My Thoughts
Trials
. . . wow, what an interesting concept. A trial is something that is difficult
to overcome and can be extremely hard to stay strong through. The one thing I
love about trials is when we endure them and keep our thoughts and actions on
Christ we will be blessed far greater than we could ever imagine. The Lord knows
our thoughts and desires – He knows what we need in our lives to help us become
who and what He wants us to be. I know it is weird to say, but I am so grateful
for the trials I have been given (Refer to Trials blog post). I know that I am
who I am today because of my trials. I know that I have learned a great deal
from my trials and I know that that knowledge will aid me in my life and future
trials. I know that the trials my Father in Heaven gave me are the trials that I
needed. I know that God knew what I needed to go through in order to find the
person I am now. I do not invite trials in, but when they come I will stay
strong in the gospel of Jesus Christ and I know I can make it through them on
top with His aid and guidance.
Quotes
"Every life has peaks and shadows and times when it seems that the birds don't sing and bells don't ring. Yet in spite of discouragement and adversity, those who are happiest seem to have a way of learning from difficult times, becoming stronger, wiser, and happier as a result."
"Come what may, and love it."
“There are cycles of good and bad times, ups and downs, periods of joy and sadness, and times of plenty as well as scarcity. When our lives turn in an unanticipated and undesirable direction, sometimes we experience stress and anxiety. One of the challenges of this mortal experience is to not allow the stresses and strains of life to get the better of us—to endure the varied seasons of life while remaining positive, even optimistic. Perhaps when difficulties and challenges strike, we should have these hopeful words of Robert Browning etched in our minds: 'The best is yet to be' ("Rabbi Ben Ezra," in Charles W. Eliot, ed., The Harvard Classics, 50 vols. [1909–10], 42:1103).”
“The battle for our souls is no less important that the battle fought by David. The enemy is no less formidable, the help of Almighty God no farther away. What will our action be? Like David of old, ‘our cause is just.’ We have been placed upon earth not to fail or fall victim to temptation’s snare, but rather to succeed. Our giant, our Goliath, must be conquered.”
"One sister asked, 'Why doesn’t the Church defend itself more actively when accusations are made against it? ' . . .
"In such moments, we may want to respond aggressively—to 'put up our dukes.' But these are important opportunities to step back, pray, and follow the Savior’s example. Remember that Jesus Himself was despised and rejected by the world. And in Lehi's dream, those coming to the Savior also endured 'mocking and pointing . . . fingers' (1 Nephi 8:27). . . . When we respond to our accusers as the Savior did, we not only become more Christlike, we invite others to feel His love and follow Him as well."
"Our spiritual journey is the process of a lifetime. We do not know everything in the beginning or even along the way. Our conversion comes step-by-step, line upon line. We first build a foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We treasure the principles and ordinances of repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We include a continuing commitment to prayer, a willingness to be obedient, and an ongoing witness of the Book of Mormon."
"We can't predict all the struggles and storms in life, not even the ones just around the next corner, but as persons of faith and hope, we know beyond the shadow of any doubt that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and the best is yet to come."
“All you have to do is trust your Heavenly Father. Trust Him enough to follow His plan.”
"Parents should teach their children to pray. The child learns both from what the parents do and what they say. The child who sees a mother or a father pass through the trials of life with fervent prayer to God and then hears a sincere testimony that God answered in kindness will remember what they saw and heard. When their trials come, they will be prepared."
"Parents and children should realize that strong opposition will always come against the work and will of the Lord. Because the work (and glory) of God is to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life as a family, it logically follows that the work of the adversary will strike directly at the heart of the home—the family. Relentlessly Lucifer attacks the sanctity of life and the joy of parenthood."
"Our Heavenly Father, who loves us completely and perfectly, permits us to have experiences that will allow us to develop the traits and attributes we need to become more and more Christlike. . . . As we understand this doctrine, we gain greater assurance of our Father's love."
"We will each face times of difficulty, and the question is not when we will face them but how we will face them."
“Faith and fear cannot coexist. One gives way to the other. The simple fact is we all need to constantly build faith and overcome sources of destructive disbelief. The Savior’s teaching comparing faith to a grain of mustard seed recognizes this reality (see Matthew 13:31–32). Consider it this way: our net usable faith is what we have left to exercise after we subtract our sources of doubt and disbelief. . . . If your faith exceeds your doubt and disbelief, the answer is likely positive. If you allow doubt and disbelief to control you, the answer might be negative.”
“Everybody in this life has their challenges and difficulties. That is part of our mortal test. The reason for some of these trials cannot be readily understood except on the basis of faith and hope because there is often a larger purpose which we do not always understand. Peace comes through hope.”
