Pay it Forward

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-8-year-old-turns-20-into-priceless-gift/

An Example for Us to Follow........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoZEt9AQgDQ

Today, I Am Thankful to be a Mother

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/this-beautiful-short-film-shows-exactly-what-it-is-that-a-st?sub=2762456_1995761

She Live in You

http://www.faithit.com/this-mom-hears-the-strong-heartbeat-of-her-daughter-one-last-time-and-it-left-these-new-anchors-in-tears/

Church Talk From July 13th, 2013

For those of you who may not fully understand the two year oldeeze that Chaz just delivered, might I re-quote him as I begin my talk. Chaz told us that Pioneer Children sang as they walked and walked and walked. He also stated that he is thankful for pioneer children. I too, am thankful for pioneer children, as well as their parents and even their posterity that sacrificed so much and set a path for the future generations to greatly benefit from the trials they endured.

I am particularly grateful for one well known pioneer who is my Great, Great, Great Grandmother on my Father’s maternal side. I borrow the following description of her from an April 2011 talk from Steven E Snow. “ In 1851, Mary Murray Murdoch joined the church in Scotland as a widow at age 67. A small woman at 4 feet seven inches tall and barely 90 lbs, she bore eight children, six of whom lived to maturity. Because of her size, her children and grandchildren affectionately called her Wee Granny.

Her son, John Murdoch and his wife joined the church and left for Utah in 1852 with their 2 small children. In spite of his family’s own hardships, four years later John sent his Mother the necessary funds so she might join the family in Salt Lake City. With a hope much greater than her small size, Mary began the arduous journey west at age 73.

After a safe passage across the Atlantic, she ultimately joined the ill fated Martin Handcart Company. On July 28^th these handcart pioneers began the journey west. The suffering of this company is well known. Of the 576 members of the party, almost ¼ died before they reached Utah. More would have perished if not for the rescue effort organized by President Brigham Young, who sent wagons and supplies to find the stranded snowbound saints.

Mary Murdoch died on October 2^nd, 1856, near Chimney Rock, Nebraska. Here, she succumbed to fatigue, exposure, and the hardships of the journey. Her frail body simply gave out under the physical hardships the saints encountered. As she lay clinging to life, her thoughts were of her family in Utah. The last words of this faithful pioneer woman were ‘Tell John I died with my face toward Zion’”.

We all have others in our family line that sacrificed abundantly that we might be where we are today. What can we do to pay back the sacrifices of these individuals, as well as pave a road of spiritual strength and faith for our children and grandchildren to travel upon?

Oftentimes a focus lies on what is different between us and our pioneer ancestors. When considering their life, and looking at our own lives today, one can imagine that this would be a very easy thing to do.  After all, the differences are quite obvious. From styles, to schedules, to technology, things have changed SO MUCH since the pioneers settled this valley. But, it is the similarities, that if followed, will allow us to further this great work here upon the Earth, as well as set a path of righteousness and example in which our predecessors can follow.

The conversion the early saints had to the cause of building the kingdom here upon this Earth allowed them to make an obvious choice to devote all they had to building the kingdom of Heaven here upon this Earth. The toll taken on them in this tremendous sacrifice seems like more than we could possibly bear today.  As they physically sacrificed virtually everything, including their own lives in some circumstances, their faith grew. As their faith grew, additional physical demands were called upon them, and this cycle continued, as the early saints were uprooted constantly and recalled to leave everything they knew in great hopes of establishing this, the beautiful Zion, which sometimes I am certain seemed so far away, maybe even unreachable to some. Yet, as they went on, the journey continued, their faith grew, and they evolved into being saints fully converted to this gospel.  With PRAYING LIPS, CONVERTED HEARTS, SERVING HANDS, AND FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH they gave everything they had to set the path for the future and prepare this Earth for the fullness of the gospel to be delivered upon the earth in preparation for the eventual return of the coming of the Savior. Are we really that different? Do we not want for future generations what they had in mind for their children, and even for us? Are we committed to having PRAYING LIPS, CONVERTED  HEARTS, SERVING HANDS, AND FOOTSTEPS OF FAITH to set the path for the future and prepare this Earth for the fullness of the gospel to be delivered upon the Earth in preparation for the eventual return of the coming of the Savior? As we focus on these shared similarities, it is my testimony that the hearts of the children will be turned to their Fathers, and that we will be able to be molded into what Heavenly Father and the Savior need us to be.

