Create Reality

I made a new post this morning, but for some reason it posted for June 24, so you have to scroll down to find it:)

Building A Ship

Ever since I have been married, when I read the account of Nephi being commanded to build a ship, it hits me on a very personal level. The Lord calls to Nephi to go to the mountain so that He can instruct him. Then He tells him, "Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters." (1Nephi 17:8) When I read that, I hear the Lord talking to me. He wants me to build a ship, or a home..a haven...a temple, for my people...my family, that He may carry us across the waters of our life. The pattern for me is the same as it was for Nephi. He needed to go to the mountain to hear the Lord's commandments for him. I need to go to the temple, and the quiet places in my home to hear the Lord's counsel for me. Nephi didn't know how to build a ship. I don't know how to be a wife and a mother. The Lord tells Nephi, and all of us..."I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led." (1Nephi 17:13)

I know that being a woman is a calling and blessing from the Lord. It is hard work. I am so grateful to know that I can turn to the Lord every day to ask Him for help and guidance in building my family's ship. I feel His guidance as I turn to Him. I know that He loves me and that He does and will help me just as He did for Nephi. I can feel the world laughing at me sometimes just as Laman and Lemuel mocked Nephi saying..."Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters."(1 Nephi 17:17) Sometimes the adversary gets me to be the one who is mocking myself..."I can't be a mother....I'm horrible at this! I have no idea what I am doing!" But thankfully, Heavenly Father's love rescues me every time. I know that I am His daughter and I know why I am here on this earth. So even when it is hard and even when I mess up, I can be rescued through the atonement of my Brother and Friend, Jesus Christ. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf told us of God's love for us...

"Think of the purest, most all-consuming love you can imagine. Now multiply that love by an infinite amount- that is the measure of God's love for you. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely."

How grateful I am to feel that love! His love changes everything and makes everything possible and wonderful! I am so grateful for my role as a woman and as a mother that allows me to feel His all-encompassing love as I strive to do what He has asked me to. I am so grateful for the knowledge that the gospel of Jesus Christ gives me of the true character of God. I feel to say with Ammon, "Who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of His great power, and of His mercy, and of His long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."(Alma 26:16)

Words To Live By

Our kindness may be the most persuasive argument for that which we believe. -Gordon B. Hinckley

Create Reality

I was studying 1 Nephi the other morning where the angel is teaching Nephi the meaning of his father's vision of the tree of life. When I got to the part about the great and spacious building, this phrase struck me..."And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men." The word 'imaginations' really stuck out to me, so I looked up the cross-reference in Jeremiah 7:24, which reads, "They hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward."

We know that the great and spacious building represents the world. We also know that everyone sets foot in that building at one time or another, because we are all imperfect people- and we know that when we are in the building, we are going backward and not forward. From this scripture we learn that one of the ways we can enter the building is by not living in truth....following after our own or someone else's vain imagination. Imagination- make believe- something that is not true! The Savior warned of the deceptive power of the adversary many times.... "Jesus andswered, and said unto them: Take heed that no man deceive you;...And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived" (Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:5, 37).

President Brigham Young once said that if he could do only one thing to bless the Saints, he believed it would be to give them "eyes with which to see things as they really are."(Journal of Discourses, p. 3:221) In Jacob we learn that the Spirit "speaketh the truth...of things as they really are, and things as they really will be..."(Jacob 4:13), and in the Doctrine and Covenants we learn that truth is "knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come" (D&C 93:24).

So our spiritual safety, and our happiness here on earth is only guaranteed when we live in truth. There is so much confusion in the world and so many people who claim to know truth, as well as people who claim that there is no absolute truth. I think there is a special amount of confusion and chaos aimed specifically at women. There are so many ideas about what it means to be a woman. There are so many voices shouting at us that the noise is almost deafening.

