Tag Archives: spirituality

LDS Week in Review: September 10-15

We have had a few blogs covering the different aspects of preparedness. In Are You Preparing in All Areas of Your Life? Miriam points out the importance of being physically prepared to meet the challenges that life throws your way. In What’s In Your Food Storage? Tristi points out some areas that you may not have considered, as well as the importance of adapting food storage to your family’s needs. Tristi has added a great new section about daily scripture study. You can read more of her insights in 1 Nephi 2:1-4, Scripture Study: 1 Nephi 2:5-7, Scripture Study 1 … Continue reading →

And When Thou Art Converted . . .

As Miriam points out in her blog “The Process of Conversion,” it doesn’t matter if you’re born into the Church or join later. You will need to come to a point where you have decided for yourself that the Church is true. It’s not enough to lean on your mother’s testimony or your father’s conviction, or your spouse’s faith – you have to know it for yourself, independently. However, knowing that the Church is true doesn’t necessarily mean that you automatically accept every principle of the Gospel. For most people, there will be one or two things that don’t make … Continue reading →

The Physical Laws in Spirituality

Yesterday in Relief Society the teacher was discussing the things necessary to feel the spirit. She brought up an excellent point that our ability to feel the spirit is affected by physical laws as well. So often we focus only on being worthy of feeling the spirit, and doing the spiritual things to help yourself be open to feeling the promptings of the spirit that we forget that there is more to it. When you are tired, cranky or hungry, you are less able to focus on the spiritual promptings that may come. It is important that you take are … Continue reading →

Asking Heavenly Father for Help

In the blog I wrote the other day about humility and asking God for help, I wrote, referring to Heavenly Father: “He is there, just waiting for you to humble yourself enough to ask for help.” Why is it that He waits for us to ask Him for help? If He knows everything, why doesn’t He know we need help and just give it? In contemplating this question, many reasons sprang to mind. 1. The greatest tool He gave us to use here in our mortal lives is free agency. He does not force any man to heaven, and He … Continue reading →

Making Prayer More Personal

Prayer is a wonderful gift that is given to each of us. It is a time that we can truly communicate with our Heavenly Father. When you pray it is often easy to make prayer just a one way communication—generally this is just you rushing through a prayer telling Him your wants and needs. It is vital to keep prayer a two-way communication. Here are four ways to help you make your praying more effective. 1) Set aside time each day to pray. If you are rushing through a prayer, you will not take time to pause and listen. You … Continue reading →

Organize Yourself

Lately I have been thinking about having a house of order. This brings to mind Doctrine and Covenants 88:119: “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a hours of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” We know that the scripture is instructing Joseph Smith on how to organize the church. However, we can also apply this scripture to ourselves and our homes. As I read this scripture again the first part really stood out to me. It … Continue reading →

Are You Spiritually Prepared?

In my stake there has been a lot of focus on preparedness lately. There has also been this focus in several other stakes. It is important to be prepared to deal with financial and physical emergencies. The weather is unpredictable, as is the job market. However, it is even more important to be spiritual prepared to meet the crises that may arrive in our lives. These could vary from job loss to depression to loss of a family member. It could also be dealing with temptation or a sudden divorce. It is important to have a testimony that is constantly … Continue reading →

Are You Unable to Fast?

There may be a time when you are not able to fast. This could be for medical reasons or because you are pregnant or nursing. You may also want to teach your younger children the concept of fasting, but feel that they are too young to go without food. When I can not physically fast (it has been four years due to pregnancy, nursing, pregnancy and nursing again), I try to have the spirit of fasting on fast day. Here are the five things that work for me. 1) I begin my fast period with a prayer, just as though … Continue reading →

Maintaining Your Spirituality

One of the things that we have all studied in Sunday School and Seminary is the repentance cycle. We start out realizing our dependence on Heavenly Father, but as we are righteous and our lives get easier, we take for granted the things He has given us. Then we begin to drift away, until we have a crisis realize we need to repent and then begin again. This cycle is very easy to see as you read the Book of Mormon. What can we do as members of the church to avoid this cycle in our lives? It is important … Continue reading →

Five Tips on Fasting

Fasting is a wonderful blessing that we can choose to partake of. When I was younger I hated fasting. I would count the hours until I could eat again. I was always focused on what I was giving up instead of what I was gaining. As an adult I have had some wonderful experiences. My approach to fasting changed drastically, as I grew older. Here are five tips to make the most of your fasting. 1) You should have a purpose for you fast. This makes your fast more meaningful. Fasting can help you to find insight because your body … Continue reading →