Month: September 2017

Daily Devotionals

If Ye Cannot Understand

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“Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark. For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.” 2 Nephi 32:4-5

General Conference is always an exciting time. We are flooded with information and direction from our leaders. It can sometimes be overwhelming. With conference coming up this weekend, I am trying to prepare myself to hear the messages that my Heavenly Father wants me to hear and to be ready to implement changes that will bring me closer to Him.

I will be the first to admit that I don’t always understand everything I hear over conference weekend or how I can apply it in my life. With so many talks it can be easy to push aside the ones we may not fully understand. But I think those are the talks we need to spend the most time with. Places where we find we lack understanding, or even have some level of doubt can be the places where we can find the most growth. However, it is up to us to seek the answers. If you have been baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, you are entitled to those answers, but you have to seek them. The Spirit will speak to you and help you understand “all things what ye should do,” but it doesn’t just come freely. We have to ask. We have to search. We have to knock. We have to listen. We must be present so that we can hear and understand.

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: What questions would you like to hear instruction on this weekend? When you are meditating today, focus on bringing yourself into the present moment and opening your heart to be prepared to receive the messages meant for you.

Call to Action: As you prepare to listen to conference this weekend, pray for an open mind and an open heart. If you hear something that you don’t understand, or that makes you uncomfortable in any way, make note of it so that you can study it further.

Mindfulness Tip: Take a few minutes at the start of each session you listen to or watch this weekend to get present. Focus on your breathing. Close your eyes and imagine breathing into your heart, creating room for new light and knowledge. If you find your mind wandering during a talk, take 3 focused breaths to come back to the present.

Daily Devotionals

Living Faith

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“God blesses us according to our faith. Faith is the source of living with divine purpose and eternal perspective. Faith is a practical principle that inspires diligence. It is a vital, living force manifest in our positive attitude and desire to willingly do everything that God and Jesus Christ ask of us. It takes us to our knees to implore the Lord for guidance and to arise and act with confidence to achieve things consistent with His will.” (Ulisses Soares, “Confide in God Unwaveringly,” General Conference, April 2017).

 

Faith is not passive. Faith does not only REQUIRE action, it IS action. Often times we think we need to have the faith before we can act. We wait to act, to change, to repent until after some elusive attribute falls upon us. But what if instead of waiting until we have faith to act, we just act! This doesn’t necessarily mean we have to “fake it ’til we make it,” but we take our mustard seed of faith and we act on it — change our attitude, pray more, serve more, and forgive more. I believe that when we do so, when we choose to act, our faith is increased and the blessings come.

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: Is your faith alive today? How are you acting on your faith? Do you have something you would like to change in your life? What are you waiting for? What is holding you back?

Call to Action: Make a list of 5 things you would like to change in your life right now. For each of those 5 things, make a list of 5 ways you could act on those changes. Pick one and DO IT today!

Mindfulness Tip: If you are feeling distracted today, take a few minutes to make a list of what you are grateful for. This is a great way to boost your mood and get you focused on the present.

Daily Devotionals

Willing to Obey

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“Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments.”    (2 Nephi 31:7)

In this scripture, Nephi is talking to his people about Christ’s baptism. Christ was baptized, not because he was unclean and needed to repent and have his sins washed away, but because it was part of the plan. He did it because God commanded it.

Sometimes there are commandments that are hard for us to understand. It may seem unnecessary or unimportant. Maybe, for you, parts of the Word of Wisdom seem unnecessarily restrictive. Perhaps there is another commandment that you just can’t seem to understand the purpose of.

I have a son who always has to know the WHY behind every rule or direction he is given. It can be a great strength because when he understands why he is very willing to make changes and never forgets what he has learned. It can be frustrating, however, as his parent when I don’t have the time or I can’t give him all of the reasons why because he isn’t old enough or mature enough to have all the information just yet, or he just doesn’t have the life experience that would lead to understanding. Sometimes I just need him to obey. We often have the following conversation:

“Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think we have this rule just because I want to control you or I just don’t want you to have any fun or do you think I probably have a good reason for the rule.”
“You have a reason.”
“What is my job as your parent?”
“To teach me and keep me healthy and safe.”
“That’s right. So can you trust me that m reasons are just because I am trying to do that job? Can you trust that I know more about this because I have lived longer and I have more knowledge and experince? Or do I ALWAYS need to tell you all of the reasons whenever I ask something of you?”

