This quote has had a profound effect on me.  When my brother Glen was in the hospital getting his heart fixed, Nancy couldn't be with him because of covid restrictions.  I was puttering in our little garden and thinking about how our mom loved to work in the morning outside while it was cool and then I thought of Glen being alone and Nancy worrying about him. Then I realized that Glen isn't alone.  Mom and Dad are very aware of his situation  and I'm sure mom was right there beside him while he was there.  It was a very comforting thought. 

"Ask for Angels to HELP"

J. R . Holland

   "Can you imagine the effort it took these angels who pushed from the rear of handcarts. . . If angels can manage that, they can certainly help you and me over our present Rocky Ridges.  we know the Lord gets His work done with the help of His angels.  So could you use a little more help in your life? If so, keep your covenants with more exactness than ever before.  and then ask for Angels to help you with what ever you need.  Or ask for them to be dispached to help those you love." Wendy Watson Nelson, 2015 BYU womens conference.

Art by Clark Kelly Price

 

“How firm our foundation?  The foundation of this Church was forged long before the world was.  It is strong.  It is true.  It is eternal. The foundation of one’s individual faith, if anchored firmly to eternal truth, allows each of us to reach upward with an eternal perspective.  That faith will give hope when there is no hope.  It will give us joy here and eternal life hereafter.”  Russell M. Nelson Apr. 2002 GenConf.

May 3, 2020  I had a very special experience yesterday.  I belong to a facebook group called Worldwide Unified.  It evolved from the world wide fast when people of many faiths and countries joined in the fast and shared experiences.  It didn't end with the fast on Good Friday. People kept requesting prayers for many reasons.  Covid 10, Cancer, Auto accidents, suicide, faith.  They also put in their faith expeieriences and miracles.  I have tried to increase my prayers of faith, so when I would read one asking for prayers, I would stop and say a prayer right then.  But by the end of many little prayers I kind of felt like I was bothering God with one more request.  were my prayers rote? I really wanted to pray in faith but by the end of the day, I was skipping the details and saying a prayer in general.  Was that fulfilling the request for prayers.  Yesterday morning (May 2) I read a plea from a woman who is trying to turn her life around and wanted to make an appointment with her bishop and her husband was skeptical.  As I read this, I was filled with so much love for this woman.  I realized that this was what I was missing.  Love for the people I was praying for and Heavenly Father, Jesus love us with that incredible love.  It was so sweet to feel that love.  I felt that love for each post I read.  Gave a prayer of thanks and love.  Fast forward to this morning - my brother Glen is in the hospital (heart attack) Nancy took him in early this morning because he was having trouble breathing.  Yesterdays miracle for me, gave me so much love for my brother.  tears of love.  I am so grateful.   The following is an example of the tender posts. 

‎Nick Barratt‎ to Worldwide Unified

5 hrs · 

As we prepare to say goodbye to our loved ones who are been called home, We can often think that life is on fair and why is this happening to me?

As I was coming to terms with the passing of my sweetheart I had a prayer tomorrow God and it went something like this. Dear heavenly Father, I fully submit today I will whatever the outcome and i give unto you my wife, I know that you need a more than me even though now this is quite hard to understand I know that you understand the big picture and that as an angel on this earth she was needed home. I love you and accept your plan.

It wasn’t until after I accepted the will of God that miracles started to happen, my life is unbelievably blessed. I have my family my kids my God.

As my kids were saying goodbye to their mum, She gently whispered to them I love you as she was struggling to speak at this time. This was so tender and so sacred as her fleshy tabernacle clung onto life. 

I testify to you there is life after death I know this of myself independent of anybody else. As she was called home the angels rejoice and heavenly father said she’s home.

I know sometimes life can seem on fair, life can seem so hard and sometimes unrelenting, but if We put our faith in Christ, his tender mercies will rain down upon us and he will lift us to a place where we can live again, breathe again and enjoy and live to the measure of our creation.

I testify to you there is a plan for you, Centre your life around Christ and he will lift you to places where you never could have dreamed.

Have a great day ❤️

Dede N Mike Wright‎ to Worldwide Fast April 10

8 hrs · 

I have had a friend mock me because they didn’t see an immediate miracle happen after the worldwide fast. I know that our fast was accepted and I know that our prayers are being heard. I know that God will deliver us from this trial when the timing is right. We need to continue to have faith and to continue to pray.

I was pondering today and thought of Daniel in the lions den. God didn’t take Daniel out of the lions den right away did He? No. Why? Daniel was faithful, that’s why he was in the lions den—because he had faith that even if he did pray God would deliver him. Daniel had faith, and faith is supposed to produce results right? So why didn’t God take him out?

Because if God would have just taken Daniel out of the lions den—he wouldn’t have been able to have had the experience of being in the lions den and not being eaten. If God would have taken him out, Daniel would have known that, yes God does deliver us FROM difficulty, but he would not have learned that God also delivers us IN difficulty! Having God deliver us in difficulty requires more faith, more prayer, and more trust.

The loins in that den were ready to kill Daniel but they didn’t because Daniel had faith. In Daniel’s time of need, God sent an angel to hold back the lions—to deliver him IN the trial so he could grow, learn, and become. When morning came and they opened the lions den, there was Daniel with the lions without a scratch on him. Daniel had learned what he needed to from that experience and was then delivered FROM the lions den.