The simple yet intimate act of prayer is the very action that brought all of this to pass. As a simple 14 year old farm boy prayed to his Heavenly Father in a grove of trees, something miraculous and I’m sure unimaginable to the deliverer of this prayer unfolded. Pioneer saints followed in this simple act calling miracle upon miracle from Heaven as they invited the infinite power of their Heavenly Father to lead the course of their life.

In speaking of the power of prayer, President Wilford Woodruff offers this promise to us: “When we pray in Faith, we prepare ourselves to receive the blessings Heavenly Father has in store for us”.  This promise was made know to him in the following event:

“In March 1835, while serving his first mission, Wilford Woodruff had to travel through rivers and swamps in the southeastern United States. To traverse the swamps, he and his companion cut down a tree and made it into a canoe. They rowed safely for about 150 miles before abandoning the canoe and walking. President Woodruff later recalled that they took a road that ‘lay through swamps, and was covered with mud and water most of the way, for one hundred and seventy miles. We walked forty miles in a day through mud and water knee deep. On the 24^th of March, after traveling some 10 miles through mud, I was taken lame with a sharp pain in my knee. I sat down on a log.’

At this point in the journey, his companion who had become weary of the work and had decided to return home, left him there, sitting on a log in an alligator swamp. Undaunted, Wilford Woodruff turned to the Lord. He said ‘I knelt down in the mud and prayed, and the Lord healed me, and I went on my way rejoicing.’

Heavenly Father has blessings in store for all of us. He waits with open hands and open heart, willing to give all he has to us his children. Living righteously and then exercising the power of prayer will allow the powers of Heaven to be opened to each of us.  As we are blessed, might we also be reminded of the obligation we have to our Father to thank him for those received blessings.

While working as a Nurse in Labor and Delivery, I was blessed with the privilege of observing such a trait in a very faithful family. This Mother was born with a heart condition that was fixed with temporary measures that allowed her to still have children. Permanent fixation of this problem would have prevented the Mother from ever being able to carry a pregnancy to a viable delivery. While the Doctors knew this was a temporary fix, the goal had been met, and had allowed this Mother to bring 5 beautiful healthy children into her family. Early last year, the health of the Mother’s heart took a turn for the worst. Knowing that this would probably be the point at which she would receive the permanent fix for her condition she visited her cardiologist. Upon this visit, the Mother found out she was expecting her 6^th child. With the health of her heart declining daily, this Mother was put on strict bedrest. While the pregnancy was risky, the delivery had a very real possibility of being life threatening to this Mother.

I met this Mother and the rest of this family on the day of her delivery. The usual crowds were almost tripled as specialists were present for this birth in case things turned for the worst. The whole room was taken up with machinery that measured the Mother’s internal blood pressure through the entire course of Labor. While the Mother could not lay completely flat, a C Section was not an option. Neither option was ideal, and this Mother’s life as well as the life of her unborn baby lay in the balance.

I was humbled to witness an absolute miracle, as a beautiful baby girl, and her Mother safely made it through this tremendously risky event. I knew from the beginning of the process that there was something special about this family. As a Labor and Delivery Nurse, you are often secondly dubbed as the first family photo taker. As we were done snapping photos for this family, the Father and Mother both thanked those involved for the delivery of their child. After doing so, they asked if we would bow our heads  in a prayer of thanks with them for the miraculous outcome gifted to this Eternal Family from their Father in Heaven. As I listened to his prayer, I was humbled. This family had been through so much that day. Yet at the immediate conclusion of this event, a prayer of thanks was readily offered. This event greatly humbled me, and through this, I made a promise to myself and my Heavenly Father to try a little harder to be a little better and to be prayerful in all things.