If God could speak with us in that same way, what would the conversation look like? Can we just trust Him enough to obey? Can we be like Christ who just followed the commandment to be baptized even though he really didn’t need to repent and be washed clean? Can we trust that God has a reason for all of His commandments, even if we, in our fallen human state, can’t see or understand the reason with our limited knowledge or experience? I can promise you that he has reasons and that every commandment is for our benefit. If we follow them He can teach us and keep us healthy and safe.

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: Is there a commandment you are struggling with? Imagine you are having a conversation with God about it just like a child talking with his parent. What would He say to you? How can you show your faith and willingness to be obedient?

 

Daily Devotionals

Truth Seekers

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“O, my beloved brethren, give ear to my words. Remember the greatness of the Holy One of Israel. Do not say that I have spoken hard things against you; for if ye do, ye will revile against the truth; for I have spoken the words of your Maker. I know that the words of truth are hard against all uncleanness; but the righteous fear them not, for they love the truth and are not shaken.” (2 Nephi 9:40)

In a social media world seeking truth can be difficult. There are so many opinions and it can be hard to figure out what the truth is. Ask a simple question in a parenting forum and you will be immediately inundated with vehement opinions on what you should be doing and how. And of course they will tell you that doing any differently makes you a terrible parent who is doing irreparable damage to your children. All this could be over something as simple and inconsequential as what shoes to buy for your newly walking toddler. We all know how dangerous it can be to get into a discussion on religion or politics in the social media realm!

While being overwhelmed with opinions at every turn, it can be difficult to find real truth. And sometimes, when we are confronted with hard facts and forced to see that a belief we have held and argued for may not be true after all, it can be extremely difficult to relent our position and admit where we were wrong.

Fortunately, when it comes to the gospel, we are not in it alone. While we try to apply what we know to be true from the scriptures and gospel teachings to the real-life situations we face every day we can call upon the Spirit. Sometimes what we find may make us uncomfortable or may challenge something we thought to be right, but the Spirit will always accompany and will speak peace to our hearts when we find the truth. If we are trying to do what is right, we need not fear the truth. It will only strengthen us. We can study, research and pray and the Spirit will reveal the truth to us.

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: What questions are you struggling with right now? Where can you look to find the truth? Where should you NOT look?

 

Daily Devotionals

He’s On My Side So I Can Stand Tall

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He’s On My Side So I Can Stand Tall

“I’ll stand tall! The Savior is beside me.
He’s always there to guide me.
I do not walk alone, I’ll stand tall!
His Spirit will direct me,
His loving arms protect me.
He’s on my side, so I can stand tall!”

“I’ll Stand Tall”
Words by Jan Pinborough
Music by Janice Kapp Perry

 

Today was our ward’s Primary program and as I watched 2 of my 3 sons belt these words out at full volume I couldn’t hold back my tears. My boys know this. They do not have any doubt that Christ is on their side. I hope they do not lose their pure faith in their Savior.

YOU do not walk alone. Your Savior walks beside you. No matter where you are, what you are doing, what you have done, what mistakes you have made or will make in the future—your Savior is with you. That is what the Atonement is all about. With His strength added to your own you can stand tall – physically and spiritually.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “We acknowledge that your path will at times be difficult. But I give you this promise in the name of the Lord: rise up and follow in the footsteps of our Redeemer and Savior, and one day you will look back and be filled with eternal gratitude that you chose to trust the Atonement and its power to lift you up and give you strength.

‘My dear friends and brethren, no matter how many times you have slipped or fallen, rise up! Your destiny is a glorious one! Stand tall and walk in the light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! You are stronger than you realize. You are more capable than you can imagine. You can do it now!” (“You Can Do It Now!” General Conference, Priesthood Session, October 2013)

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: Make a list of all those in your life who you feel are “on your side.” Be sure to put Christ at the top of your list. These are the people who you can rely on when things are hard.