God hasn’t delivered us FROM the pandemic yet but He certainly is delivering us IN this pandemic. So instead of wishing to be out and focusing on the negative—look around and see God’s angels holding back your lions. When the timing is right God will deliver us FROM this, until then let’s remember He is delivering us IN this. ❤️

This is a post on Facebook someone shared, that really speaks to my heart.

Cynthia Jijon Jensen

March 28 at 9:39 AM

Repost: I cannot tell you what a testimony builder this COVID 19 experience has been. Everything our governments are doing is reactive. They are trying to handle the situation as it develops, in varying stages of success.

However, almost everything our church has done has been proactive. Today, the church closed all the temples completely. On the outside, it seemed reactive. However, I see now that the Lord prepared us for this.

Less than one year ago, the church announced that couples no longer have to wait a year to get sealed if they have been married civilly. I just shrugged at the time and thought it was a great policy. However, today I see that the Lord knew the temple closures were coming and He took away the waiting period for couples who had no choice but to get married civilly while the temples were closed.

It solidified my testimony to know that Lord, through our Prophet, is not being reactive. He is being proactive.

*Come Follow Me - giving us time to become familiar with it (even if we are not perfect).

*General Conference - going to be different (even if it wasn't in any way close to our speculations)

*Closing all Temples - but already having a policy in place for couples whose lives are held in limbo!

*Age of witnesses being lowered - baptisms can be witnessed by non-priesthood holders so with 1 priesthood and 2 women, the baptism can still happen.

*Ministering - no longer focusing on visiting people in their homes but, just a general, personal caring connection.

*Online Seminary classes - An amazing tool to have that allow High School kids to continue to learn without having to physically attend class.

*Youth Changes in age - Young Men who were turning 12 this year have already received the priesthood at the beginning of the year instead of after the pandemic (hopefully) ends making them able to pass the sacrament in their homes under the direction of their bishops.

*Also, so grateful for Personal Revelation, Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage always taught by the Church.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING, THE SIGNS ARE EVERYWHERE!!!

"Years ago when Sister Nelson and I had several teenaged daughters, we took our family on a vacation far away from telephones and boyfriends. We went on a raft trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. As we started our journey, we had no idea how dangerous this trip could be.

The first day was beautiful. But on the second day, when we approached Horn Creek rapids and saw that precipitous drop ahead, I was terrified. Floating on a rubber raft, our precious family was about to plunge over a waterfall! Instinctively I put one arm around my wife and the other around our youngest daughter. To protect them, I tried to hold them close to me. But as we reached the precipice, the bended raft became a giant sling and shot me into the air. I landed into the roiling rapids of the river. I had a hard time coming up. Each time I tried to find air, I hit the underside of the raft. My family couldn’t see me, but I could hear them shouting, “Daddy! Where’s Daddy?”

I finally found the side of the raft and rose to the surface. The family pulled my nearly drowned body out of the water. We were thankful to be safely reunited.

The next several days were pleasant and delightful. Then came the last day, when we were to go over Lava Falls, known as the most dangerous drop of the journey. When I saw what was ahead, I immediately asked to beach the raft and hold an emergency family council meeting, knowing that if we were to survive this experience, we needed to plan carefully. I reasoned with our family: “No matter what happens, the rubber raft will remain on top of the water. If we cling with all our might to ropes secured to the raft, we can make it. Even if the raft should capsize, we will be all right if we hang tightly to the ropes.”

I turned to our little seven-year-old daughter and said, “All of the others will cling to a rope. But you will need to hold on to your daddy. Sit behind me. Put your arms around me and hold me tightly while I hold the rope.”

That we did. We crossed those steep, rough rapids—hanging on for dear life—and all of us made it safely.

Brothers and sisters, I nearly lost my life learning a lesson that I now give to you. As we go through life, even through very rough waters, a father’s instinctive impulse to cling tightly to his wife or to his children may not be the best way to accomplish his objective. Instead, if he will lovingly cling to the Savior and the iron rod of the gospel, his family will want to cling to him and to the Savior." -President Nelson 

In this day of social distancing and mandated stay at home, I am amazed at the frantic anxiety around me.  This story puts it into perspective.  We need to hang onto to the Savior and the Gospel to survive.

Rachel Bruce Gil Tyler Jake Kurt

Duane Deven Carter Gil

January 12, 2020
Tyler and Jake (Priest and Deacon) and Carter (Priest) after being ordained with Dads and Grands

I watched a documentary on how Lehi and family may have traveled from Jerusalem to the land  Bountiful where Nephi built a ship.  In it they talk of how Nephi probably had been in training with a metal smith.  How else would he know how to make the plates, how else would he know what kind of ore to use for making tools?It kind of answered some questions I've had over the years.  If Nephi was so young, How did he fit into Laban's clothes and impersonate him (besides the blessing of the Lord so he could accomplish his task) Nephi does say that he was "large in stature" .  So look at Tyler and Carter.  Both are 15 - Jake is 11.  Ty and Jake are both taller than their grandfathers.  Carter is taller than his dad.  Carter is in football and has been trying to bulk up.  Ty plays soccer. Both could very well be like Nephi and do a man's job.  And after the years in the wilderness, making and breaking camps, Tucker could very well be as the man Nephi who built the boat under God's direction.

Christmas tree hunt Nov 2019

Tucker and Sierra March 2019