Jesus Christ. He said it while talking to his disciples shortly before the agonies He would suffer in Gethsemane, before being betrayed by Judas, and before He would endure an unjust trial which would lead to His crucifixion and death. He said, "In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). I believe that Christ knew life ahead would be challenging for the twelve apostles as He used the phrase, "ye shall have tribulation".

In modern revelation He offers comfort to us through this same declaration. "And ye cannot bear all things now (again, Christ is letting us know we will have trials and life won't be easy); nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along." (D&C 78:18). I love the word, nevertheless. It means, " in spite of that" (nevertheless). Thus, in spite of the trials. In spite of the worry. In spite of betrayal. In spite of hardship or pain. In spite of the monotony of daily life, which can be its own curious type of pain..."be of good cheer".

Even though my mom got weaker and less independent,
she always chose to be of good cheer.

I have learned over the years that we never know what someone is suffering or going through at any given time. No one gets out of this life without trials, pain, sorrow, or loss. Life for my mom was not easy- she definitely had her fair share of tribulations.

Nevertheless, she was one of the most optimistic, cheerful, and positive persons I have ever known. She quietly lived the gospel, which spoke volumes of lessons for me. She did "submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord" (Mosiah 24:15). She embodied the words of Pres. Thomas S. Monson in which he encourages us to "be of good cheer". He said, "This attitude is what will pull us through whatever comes our way. It will not remove our troubles from us but rather will enable us to face our challenges, to meet them head on, and to emerge victorious." He continues, "I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storm clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us." Pres. Monson ends with, "My beloved brothers and sisters, fear not. Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith" (Be of Good Cheer).

I testify of the power of being of good cheer. It is real- even life changing. I testify that God is with you. He hears and answers your prayers. We have nothing to fear. This I testify.

"...arouse the faculties of your souls..." (Jacob 3:11)

I love seeing beautiful flowers!
They are soul satisfying. 

I have been pondering what it means to live, and how to really participate in life. I found two ways (I am sure there are others, but these are the two that were very clear to me).

First way: "And others will [the devil] pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say; All is well in Zion; ye, Zion prospereth, all is well- and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell" (2 Nephi 28:21).

I love greeting this man with a kiss every time he comes home
...and then some. 

Second way: "O my brethren, hearken unto my words; arouse the faculties of your souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death" (Jacob 3:11).

What I noticed is that the devil is sneaky. He will "lull us into carnal security". Carnal means "1. relating to the physical and especially sexual appetites. 2. Worldly or earthly; temporal. 3. Of or relating to the body or flesh; bodily." (Carnal). This kind of living relies on physical and temporal experiences. I see it as an "eat, drink, and be merry" (2 Nephi 28:8) way of living.There is no real use of one's senses in this situation. The devil "carefully" leads one "down", making one think that, "all is well", when in reality one will miss out on that which is real, even light (see Alma 32:35).

In contrast, Jacob invites us to "hearken", which is a call to action. I love the invitation to "arouse the faculties of your souls". For me, this is using all of my senses, my thoughts, actions, physical as well as spiritual faculties to learn and experience life. This is another way of saying, Wake-up! Living life in this way is powerful, fulfilling, and offers many light filled moments. When I choose to live this way my experiences are rich and satisfying, calming in a way that leads me to want to experience and share the joy I receive with others.

I keep thinking about these ideas. What parts of my life need waking up? What faculties do I need to arouse that involves my whole soul? Am I being "lulled" to sleep or am I "awake"? I keep thinking that the world would have me believe that if I am busier then I am more awake. I can tell you from first hand experience that is not really being awake, it's just being busy.

Enjoy my food!

I invite you to take time to ponder what you need to do to "awake and arouse your faculties" (Alma 32:27). Perhaps it's taking time to notice God's beautiful creations (see 1 Tim. 4:4) , taking time to listen (see Moroni 8:8) , tasting your food (see Proverbs 24:13) , enjoying the harvest of the season (see Revelations 14:15), greeting your spouse with a kiss (see 2 Cor. 13:12), being "still" (which is so very different that being lulled to sleep) (see D&C 101:16, Psalms 4:4), choosing to spend time with loved ones (see Lev 25:10). These are some thoughts that come to my mind. What does your heart tell you?