Mindfulness Tip: Take a minute today to stand and breathe in a “Power Pose.” The superhero pose is a good one: Stand with your legs apart, hands on your hips and head held high. Notice how standing tall changes the way you feel.

For Further Study: If you have never heard the song referenced above, I highly recommend a listen.  You can find it here: https://www.lds.org/friend/2016/01/ill-stand-tall?lang=eng

Daily Devotionals

I Will Bless Thee Forever

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Quote/Scripture of focus “Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou has done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments. And now, because thou has done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever…” Helaman 10:4-5

“God’s greatest reward goes to those who serve without expectation of reward. It goes to those who serve without fanfare; those who quietly go about seeking ways to help others; those who minister to others simply because they love God and God’s children” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “The Greatest Among You,” General Conference, April 2017).

I have seen examples of such service all my life. The former bishop who serves just as faithfully in his new nursery calling as he did as bishop. The high councilman turned primary teacher who spends just as much time planning his primary lesson as he did preparing his sacrament meeting talks. The visiting teacher who serves out of love, not to get her numbers met. The empty nester who came to my house and played trains with my 2 year old for hours so I could unpack my kitchen and take a nap when we moved into a new apartment with a 2 week old baby. The friend who showed up with a diet coke when I needed it the most. The brother who gave up his precious treasure to his little brother who was sad. The mother who serves her children with all of her heart.

We have examples like Nephi, son of Helaman, in the scriptures. We also have examples all around us of people who serve with “unwearyingness.” They serve and share the love of Christ with those around them because that is just who they are. They don’t know that we see them, and they don’t care who is watching. They aren’t doing it for us. They are doing it for Him—and so can we. As we do we will be “blessed forever” just as Nephi was.

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: Think of a time when you served with “unwearyingness” and without expecting some reward for your service

Call to Action: Pray for opportunities to serve, then listen and act when the Spirit prompts you today. It doesn’t need to be some grand gesture to be meaningful. Let God direct you where He needs you today.

Mindfulness Tip: Stop. Breathe. Feel. Listen.

Daily Devotionals

Lean Not unto Thine Own Understanding

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“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“In English the word lean has a connotation of physically listing or moving to one side. When we physically lean toward one side or another, we move off center, we are out of balance, and we tip. When we spiritually lean to our own understanding, we lean away from our Savior. If we lean, we are not centered; we are not balanced; we are not focused on Christ.” (Bonnie H. Cordon, “Trust in the Lord and Lean Not.” April 2017)

We lean away from Christ when we doubt. We lean away from Christ when we are afraid. Sometimes we are afraid of what others will think of us. We are afraid we won’t get the answers we seek, or that the answer we get will be something we don’t like. We don’t lean into Christ and trust Him to catch us and lead us in the path that is best for us, even if it requires some discomfort along the way.

Have you ever participated in a trust fall exercise? It can be terrifying, particularly if you are falling into the arms of a person or group of people who you don’t fully trust. What if Christ were the one catching you? Would you trust him to physically catch you as you fall? I can promise you He will catch you spiritually just as fully.

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: When do you find yourself leaning away from Christ? What are you afraid of?

Call to Action: Practice leaning into Christ today. Imagine falling backwards into His arms. Every time you start to feel afraid or like you are leaning on your OWN understanding, visualize that fall and Him catching you in His arms.

Mindfulness Tip: Pause for 1 minute every hour to check in on your thoughts, feelings and sensations. What is your body telling you? What is the Spirit telling you?

 

Daily Devotionals

My Soul Delighteth in Plainness

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“…Wherefore, I shall speak unto you plainly, according to the plainness of my prophesying. For my soul delighteth in plainness…” (2 Nephi 31:2-3)

Nephi had incredible amounts of knowledge. He had been shown visions, been given greater knowledge and understanding than we can comprehend. He knew some of the great mysteries of God, and yet, he tells us that his “soul delighteth in plainness.” The simple truths of the gospel of Christ were where he placed his focus.