Thankfully, we can have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost to help us live in reality every day. Elder Bednar said, "Obedience opens the door to the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. And the spiritual gifts and abilities activated by the power of the Holy Ghost enable us to avoid deception- and to see, to feel, to know, to understand, and to remember things as they really are." I am so grateful for the mercy and kindness of our Heavenly Father who loves us so much that He has given us the gift of the Holy Ghost to give us power over the adversary so that we can live in truth and not be deceived! I am thankful for my responsibility as a woman to create an environment of reality for my family in our home. Heavenly Father truly does give us a way to accomplish everything He has asked.

Let's Create Optimism!

Do you ever watch the news and think, "What kind of a world am I living in? What kind of a future will my children have?" I think we are all tempted to think that sometimes. But it only takes a second to think about that phrase to realize that that mindset does not come from Heavenly Father. There is a lot that is frightening in the world, but as women who believe in Jesus Christ and strive to follow Him, we are commanded to "Be not afraid, only believe" (Mark 5:36). When I find myself thinking in a state of fear, I turn to the Lord and ask Him to fill me with His spirit, which brings faith and hope and happiness. I am so grateful to be alive at this time on the earth. I am so grateful for the opportunity to raise my children in these the last days that we are living in. What a blessing to have the fulness of the gospel. I love the legacy of optimism that President Gordon B. Hinckley has left on the earth. Here are some of his words of wisdom to us...

"Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I'm suggesting that we accentuate the positive. I'm asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still our voices of insult and sarcasm, that we more generously compliment virtue and effort...I am not suggesting that our conversation be all honey. What I am suggesting and asking is that we turn from the negativism that so permeates our society and look for the remarkable good in the land and times in which we live, that we speak of one another's virtues more than we speak of one another's faults, that optimism replace pessimism.
You are partakers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel means "good news." The voice of the Lord is a voice of gladness. I do not suggest that you simply put on rosecolored glasses to make the world look rosy. I ask, rather, that you look above and beyond the negative, the critical, the cynical, the doubtful, to the positive...Said the Lord in a dark and troubled hour to those He loved, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

I am grateful for these inspired words from a Prophet of God. I believe them! I believe that Heavenly Father is in control and that He loves His children and will always bless those who love Him with happiness and peace beyond measure, no matter what is going on in the world. It is a wonderful world that we live in and the greatest time to be alive!

If you feel scared about the world, or the country, watch President Hinckley's full message by clicking on this link:

http://www.byub.org/talks/talk.aspx?id=2105

Truth

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to the temple. I love the temple for many reasons, one of which is that it is there that I learn what it really means to be a woman. There is so much power that comes from the knowledge we receive there. I get distracted sometimes by listening to the voices of the world that tell me that the way my body looks is what matters most about being a woman. I love this quote by Elder M. Russel Ballard, he said, "It is, unfortunately, all too easy to illustrate the confusion and distortion of womanhood in contemporary society. Immodest, immoral, intemperate women jam the airwaves, monopolize magazines, and slink across movie screens-all while being celebrated by the world. The Apostle Paul spoke prophetically of "perilous times" that will come in the last days and specifically referenced something that may have seemed particularly perilous to him: "silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts"(2Timothy 2:1,6). Popular culture today often makes women look silly, inconsequential, mindless, and powerless. It objectifies them and disrespects them and then suggests that they are able to leave their mark on mankind only by seduction- easily the most pervasively dangerous message the adversary sends to women about themselves."

Wow. That really makes me stop in my tracks when I obsess about how many cookies I have eaten today. Yes, we should all try to be as healthy as we can, but I believe that the vast majority of women spend way too much time thinking and obsessing about how much they weigh and how they look- myself included! And when we do that, Satan wins! I am so grateful that Heavenly Father sends us the truth about what it means to be a woman through the scriptures, His prophets, and through the whisperings of The Holy Ghost. I am so grateful for the temple where I can learn and listen and remember who I am. I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father will help me when I do fall and give me strength to recognize and not listen to the noise of confusion that is the world.

And Another Thing....

I wanted to post this quote with my last post, but didn't have it with me. I think this is a very profound statement and something I want to remember.

