"When suffering, we may in fact be nearer to God than we've ever been in our entire lives. That knowledge can turn every such situation into a would be temple. Regarding our earthly journey the Lord has promised, I will go before your face, I will be on your right hand and on your left, my Spirit shall be in your hearts and mine angels round about you to bear you up. That is an everlasting declaration of God's love and care for us. Including and perhaps especially in times of trouble."
--Jeffery R. Holland
“Trials and difficulties can, if we let them, become holy places—places where we can feel the power of the Atonement in our lives. Our struggles can be consecrated to our good and growth, and you and I can become more like Christ.”
—Kris Belcher September 21, 2012
I love to feel inspired by the Mormon Messages. I try to listen to a General Conference talk each day to increase the Spirit in my life. I truly felt in a Holy Place when I watched this message.
August 22, 2012
Its an amazing feeling when things just fall into place. With finances low and an amazing blessing to move across country, we weren't sure how we were going to manage it {still dont completely know}. In our move we listed many of our large items for sale {ie: couch, washer and dryer, my favorite pub table, smaller end tables, fridge..etc}. We also had a yard sale. We ended up selling a lot of random items like clothes and shows and belts etc. The big items though, we didn't get rid of. We ended up selling the couch to a couple who saw the ad on craigslist, which we were stoked about. That same day they came to pick it up someone came by the house, knocked on the door and said that had seen the table at our yard sale and wanted to see if we still had it. She ended up buying it straight from our storage unit! Days later, a friend texted me asking me if we had our fridge because a family of 10, had their fridge die. They came and bought it straight out of our storage unit! I have been slowly lowering the price of the washer and dryer. Everything in Florida is electric and we didn't want to break up our w/d set. I had a thought to have my sis-in-law post my ad on her cities Facebook page. Sure enough we got someone that was interested. Yesterday she came to look at them and even though she got me lower than I wanted to go..I am glad they are sold so Evan doesn't have to lug them across country. What a whirlwind of events that it took to get all of our stuff sold. I am so thankful for the tender mercies that the Lord has blessed us with. In a time when we received the greatest blessing we prayed for, came trials to overcome. This entire experience has been a holy place for me. Having to completely rely on God and knowing that I have done all I can. We were at the mercy of His will and plan. It was difficult for me to sit back and wait, but I am thankful for the people involved and events that took place to allow us to get to this point.
March 1, 2012
I love when I feel my Heavenly Father reaching out to me. "Ask and ye shall receive, knock and it will be opened unto you."
December 13, 2011
I have been reading the May 2011 Ensign {conference talks from April 2011}. Elder Russell M. Nelson gave an amazing talk titled, "Face the Future with Faith". he entire talk was wonderful and powerful. The following stood out to me and penetrated deep within me-"Unfailing faith is fortified through prayer. Your heartfelt pleadings are important to Him...If we pray with an eternal persepective, we need not wonder if our most tearful and heartfelt pleadings are heard...{Your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord..and are recorded with this seal and testament-the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted..all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good and to my name's glory, saith the Lord-D&C 98} Howyou deal with life's trials is part of the development of your faith." Comforting to know that all my pleadings enter into the ear of the Lord. May I deal with life's trials with hope and brightness.
December 9, 2011
"Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye HOPE for things which are not seen, which are true."-Alma 32:21
HOPE. I have it most of the time. I could sure use more because I suck at HOPE during hard times. What I really need to do is learn to HOPE without the expectation that I could be disappointed and the world will crumble down. What's so wrong with disappointment? Its not a disappointment of shame, but merely just that, a disappointment in the outcome of what I thought would be. I will probably exhibit emotional response..be somber for a time and then move on. If I revisit the disappointment I will exhibit emotions again and then move on. Why do I find it hard to HOPE if its not that big of a deal?
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."-Romans 5:1-6
October 5, 2011
I came across a quote today shared by someone I have never met, yet she inspires me to have more faith and endure with greater courage. Thank you Whitney.
Our weaknesses are of as much importance to our life’s purpose as are our strengths.
While reading this quote, a clear strong impression came to my mind. You are becoming who I need you to become. From those feelings I felt closer to the Spirit and to my Father in Heaven. Reading about how other people experience trials really puts "mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those in need of comfort" into perspective.
September 28, 2011
I am thankful for the chance to attend the temple hand in hand with my eternal companion yesterday. Thankful for the Spirit I felt and joy I felt when I left there. I felt a greater connection. I felt a greater peace in my heart. A greater understanding. A greater love. I felt a healing. My holy place yesterday is literally a holy place, the Lord's House. As we go thru trials, we become broken and bruised. But as we experience them for what they are we become whole and connected. We have become a step closer to who we are to become.
Its not so much the "letting go" that is the hard part for me, it's the "waiting" {insert patience here}.
Monday June 13, 2011
Yesterday was humbling. I felt the Spirit in a way that I have never felt before. My Grandma Ballantyne (My Mom's Mom) passed away yesterday. Last Sunday, she suffered a heart attack which put her into a comatose state and she also had to be intabated. For a week, my family and I watched her lay in bed making small movements that gave us hope {eyes open, head turn, mouth open} but with no responsiveness to anything around her {involuntary movements}. It was as if her Spirit was in there looking out through her glasslike eyes just watching everyone while her body layed helpless. I understand death. I understand it is part of the plan. It is not then end. Not that it makes missing someone any easier, but it gives hope. I was able to be in the room as she passed {so thankful Evan was in the room with me to keep me strong for my Mom}. They gave grandma morphine and once it went through her body, they took the tube out of her mouth and she had labored breathing on her own for 4 hours. It took three times upping the morphine until she finally just stopped. Everyone in the room just watched as the life left in her frail little body just left. It was an experience I wont ever forget as the Spirit of the Lord was so strong in the room. It was as if the reuniting of her Spirit with all of our other loved ones happened in that very room unbeknown to all of us. It was a Spirit of rejoicing yet saddness for our loss. ICU room 33 at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, California became a Holy Place for many, especially me.
Tuesday May 3, 2011
Good, no great news! I was accepted into my dual credential program at Cal Poly Pomona. It is pretty sweet. I feel so grateful for such a great opportunity. Yesterday {2 May 2011} I met with the program director and we were going over my map/graduation plan. As she continued to add in classes {which meet only once a week after 6 pm, perfect for a working schedule} she began to realize that 4 of the classes require 20 hours of observation hours {observation hours that need to be done when kids are in school, which is when I work}. With the program being on a quarter system that means the classes are only 10 weeks. As she continued to add in the classes I realized more and more, how this program may not work for me, like I thought it would. Not so much because of the coursework, but mostly because of the observation hours. I began to become discouraged, unaccomplished, and lost as to my career goals and path. I thought this was the ticket for me to furthering my education. As I was somber on the way home just trying to take in the disappointment, I just prayed to my Heavenly Father that I would understand. I prayed for peace and humility to understand how I could be accepted to the school, yet, I feel like I wasted my time because I couldn't even start the program. As I drove in the car, with no radio on, pondering and praying as tears fill my eyes and ran down my cheeks, the word, Sacrifice, came distinctly to my mind. The entire thought went something like, "Right now you need to sacrifice. You need to work and allow your husband to finish his schooling." That car ride became my holy place. It didn't necessarily make the disappointment go away completely but it gave me something, a moment, to grasp onto and feel the love of my Heavenly Father telling me its gonna be okay its just not the right timing. Believe in yourself.