We have a tendency to get lost in the complex. Satan loves to confuse us and lead us down rabbit holes until we can’t even remember where we started. Thinking about the “what ifs” of this life can make us think that the gospel and faithful living is much more complicated than it really is. Really it boils down to the two great commandments: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:36) and “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self” (Matthew 22:39).

The mimimalist movement has us throwing out all of our stuff so we can simplify our lives. There is something very peaceful and satisfying in getting rid of clutter and paring down to just the essentials and the things that make us truly happy. Let’s apply that to our minds, to our spirits. Let’s minimize the “shoulds” and the “what ifs” and the millions of issues we worry about every day and just keep it plain and simple. Love Christ. Try to be like Him. Love God. Love One another. Let the rest go.

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: Is there an issue or a commandment you are having a hard time with right now? How can you apply these 2 great commandments to find a solution?

 

Mindfulness Tip: A great article on minimalism and mindfulness and how they work together: http://simplelionheartlife.com/minimalism-and-mindfulness/

Daily Devotionals

Christ Is The Way

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“O then, my beloved brethren, come unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name. And whoso knocketh, to him will he open…”        (2 Nephi 9:41-42)

My son loves to play baseball. We have spent the last several months trying out for various competitive teams to find the team that will be the best fit for him and for our family. There are so many factors to consider: cost, intensity, coaching styles, friends on the team, team culture, opportunities for playing different positions etc. I often wish that I could just see the answer and that the right choice would be clear and simple. But rarely in life and hardly ever in parenting is the path clear and simple.

Sometimes the gospel can seem complicated. There are so many commandments! So many good things we should be doing and not enough time to do them all. It can seem overwhelming and impossible at times. But the bottom line is there is just one path. One gate. One way to enter the kingdom and live with our Father in Heaven again, and that is through Jesus Christ. Benjamin De Hoyos said in a conference address in April 2011, “It does not matter our circumstances, trials, or challenges that might surround us; an understanding of the doctrine of Christ and His Atonement will be the source of our strength and peace—yes, brothers and sisters, that internal tranquility that is born of the Spirit and which the Lord gives to His faithful Saints.” (“Called to Be Saints.”)

Everything else aside, He is the way. Knowing Him and building a relationship with Him is all that matters. If we are striving to do that and working to keep communication with Him, everything will fall into place. He is eagerly waiting to open the gate for us. All we have to do is knock and He will pour His love upon us. It really is that simple.

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: How can you strengthen your relationship with Christ today?

Call to Action: During your meditation/mindfulness practice today, imagine yourself at the proverbial door with Christ on the other side. Knock, and visualize Him opening the door and embracing you.

Daily Devotionals

Room to Grow

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“Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breast; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.” (Alma 32:28)

Faith isn’t a perfect knowledge of things. Sometimes faith isn’t even a seed. Sometimes faith is just making a little space where a seed could possibly be planted. Sometimes we place so much pressure on ourselves to have a great, strong, perfect faith in all things and then we are hard on ourselves, or we give up, when that faith doesn’t seem big enough or strong enough. Then we tell ourselves that, because our faith isn’t strong enough, our plant is just a blade of grass next to our neighbor’s mighty oak, and that, therefore, we must not be good enough. This is the trap that Satan wants us to be in. God doesn’t operate that way. He accepts our offerings no matter how small and insignificant they may seem to us. God is interested in our intent, not our production value. All he asks is that we make a little space for faith to grow. Then when the seed is planted, that we nurture it. Little by little, over time, that seed will grow and become stronger. It will stand the test of time because we have given it a start and let it take root within us.

Meditation and Journaling Prompt: Without passing any judgement on yourself, evaluate your testimony in this moment. How strong is your faith? What does it need to grow right now? Are you in the “make a little hole where the seed can fall” stage? Is your plant in desperate need of some water? Is it stuck in a dark hall closet in need of sunshine? How can you nurture your faith today?

Mindfulness Tip: Visualize a place in your heart where you can plant a seed of faith. Imagine breathing into that space and opening it up with each breath.