"Indeed, one of the signs of mature Latter-day Saint life is the ability to see a limitation in ourselves without letting it cast a shadow over all the many other things we do and say....It has always struck me as being sad that those among us who would not think of reprimanding our neighbor, much less a total stranger, for mistakes that have been made or weaknesses that might be evident, will nevertheless, be cruel and unforgiving to themselves. When the scriptures say to judge righteously, that means with fairness and compassion and charity. That's how we must judge ourselves. We need to be patient and forgiving of ourselves, just as we must be patient and forgiving of others."
Howard W. Hunter

I Want To Be More!

There was an ad recently on a billboard where I live that went something to the effect of..."Tired of never being good enough? Come to our church where we accept you as you are." I am paraphrasing, but that was the jist. Obviously, there was a church targeting mormon women and our tendency to be perfectionists. It is true that we as women tend to be too hard on ourselves, which isn't good. However, it would break my heart to hear of anyone leaving the church because they were tired of trying to be better. No, we are not perfect. That is why our most loving Heavenly Father created the Plan of Salvation for us....so that we can become perfect, slowly but surely, day by day as we turn to our Savior and use the atonement. I for one refuse to give in to the idea that 'you will never be good enough, so you might as well stop trying.' No! I want to be more...more and more and more every day of the woman that my Father in Heaven knows that I can become. And I rejoice in my ability to become more because of my Savior. This song is the song of my heart!

I've Been Thinking....

I have been thinking a lot about missionary work lately, and I've come to the conclusion that women are born missionaries. It is in our nature to reach out to others. It is in our nature to want to meet people's needs and strengthen those who are weak. It is in our nature to look outside of ourselves. These things about women are clearly manifest when you look at the role we have been given as mothers. We have the opportunity to sacrifice our own needs and comforts everyday in order to meet our children and husband's needs. Isn't that what the Savior did for all of us? So in doing those things, aren't we testifying of the Savior and being missionaries? Heavenly Father gave us this role because He knew that only in this way could we, as women, learn completely how to be like Him. We are missionaries just by developing our true womanly qualities and not listening to what the world says a woman should be.

I have been praying recently to recognize opportunities that I have to share the gospel, and I realized that I am a personal missionary to each of my children. It is my job to teach them the gospel. I am to be the light that feeds their little seeds of testimony and the watering can that pours the Living Water on them each day of their life. I am grateful for living prophets who teach me through the Spirit how to be a better missionary to my family.

Elder Neil L. Andersen admonished us in this past April Conference to speak more frequently about Jesus Christ. He said, " As you reverently speak about the Savior- in the car, on the bus, at the dinner table, as you kneel in prayer, during scripture study, or in late-night conversations- the Spirit of the Lord will accompany your words. In our world today we need more than ever Enos's words about his father to be our children's words about us: "The words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life...sunk deep into my heart. And my soul hungered; and I [knelt] down before my Maker".

I love this song "Go With Me" by Kenneth Cope. I found this video on youtube that a young man had put together before he left on his mission. The song is from Kenneth Cope's Album 'My Servant Joseph'. It is Joseph Smith singing to all of us...to go with him to inherit eternal life. I want to go with him! and I too say- to my children and to all of the world- Go With Me!

Treasure The Doing

" There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood. There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children....What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.
We need to remember that the full commitment of motherhood and of putting children first can be difficult...There are moments of great joy and incredible fulfillment, but there are also moments of a sense of inadequacy, monotony, and frustration.
What can you do to reduce the pressure and enjoy your family more?
First, recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction. Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: "The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one most of us make....I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less."

Elder M. Russel Ballard

How grateful I am for the inspired counsel of the Lord's prophets and apostles to help us be happier and have greater direction in our lives!

(Click on the title of this post to read more from Elder Ballard)

Create

I'm sure a lot of you have probably seen this...but I love it and it's worth watching over and over again! Creative Tuesdays....what did you create today, or this past week? Please share!