Praying lips will bring blessings to our life, and help us to have the things we need to fulfill Heavenly Father’s will for each of us.      

Converted hearts allowed the pioneers to move forward at times when an unconverted heart would have simply given up. What does it mean to be converted to the Gospel?  The Bible Dictionary explains that conversion consists of changing one’s views in a conscious acceptance of the Will of God. If followed by continued faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism in water for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, conversion will become complete, and will change a natural man into a sanctified, born again, purified person-a new creature in Christ Jesus. Complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing.”

Life for our ancestors was full of many trials and much testing. According to the description of conversion, we learn that these trials enable us to have a heart converted to the Lord. Likewise, we also have much trials and testing. While the manner in which Heavenly Father teaches us may differ from past generations, the lessons learned are similar. Likewise, our level of conversion can be similar if we allow those experiences to change us for the better. To truly become a new creature in Christ Jesus.

It was true conversion that called forward those willing to come forward and create a better life for their children, grandchildren, and eventually, for us. Changing one’s views in a conscious acceptance of the will of God happened when the pioneers were asked to leave once again established cities to move on until Heavenly Father declared otherwise. For us, true conversion may come as the daily trials of life place lessons deep into our heart, and change our very nature. Although many of us would not choose the path that gifts conversion to our soul, we would readily accept the changed person we become through such trials.

With converted hearts, we will move forward, ready to accomplish those things that Heavenly Father has in store for us.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has a worldwide reputation of helping others in need. Having Serving Hands is something we are well known for. It has before been stated that at times, 2 groups of people have came to the rescue of those in need after natural disasters. Those 2 groups of people were the members of the LDS Church and The Mormons.

This example is one the pioneers exemplified with near perfection.  Having a common cause amongst all of them: sharing, sacrificing, and seeing to the welfare of all with whom they were surrounded came with an impressing level of ease.

As their leader, Brigham Young once said: “Let us have compassion upon each other, and let the strong tenderly nurse the weak into strength, and let those who can see guide the blind until they can see the way for themselves”.

The common welfare among the saints would be a trait that we would be wise to strive to look upon and exemplify in our own lives. We will be more readily able to accomplish this as we move forward in our lives with serving hands. Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us perfectly. But, he is not here to physically lift us, wipe away tears, or kiss skinned knees. This is where our responsibility comes in.

One of my very favorite quotes is from Former Prophet President Spencer W. Kimball. He states: “God does watch over us and does notice us, but it is usually through someone else that he meets our needs”. It is my personal testimony that as we have this desire to lift our brothers and sisters, our Heavenly Father will take a vested interest in finding those opportunities to allow us to serve his children and him.

In October of last year, Elder M Russell Ballard delivered a challenge to each of us in his conference address. He stated: “ In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of his precious children. Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible”.

Our little family took this challenge to heart, and I feel confident in speaking for all of us when I say it has truly changed our lives. Each of us have had sacred moments with the spirit through the last 9 months that have strengthened our testimonies. Most importantly, we have been gifted a little glimpse at seeing Heavenly Father’s children the way he and Our Savior see each of us.

As I have prayed for this, I have oftentimes felt the Holy Ghost whisper to me a confirmation when I had helped the person Heavenly Father intended for me to reach out to. On a particular day, I was at work, and went outside to check in a patient. The person I was checking in was a 7 year old girl who had came to our facility to be looked at for ear pain and hearing loss. Her Mother was very concerned. Her daughter was autistic, and already struggled a little to stay up with what she needed to in school. But, her Mother stated that recently she had failed a hearing test, and was starting to become known, or maybe even labeled for ignoring her teachers, and not following directions.

