be of good cheer

I have struggled these past couple of days, enduring the storms of life as you could say and trying to endure it well. We all have trials right?

I read an article today by Josoph B. Wirthin that had some very good points and scriptures references, referring to enduring our trials. One thing he pointed out is that Heavenly Father will not take our trials away, even if we are doing all that is right. That is a humbling thing to think about, especially when we pray for them to pass from us and plead with him to ease the pain of the trial.

Heavenly Father wants to see how we will handle these situations, but He also doesn't just abandon us. As the Savior says in the Doctorine of Covenants, "Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you and will stand by you."
It is comforting to know that although Heavenly Father will not take my trials away, even if I pray my guts out, but He did send His son to sacrifice His life so that he could understand and walk with me in my path. What a blessing it is to know that with surity.

hope

Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us

Today I had a discussion with my best friend Camille about Hope. I chose to focus my scripture study on this topic. I came across a set of scriptures in Ether which talk about those who believe in God will have a surety of Hope and that Hope comes from faith. Camille and I discussed how these two things go hand in hand. You can not have hope without faith and it is difficult to have faith without the hope that better things will come along. This video was powerful for me so I thought I would keep it on here to refer to later, when I am again needing a little hope.

patience

Tonight I looked up some scriptures on patience. I have several friends who are going through trials, and I have endured a few myself in the past month. Ultimatly, aside from faith it is our patience that is going to get us through those trials. In fact, I wonder if the very reason I have them is to teach me patience. In D&C 67 we read, "Continue in patience until ye are perfected."

I am not sure that I will ever obtain even close to the amount of patience I am supposed to have, but it is something to strive for each day in the work place, with school, in relationships, in understanding. I am grateful for the refinement of this attribute.

the parable of the sheep

I was looking up some scriptures on Christ in The Bible when I came across this parable at random. In Mathew 18 we read that if a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray he will go out and look for the one sheep and leave the other ninety nine. And if he finds that one sheep, "He rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray".

This is really interesting and humbling to think about. Often times as members of the church who are really following Christ's teachings we may feel we deserve God's Love and Happiness more than another. That's not true. It made me think that if I were lined up with people of all kinds, some following, some struggling, some pacing along that Heavenly Father would not pick me out of that crowd simply because I am following His commandments. Heavenly Father has the capacity to love each of us the same, and He does.

It made me think also that I must do what's right because I want to honor Heavenly Father and please Him, but not because I want His approval over another. It is a gift to be righteous, because it is for my own good and benefit. It heightens my self esteem, gives me clarity, provides comfort, and increases understanding. The reward is great for those who follow, and we shouldn't be worried who Heavenly Father goes looking for, or is rejoicing in. We should pray for them, and help Heavenly Father out!