Good Stuff

so heres a few things that happened this week that is super cool! 

Tatoo guy

So here's a cool update with Tatoo guy we baptized his daughter on Saturday! and he came!!! also we just got back from eating lunch with him he's seriously soo cool! He's gonna be baptized its awesome!

My trip to the ER

So yeah we went to the ER yesterday it was really scary I thought I wasn't going to make it! 

Ok so actually we went for my comp sorry thought it would be fun to give y'all a heart attack. (Real Fun, NOT-- Mom) Yeah he had a kidney stone haha it was no good I'll tell you guys about it when I get back because I'm outta time

Jan 14,2018

Dear Adam,

I thought it would be a great comfort to you to hear the amazing talk your father gave in church today on Trust in the Lord and how Trust in the Lord really only has meaning when it is hard and when you can’t see how it can all possibly end well. He shared several examples from the scriptures.

He started with this story:

Genesis 22:2 ​And he said, ​​​Take​ now thy son, thine ​​​only​ ​son​ Isaac, whom thou ​​​lovest​, and get thee into the land of ​​​Moriah​; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

He asked how Abraham felt about trusting in the Lord when he didn’t know that the Lord had a ram in the thicket. How although we know the end of the story Abraham certainly didn’t and that was when he had to Trust in the Lord. He had to trust that somehow losing his only son. The son who had been given to him miraculously and was now being required by the Lord to be sacrificed. That somehow the Lord was good and would make it Ok.

He went on to discuss how the apostles must have felt after Jesus told them that they would die and be hated by the world and then said.

John 16: 33 ​These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have ​​​peace​. In the ​​​world​ ye shall have ​​​tribulation​: but be of good ​​​cheer​; I have ​​​overcome​ the world.

He then shared this amazing scripture from Jacob that gives us a hint on how this could be done.

Jacob 4: 13 ​Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the ​​​Spirit​ speaketh the ​​​truth​ and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really ​​​are​, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us ​​​plainly​, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also ​​​spake​ them unto prophets of old.

​​​​​14 But behold, the Jews were a ​​​stiff-necked ​people; and they ​​​despised​ the words of ​​​plainness​, and ​​​killed​ the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their ​​​blindness​, which ​​​blindness​ came by looking beyond the ​​​mark​, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they ​​​cannot​ understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may ​​​stumble.

“Things as they really are” Faith is trusting that the Lord sees things as they really are. Things we cannot see. Things that are real, more real then what we can see. More real than this temporary life, Trusting the Lord means assuming that he can see farther into the future than we do. Trusting that he has our best interest and loves us with all his heart and whatever is happening no matter how it appears to us has a solution that he can see.

D and C 121:7 ​My son, ​​​peace​ be unto thy soul; thine ​​​adversity​ and thine afflictions shall be but a ​​​small​ moment;

​​​​​8 ​And then, if thou ​​​endure​ it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy ​​​foes​.

This is also a comfort, Father can see the length of time in a different way. Things as they really are to him is this life is a small moment. Eternity is the reality and this life is but a small moment and our adversity and afflictions will be but a small moment.

D and C 122: 5 ​If thou art called to pass through ​​​tribulation​; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in ​​​perils​ among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea;

​​​​​6 ​If thou art ​​​accused​ with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to ​​​prison​, and thine enemies prowl around thee like ​​​wolves​ for the blood of the lamb;

​​​​​7 ​And if thou shouldst be cast into the ​​​pit​, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast ​​into the ​​​deep​; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to ​​​hedge​ up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of ​​​hell​ shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee ​​​experience​, and shall be for thy good.

Dad talked about how these things actually had happened to the Prophet Joseph. I loved how the Lord was aware of the pain that Joseph had experienced. He cites these experiences in great detail just because the Lord sees things as they really are doesn’t mean he is callous to the pain that they cause. He is not unsympathetic to the pain of the experiences we have. I love this scripture for that glimpse into the love that Father has and the sympathy he feels for our pain.

D and C 101:38 And ​​​seek ​the face of the Lord always, that in ​​​patience​ ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life.

Dad ended with this scripture and talked about the patience that is required to endure with faith and trust the Lord.

Thought you would enjoy these quotes about the love of God for each of us. Here are 25 historic quotes that affirm God’s love for His children.

WORDS FROM PROPHETS OF GOD

 “Your Heavenly Father loves you—each of you. That love never changes. It is not influenced by your appearance, by your possessions, or by the amount of money you have in your bank account. It is not changed by your talents and abilities. It is simply there. It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply always there.” —Thomas S. Monson

“The purposes of our God are great, His love unfathomable, His wisdom infinite, and His power unlimited; therefore, the Saints have cause to rejoice and be glad.” —Joseph Smith

“When you … see our Father, you will see a being with whom you have long been acquainted, and He will receive you into His arms, and you will be ready to fall into His embrace and kiss Him. … You will be so glad and joyful. … When you are qualified and purified, … you can endure the glory of eternity.” —Brigham Young

“I feel most assuredly that our Father in heaven is far more interested in a soul—one of his children—than it is possible for an earthly father to be in one of his children. His love for us is greater than can be the love of an earthly parent for his offspring.” —Joseph Fielding Smith

“God, our Father; Jesus, our Elder Brother and our Redeemer; and the Holy Ghost, the Testator, are perfect. They know us best and love us most and will not leave one thing undone for our eternal welfare.” —Ezra Taft Benson

“God, the eternal Father, is constantly mindful of you. He is mindful of his people throughout all this land, and he will reward you according to your faithfulness in observing the laws of righteousness and of truth.” —Joseph F. Smith

“God is good. He is eager to forgive. He wants us to perfect ourselves and maintain control of ourselves. He does not want Satan and others to control our lives. We must learn that keeping our Heavenly Father’s commandments represents the only path to total control of ourselves, the only way to find joy, truth, and fulfillment in this life and in eternity.” —Spencer W. Kimball

“Our Eternal Father lives. He stands as the great God of the universe, ruling in majesty and power. And yet He is my Father, to whom I may go in prayer with the assurance that He will hear, listen, and answer.” —Gordon B Hinckley

WORDS FROM THE SCRIPTURES

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

1 John 4:8–9 “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

Romans 5:5 “And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Romans 8:37–39 “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Proverbs 8:17 “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”

Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.”

Psalm 86:15 “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”

2 Nephi 26:24 “He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.”

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

1 Nephi 11:16–17 “And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God? And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.”

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

WORDS FROM MEN AND WOMEN THROUGHOUT HISTORY

“It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.” —George Washington

“God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” —Martin Luther

“Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.” —C. S. Lewis

"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." —St. Augustine

“I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn’t need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end. So what is there to worry about?” —Henry Ford

“What you are doing I cannot do, what I’m doing you cannot do, but together we are doing something beautiful for God, and this is the greatness of God’s love for us—To give us the opportunity to become holy through the works of love that we do because holiness is not the luxury of the few.” —Mother Teresa

I love you forever and ever and I am fallible and human. I know Father loves you infinitely more than I do and he is the only one you can put your trust in because he will never fail you!!

Love you

Mom