After the Dr. assessed this little girl, he came up to me, and stated that we needed to flush this little girl’s ears out. He said that they were so clogged that he couldn’t see into the ear drum to examine any further. This type of problem isn’t unusual. However, it generally doesn’t cause such extreme hearing loss in such a young child. I went in, explained what I was going to do to the Mother and a very reluctant patient and went to work. You can imagine the surprise from all present, when a few minutes into the job, the oval cotton piece a Q tip surfaced. The mother had no idea her daughter had done this, and the daughter’s autism prevented her from having the ability to explain this to her Mother. After that retrieval, I began flushing the other ear. And, you guessed it, within a couple of minutes another oval cotton piece of a Q tip flushed out of the girl’s ear. At this moment, the little girl exclaimed “Mommy, I can hear you”!

As I walked out of the room, a somewhat amusing experience transformed into a very sweet experience as the Holy Ghost manifested to me that this was the daughter of God that I received the privilege of helping that day. To some, this may seem small. But to a little girl who hadn’t heard precisely for several months, a worried mom, and a Heavenly Father who rejoices in the smallest of our rejoicings, moments such as these can turn into sweet spiritual experiences.

Having serving hands will bring us closer to our Savior and our Heavenly Father.

Finally, let us all be diligent in walking each day with footsteps of faith.

You can’t speak of, or merely even think of the pioneers without one word coming to mind: Faith! In a 1997 Conference address, Elder Oaks explains this admirable trait in the following manner: “The foremost quality of our pioneers was faith. With faith in God, they did what every pioneer does-they stepped forward into the unknown: a new religion, a new land, a new way of doing things. With faith in their leaders and in one another, they stood fast against formidable opposition. When their leader said, “This is the right place,” they trusted, and they stayed. When other leaders said, “Do it this way”, they followed in faith.

Faith has many elements encompassed into one ideal. While some aspects of our faith may come so natural, we hardly consider it, other parts of our faith may be things that we will continue to try to perfect throughout our sojourn here on Earth. As I read the words to this well known primary song, think of the many gifts wrapped up in this package known as faith:

Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day

Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray

Faith is like a little seed: if planted, it will grow

Faith is a swelling within my heart

When I do right, I know

 

Faith is knowing I lived with God before my mortal birth

Faith is knowing I can return when my life ends on Earth

Faith is trust in God above;

In Christ who showed the way

Faith is strengthened; I feel it grow

Whenever I obey

 

I think most of us have mastered having faith that the sun will rise tomorrow. In fact, I can confidently say, that most people in the world have an element of faith in which they are not even aware, in having a basic belief (or hope), that the sun will rise, and all of God’s creations will be well.

 

What about knowing that Heavenly Father answers our prayers? Or knowing that we can trust in him in all things in our life? On paper, and in a primary song, this sounds simple. Yet, oftentimes when we live our lives, pressures and doubt can get the best of us.

 

There are 3 basic things that have helped me that I believe can help us all in strengthening our faith. This first lesson comes from a 2009 April conference address from Elder Kevin W Pearson. He tells us “Faith and fear cannot coexist”. Sometimes it seems natural or at least easy to let the fears of the world, or even our own life’s unknowns get the best of us. Let us remember to replace that fear with faith that as we are obedient, we can have perfect peace n knowing that our Heavenly Father has a most perfect plan for each of his children whom he knows perfectly.

 

Secondly, is an admonition directly from the Savior in Matthew 18:3. This reads: “And said, verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven”. How perfect is the faith of a little child? They are not concerned in the slightest with things of this world.

 

One day about a year ago, I had an errand to run early in the morning. I was very stressed and hurried as I needed to get home to get my 2 older kids to school. I had Chaz with me. I quickly grabbed Chaz, and took him in with me to run the errand. As I came out, I noticed that it had began snowing. I was very worried about making it home safely, and on time for other obligations. Yet, as I snapped Chaz’s car seat into place, he wasn’t at all bothered by what was going on around him. His state wouldn’t allow him to be. All he knew about life at this point was that I was his Mother and I would take care of him. When we break it down so simply, is there anything else to be known in life other than that we have a Father and that he WILL take care of us as we are obedient?