"...now it is high time to awake out of sleep." (Romans 13:11). Indeed, we must wake-up!

Awaking to the touch of a bee on my leg. It was so light and gentle.

More joy to my soul

I love spending time with Hershey...instant love and acceptance.

Rosie...such a gentle and sweet dog. I'm so grateful God made these creations!

I love peach harvest time!

I took time to bottle some of the peaches...my mom taught me how to do this. How I miss her!
Through this process I felt closer to her and had a satisfied feeling of working hard, preparing and preserving, and a deep appreciation for all that God has created for me to enjoy.

"...and those who died in the faith of Christ are happy in Him..." (Alma 46:41)

I have so much on my mind. But words escape me. So, I will write the few words that come to me.

My mom passed away on Sunday, August 26th, surrounded by loved ones, in her home. I was there. I am so grateful for this very tender experience.

I will share one experience with you. I went to visit my mom on Friday, August 24th. When I arrived I asked her, "How are you doing, Mom?" She opened her eyes and replied, "I am so happy!" I told her what I was doing that day and she said, "Enjoy it! Just enjoy it!"

As I have reflected upon this experience again and again, a scripture has come to my mind:

"And it came to pass that there were many who died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing.... But there were many who died with old age; and those who died in the faith of Christ are happy in Him, as we must needs suppose." (Alma 46:39,41)

I know my mom is happy, she told me so.

"...by labouring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, ... did once more establish peace in the land" (Words of Mormon 1:18)

As thoughts of soul expanding experiences have been on my mind, the words of this scripture took on new meaning for me. "Wherefore, with the help of these [holy men], king Benjamin, by labouring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land" (Words of Mormon 1:18).

As a mother, I have been given the help of  holy men and women, such as sisters, brothers, friends, leaders, parents, grandparents, teachers, bishops, and so many more people to help me establish peace. I have labored "with all the might of [my] body and the faculty of [my] whole soul..." to establish peace in our home. Think about these words, faculty of the whole soul. It's with the entirety of our souls that we do all we can to help lift and strengthen the family of God.

As a parent, I do use "all the might of my body" to help my family be united and strengthened in God's love. I do know what true peace, even the "peace of God, which passeth all understanding" (Philippians 4:7), feels like and I want my children to feel it, too. I don't know of any parent that doesn't seek and strive to maintain peace in their homes.

And then the words: "...faculty of  his whole soul..." (Words of Mormon 1:18). This phrase caught my attention. Faculty means: "1) an ability, natural or acquired, for a particular kind of action: a faculty for making friends easily. 2) one of the powers of the mind, as memory, reason, or speech: Though very sick, he is in full possession of all his faculties. 3) an inherent capability of the body: the faculties of sight and hearing. 4) exceptional ability or aptitude: a president with a faculty for management."
Nephi said this about "faculty": 

• "Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things" (1 Nephi 15:25).

  To me, this sounds very much like the soul expanding experience of a mother trying to teach her children to learn of God, to put their trust in God. It's the soul expanding experience that comes as I teach my children to repent and keep the commandments because they love God more than the fear of not knowing everything.  I know this, because I do believe I use all the faculties I possess, even those of love, of patience, of hearing the still small voice of the Spirit...I use every single faculty so that my "children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26). 
• • 
    
  • I can tell you that every day is worth the effort. Every day, all the small things, they do add up and make "great things come to pass" (Alma 37:6). I'm writing this for myself, because I find it too easy to forget that all those small things do make all the difference. All of my efforts, using all my faculties, and all my might, is soul expanding- not just their souls, but my soul as well. Keep up the "Great Work" (Alma 26:3, D&C 64:33)! It's totally worth all the effort. This I testify.
    

    

    The small things in life add up and truly expand my soul.