The First Great Commandment

In the October 2012 general conference, Elder Holland gave a great talk titled, “The First Great Commandment.” That was the talk we discussed in Relief Society this past week. It was a great reminder that we can all be doing more to love God. What really impacted me was the following interpretation by Elder Holland regarding Peter’s exchange with the Lord, who asked him three times, “Lovest Thou Me?” When Peter responded in the affirmative the third time, Elder Holland says, “To which Jesus responded (and here again I acknowledge my nonscriptural elaboration), perhaps saying something like: “Then Peter, why … Continue reading

Scriptures that Strengthen Me as a Mother

Being a mother is one of the biggest responsibilities in this life. It is not an easy one. It is stressful, and complicated, and tests your patience like nothing I’ve ever experienced. It is wonderful too, but sometimes, I think we as moms need to be reassured, strengthened, and shown love. Unfortunately, we don’t always get that from the little people we take care of. But, there is one person that is there for us, and that is our Heavenly Father. Today I was thinking about some of the scriptures that bring me strength as a mother. And, I immediately … Continue reading

Is Your Life Too Noisy?

We had stake conference this past weekend, and as usual, my husband and I were dreading going with our three small children. It is always difficult to keep them quiet and happy for two straight hours. But, they did great, and I actually heard some of the talks! Our stake president spoke last, and I really liked what he had to say. He shared a story about his teenage niece. He said that at a family Christmas gathering, his kids, and lots of their cousins were hanging out together in the front room of his house. He wasn’t sure what … Continue reading

Help for Living with an Unbeliever

Stephanie raised an interesting point in her article about being careful what you share with others. This is especially important in the case of an unbelieving spouse. A lot of damage can be done when the unlebelivign spouse finds out their situation is being talked about and prayed about by others. You may see it I as concern, but it can tend to make them feel they are being judged by you and those others and found wanting. Sop keep confidentiality and don’t divulge too much of your personal situation and relationship with your spouse. On the other hand, you … Continue reading

Spirituality and Fitness

Faith and fitness has been on my radar screen the past few days and now it has become a news story in the army. Recently a concern amongst atheists was raised with regard to a mandatory spiritual fitness test given to recruits. The point of the spiritual fitness test is to determine how well soldiers can handle not only the physical challenges before them but the psychological challenges as well. It was created to help curb a common result of combat, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Now I have always believed that the body and mind go together when it comes … Continue reading

Using Faith in Fitness

I am very excited about next Monday as I will be posting a blog on a review I am doing for a book called “Made to Crave” written by Lysa TerKeurst, who is President of Proverbs 31 Ministries. Until then I wanted to give this little teaser. Lysa TerKeurst was recently a guest blogger on CNN’s Belief blogs called, “My Take: When the Fat Girl Got Mad at God.” I can’t recommend the blog enough. Lysa gets real about her struggle with food and how her faith has helped her to overcome unhealthy eating habits. The blog stirred some controversy. … Continue reading

What Would You Give Up for Your Spouse?

I read a statistic yesterday that astounded me. It made me wonder what society is coming to. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, 70 percent of Victorians surveyed, (for those overseas Victoria is a state of Australia) would rather give up their partner than the internet. Excuse me? It made me think, what are you prepared to give up for your spouse. Are you prepared to give up your time to help them or to do something they want to do so you can be together? Are you prepared to give up family if your spouse wants to take a … Continue reading

Making Faith Your Focus

In these difficult times it is especially hard to let go of your worries and put your trust in the Lord. One of the most difficult things to do is to let go of the worries that assail us as we deal with difficult circumstances and personal trials. Instead of putting our trust in the Lord, and knowing that he will go with us through our trials, we often fight against the situation and end up feeling alone and scared. In his talk in Sunday morning session of April 2009 General Conference, President Thomas S Monson spoke about people who … Continue reading

Stop Your Prayers from Becoming Routine

All too often I allow my prayers to become routine. My concerns seem to be the same over periods of time, and I find myself asking for the same things, and giving thanks for the same things. When my prayers become routine like this, I worry that they are not as effective as they should be. Here are some things I do to try and improve my personal prayers. I often pray silently, especially when I am not alone. If I find that my prayers are routine then I make sure that I find a good place where I am … Continue reading

Finding Hope in Difficult Times

When you are faced with difficult times, it can be difficult to find the motivation to keep moving forward. It can seem as though you have been abandoned or that your prayers are not being heard. Hope is an essential part of the gospel. It gives us the strength we need to continue forward on a daily basis. It gives us a glimpse of the future and a something to strive for. So how do we find hope in difficult times? It is important that hope comes as we put our trust in the Lord and have faith that He … Continue reading