 

Finally, our faith will become perfected as we center each fiber of the development of our faith on the atonement of the Savior. When we contemplate the wholeness of what the atonement can signify for each of us, it makes every other particle of faith development fall into place. As we cast all of our burdens and cares of the world to him who already paid a tremendous price for each of us, each step we take will be a footstep of faith closer to the Savior and our Heavenly Father will grow, and we will change in ways we may have never thought possible.

I would like to close with the words of General Relief Society President Linda K Burton: “We, with you, bear witness of the atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Our testimonies, like yours, have been written in our hearts as we have faced assorted soul stretching challenges and adversities. Without an understanding of Heavenly Father’s perfect plan of happiness and the Savior’s atonement as the central feature of that plan, these challenges could seem unfair. We all share in the trials of life together. But in faithful hearts is written: ‘All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ’.

 

 

 

 

Blessings In Adversity

Mostly because I am exhausted with the details of this story, I am going to rely on 2 Facebook posts to help explain this experience. I want to remember the details of this experience because I feel like Heavenly Father had a hand in caring for K'Lynn through this:

Hard day at our house ysterday. I took the advice given by others and "slept' on it for a night. I'm actually more upset today. With K'Lynn's permission I share with you to first of all clear up rumors, but more importantly to let you know that I believe this could happen to any teenager via the internet.
I found out yesterday from a very concerned and dear teacher of K'Lynn's that K'Lynn was rec...eiving annonymous messages for a good portion of the summer via the internet. Some contained labels so graphic that K'Lynn wouldn't tell me what they said. She was told multiple times over this summer (from someone annonymous) that she was worthless and should kill herself. She was dared that if she did not get 100 likes she had to kill herself.
I hope the people who did this realize that hidden behind their annonymous identity is their conscience, and at least 2 existing people (themselves and their Heavenly Father) who know that they said such hurtful horrible things to someone. K'Lynn is a strong kid, and although I wished so bad she would have told me, I appreciate that she is mature enough and has enough groundwork of who she is that she didn't take it to heart too much (although I'm sure it was HORRIBLE for her). I shutter to think if these kids had said such things to some other individual that was vulnerable or already having such feelings.
K'Lynn has chosen completely on her own to be transferred to another school today. She is a beautiful young lady, and no club, organization, or school for that matter is worth surrounding her with annonymous individuals who would tear her down in such ways. Her case was assigned to an officer at the school. When I called to speak with him, I was interceded by the principle with another much smaller issue that lead me to believe that this would not be handled in a way that was conducive to K'Lynn's overall well being.
My hope in sharing this is to bring to light what can happen to kids via the internet, and hope that maybe K'Lynn sharing that this happened to her may bring others who may be struggling with something similiar to the attention of an adult who cares about them and can get them the help they may need.

 

Second Facebook Post (Just a few days after K'Lynn switched schools):

How highly appropriate that this is the first post I have gotten from Highland High School's page......The more I have chatted with people, the more I realize it was a small miracle that K'Lynn was able to make this change at a time where r...egistration capability and room in classes have become very limited. It is a testimony builder to me that when you are trying your best to do what's right that Heavenly Father takes care of you, makes your weaknesses your strengths, and allows your afflictions to be for your good, and even uses them to bless us further.

“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover will be yourself. ”
Alan Alda (born 1936);
actor, director, screenwriter

STOP.......

Heard about this today, and it stopped me in my tracks........I have been soooooooo busy, that my life has been about ME, ME, and ME lately........This regrounded me, and helped me to realize that even in our extreme busy times (maybe ESPECIALLY in our busy times), we need to serve, uplift, be aware, and mourn with those who mourn. My prayers of peace are with this sweet family. Thank you for RE-reminding me.....
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=25091500