KING OF KINGS

I went to LDS.org this morning to find a quote from General Conference and saw the cover of the new December ensign. ... Stunning. The last few weeks I have been pondering about Joseph and Mary and who they must have been in order to raise the son of God. What trust they had in Heavenly Father. What challenges they faced and in an opposite sense what glories they beheld. Surely their hearts felt the highest of happiness and the lowest of sorrows.

I saw this magazine cover and my eyes became wet. Two mortal beings who fulfilled what they were sent here to do. And then that child-the Savior born in a manger. A king laying in hay. Because we are less then the dust of the earth for at least the dust will obey God's commands, no doubt the animals surrounding Mary and Joseph were at least pure in the fact that they obey God's commands.

Because of a king laying in straw-His faithful earthly parents and their courage to raise Him as the King He was/is. To His miracles and power - His mercy and love. From His pleading and blood in the garden to His continued oneness on the cross - to His victory over the sting of death - and His constant beckoning to becoming like He is. ... My heart is stirred.

It is Him -- who is the lover of my soul.

Jesus is the Christ.


Artist Rose Datoc Dall is on my thankful list. I love to see when God is inspiring others to do/make something beautiful.
To check out the Dec Ensign, copy and paste the following link into your browser.
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=5e82875a62c25210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=ccb1d48fa58db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

JUST A TASTE

I went with Dad to walmart to pick them up. Avacodos were .10 at Walmart tonight, what a steal! I hope they are good! :) As we finished our trip, I saw President Richards there with his sweet wife. This is the first time I have run into them shopping. Immediately my heart was swollen with love for this choice couple. President Richards is not one for complements. He is a humble man. He is a man of God. It is always humbling to be around him and one can't leave his presence with out an inward desire to preform/serve better outwardly.

We were able to chat a little bit about out I belong to the best ward in the world. That is the theme when we describe our ward--because it is true. I had a moment to tell them my thoughts about working with Bishop Larson. They confirmed all my feels were true. Our short conversation left me praising Heavenly Father.

As I walked away from Pres and Sis Richards, I thought about how there isn't anything I wouldn't not do for Bishop Larson. If he suggests something or counsels something, no questions asked I will do it. The love and respect I have for him are almost indescribable.

As I walked away from being with such an "in love couple" as Cindy and Pres Richards--my thoughts pondered over the fact that if I want to do everything asked by my Bishop, how much more desire would I have to follow through with what the Lord asks me to do?!? For surely my love for my bishopric moves me to action--but how much more if it is the Lord asking?! The difference is is that Heavenly Father is someone I don't see on a weekly basis. I pray to him consistently throughout my day, but more faith is required with working with a veil relationship.

But God puts his different children in the path of life that represent Him and His son. My stake president and Bishop are two of those types of examples for me. And if I have a strong desire to serve/obey them--that must be just a taste of my relationship with the Savior and Heavenly Father. For surely I would want to serve/obey just the same.

I am probably not making any sense, but I was struck with a deep reverence tonight. I was able to spend a wonderful evening with my great parents and then retire to my room to close my evening with prayer. Oh how I want to serve my God. Oh how I want to obey his will and wishes for me. Oh how I want to have my desires intune with correct principles. And oh if I have this much love for my parents, my bishopric and my Stake president--surely my love must be even greater for the Savior and Heavenly Father. And surely I would want to follow all of their commands with exactness the way I want to follow every counsel given to me by my bishop. And yet it is so easy to fall short. And it is so much easier to obey someone without a veil. But IF my feelings are this deep for those within my earthly span--they must be all the more greater for things/relationships I cannot remember or comprehend right now.

I love Jesus Christ. He is my LIFE, my LIGHT, and my WAY.

Tonight was just a taste of what it must be like with the Veil is taken away. What a sweet, sweet taste.

AFTER MUCH...

"For after much tribulation come the blessings." D&C 58:4

I love the word much because it prepares me for my expectations workign with tribulation. And the 's' at the end of blessing--excites me that it is more than one blessing! :D This scripture tells us how life can be at times. But like Elder Holland said in his Liberty Jail talk, we are in good company when we are going through hard times.

Elder George Q. Cannon:

"...the Saints should always remember that God sees not as man sees; that he does not willingly afflict his children, and that if he requires them to endure present privation and trial, it is that they may escape greater tribulations which would otherwise inevitably over take them. If He deprives them of any present blessing, it is that he may bestow upon them greater and more glorious ones by and by." (Millennial Star, 3 Oct 1863, p. 634.)

President Brigham Young:

"If the Saints could realize things as they are when they are called to pass through trials, and to suffer what they call sacrifices, they would acknowledge them to be the greatest blessings that could be bestowed upon them" (Discourses of Brigham Young, p. 345).

Defiantly something to strive for. The last quote, there are many in my family, including myself that will tell anyone who asks, that Dad receiving cancer last year, with all its ugly tortures on the physical body, has been one of the greatest blessings our family has received. Through it we learned patience, trust, humility, faith, determination, trust, more kindness, sincere prayer, courage, His will--be done, and no matter what--we will still serve and praise our Father in Heaven and His son, Jesus Christ. We are stronger because of it. Mom and Dad now serve in the temple--our family values time together all that much more. In so many ways, we did have a happy ending. I am sensitive to those that have had loved ones that have not had the same happy ending. But for whatever time we are given in this earth life, shorter or longer, God is with us. There are miracles to behold. Faith to be lived, His name to represent in all that we do/say and are. Our lives are to emulate Him, our Savior Jesus Christ. And we can claim power from on high to help us through the days when our hands hang down weary and worn or when our heart feels it simply cannot bare any more.

The Turtle in Kunfo Panda says, "Life is a gift, that is why it is called the present." Find your gift in the day and in return be a gift for others.

I am so thankful God trusts us with challenging tests, and in return I will trust Him through the tests. What a morning to praise God! He sure does love us! And as a wise Mary Jo at church bore in her testimony - "We were not sent here to fail". We can do it!