Today I created cheers and shouts and squeals as my hubby and I took our little ones to play at the water park. My little B hasn't smiled that big since last summer, and my little J hasn't either:)

Your turn!

I Want To Shout From The Mountaintops!

I want to shout from the mountaintops how grateful I am to be a woman!! I am so grateful for our responsibilities as women. One of the most important ones that we have is of setting the tone and atmosphere in our homes. The world is a scary place sometimes, full of fear and anxiety, but ours is the great priviledge to build a haven for our families. A haven filled with light and peace and faith and love! That's our job! Isn't it fantastic?! For by doing this, we not only bless our families, but we learn how to receive revelation and inspiration and draw closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ every day...just by fulfilling our role as a woman. I was reading this morning in the Book of Mormon about faith. In Moroni 7:33 it reads, "If ye will have faith in me, ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me." I was hit with the impression of how much power the faith of a woman has to bless her family and the world. I love the power that faith in Jesus Christ brings. We live in a world dominated by fear and uncertainty...but as women of Christ, we certainly have no need to fear! We can and should see all the great good that there is in the world, and create that good in our homes. What a remarkable blessing it is to be a woman!

Look to Your Mother

This past General Conference, Elder M. Russel Ballard spoke to the mothers and the daughters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. To the daughters he said, " Look to your mother. Learn from her strengths, her courage, and her faithfulness. Listen to her.....As you approach the time for marriage and young motherhood, she will be your greatest source of wisdom. No other person on earth loves you in the same way or is willing to sacrifice as much to encourage you and help you find happiness- in this life and forever. Love your mother, respect her. Listen to her. Trust her."
Today I was feeling a bit discouraged and overwhelmed by my own imperfections. I was able to spend some time talking with my mom and, as always, she said just what I needed to hear. I am so grateful for her and her love for me. I think every woman needs a mother no matter how old you are. I am grateful for the role of mother in my life....for the opportunity I have to be one, and to learn from my own and so many others. Once again, I am most grateful for the plan of happiness and how the family is central to that plan.
In what ways are you grateful for your own mother or someone else's?

Make Enough of Me

I love this song by Julie de Azevedo, and I really needed to hear it this morning! It is so true that our Savior can work mighty miracles in the seemingly small events that we need help with in our lives. And He does everyday in mine.

Happiness in Who We Are

"To live greatly, we must develop the capacity to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and triumph with humility. You ask, "How might we achieve these goals?" I answer, "By gaining a true perspective of who we really are!" We are sons and daughters of a living God, in whose image we have been created. Think of that: created in the image of God. We cannot sincerely hold this conviction without experiencing a profound new sense of strength and power."
President Thomas S. Monson

I love this quote by President Monson. When I grasp, even just a little, the fact that I am a literal daughter of God, it changes everything that I think and do. The knowledge of who I really am fills me with hope and happiness so great that there is no room for anything else. If I could only remember 100% of the time! Thank goodness for the Savior to catch me when I fall.


Today as I was folding this.....


I was so happy! I was folding my husband's socks and shirts and with each one, I was filled with an overwhelming love for him. I think the reason it made me so happy is because folding laundry is part of fulfilling my role as a nurturer. Julie Beck said, "To nurture means to cultivate, care for, and make grow....Another word for nurturing is homemaking. Homemaking includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home." Women are nurturers and it makes us happy when we do it! What made you happy that you are a woman today?

Creative Tuesdays

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, educations, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before. Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty....President Brigham Young spoke to the Saints of his day..."There is a great work for the Saints to do," he said. "Progress, and improve upon and make beautiful everything around you. Cultivate the earth, and cultivate your minds. Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations."
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf


Women are creators! It is in our nature. I have decided to have 'Creative Tuesdays' and I want your help. I want you to share things that you or women you know create. You can email it to me at lashermary@gmail.com. It can be anything from a delicious recipe you made to a smile that you created on someone's face. Read President Uchtdorf's talk 'Happiness, Your Heritage' (by clicking on the link under Good Words That Inspire) to get some ideas. I look forward to being inspired by you!!