Sometimes It's Good to Let Go

Sometimes It's Good to Let Go: Sunday Reflections

I look back on my life, and I have led a pretty good life. I have treated other people with kindness and given them the benefit of the doubt. I have made my mistakes, certainly, but I have done what I can to make things right and to seek forgiveness and be forgiving. I feel good about that.

There’s a lot of jealousy in this world, a lot of nit-picking and grudge-holding. Life is much too short for that. It seems like sometimes we must want someone else to pay for our hurts; and that is just so unnecessary, because Jesus has already done that. That’s a good thing to remember. Because Jesus paid for our mistakes already, we should be ready and willing, quickly and frequently, to not ask payment from anyone else, but to forgive those who we consider to be our debtors. We should stop keeping score and free each other.

We continually are meeting new people, making associations, and breaking connections, because we are moving, and learning and growing. Most of the time, the people I’ve been close to have stayed near and dear and close to my heart and I have to theirs as well. But time and distance do move us apart sometimes, both in life and in death. That’s okay. We know that our friendships and our family connections are intact, and when we see each other again, we’ll pick up right where we left off, and continue writing our story together.

But those other relationships, what about those? I mean the strained ones, those who are estranged from us. Sometimes, try as we might, things seem beyond repair. Even if we have love in our hearts, their philosophy may differ from ours. The best thing we can then do is take inventory of our own selves. Are we honest with ourselves and before the Lord? Have we done what is needful and necessary? Are we holding on to the good memories and keeping those alive, instead of festering our wounds? I have found it helpful to remember the good feelings associated with the memories of the good times had together in the past. If it is impossible for us to have a relationship currently, I can savor the past relationship in my memory and wait for the day when things may again be restored.

But I don’t have to force that. It’s a hard thing to accept our ability to be whole without the acceptance and approval of some people in our lives. But with the Lord, all things are possible. He is our help, our support, and our salvation. It is only through Him that we are ever made whole. So trusting in Him, in His timing, and in His loving care becomes the new focus of what is needful and necessary. You can’t make someone think highly of you, nor should you have to. And you don’t have to prove anyone wrong in order to feel right. That kind of right is pride. Being right with the Lord is a quiet humility, and something that I am going to diligently seek after.

These are my thoughts at the end of this Sabbath day. They have been helpful to me. I hope that they will be useful to someone else.

Have a good week. Have a good life!

Straining at a Gnat and Not Swallowing a Camel

The Power of Writing Things Down

I'm so thankful for the ability to write things down to express emotion. I just read over some very old unsent letters, and I decided to skip reading most of them. I’m glad that writing can help us work through things, gain perspective, and develop patience. While we all sense a desire to express ourselves, I'm so glad that I've left many things unsaid.

 Straining at a Gnat and Not Swallowing a Camel

Strained Communication

Often misunderstandings come from an inability to communicate our hurts appropriately. While there may be ample reason for us to feel the way we do, we cannot necessarily see into the other persons’ minds or hearts to know their intents or perspective. When there isn’t enough trust established to proceed with communication, sometimes we just need to pray for each other and hope for the best. 

Prayer is the Important Key

Prayer. Isn’t that the key to good communication? Here, with our Heavenly Father, we can always develop a relationship where we know we can be understood, we will be validated, and reproof will always be given with ample love. When we feel the Savior’s love, we will be able to love ourselves more, no matter what others may think, do, or say; and, we will be able to extend His love to others more freely, until we can develop that love in ourselves. 

We Need to Repent Ourselves

Prayer will also help us so our own part in the dissonance and what we are lacking ourselves. We will see our own need to change and find mercy, which should in turn help us to feel more merciful. We can seek inspiration on how to proceed: how to serve, how to wait, or how to let go. 

Serving and Forgiving

When there are opportunities to build more trust through service and shared experiences, we should seek to take advantage in developing more stable relationships. If we fall and skin our knees, we should try again. But even when things are rocky, we shouldn’t be throwing rocks.

For the times when I have spoken hastily or sought for vindication, I’m thankful for the ability to repent and repair. Sometimes feelings are raw for a long time, and even when people may want us to eat our words, or when they regurgitate them, we really cannot take them back. But we can choose to give second, third, and seventy-seventh chances, trying to give each other the benefit of the doubt.

How has writing been therapeutic to you in putting things to rest? 

How have your benefited from repairing strained relationships?

Turn to the Light

A Lesson for Relief Society based on the talk,

"The Lord is My Light," by Elder Quinton L. Cook

Songs for the lesson:

The Lord is My Light

Lead Kindly Light

In our pre-earth life, we all made the choice to follow the Son of God. In doing so we were given the opportunity to experience earth life with all of the challenges it presents. The best way to be successful again here is to make the choice, along with covenants, to follow the Son of God. He is our Savior, Lord, and Redeemer. He is our Light.

How many of you have seen sunflowers? Describe them. What do they do?

Sunflowers grow in extreme conditions. Sunflowers turn their faces towards the sun. Do we limit what we can do because we don't believe that our circumstances are optimal? Or do we take root and bloom even when we aren't necessarily where we want to be? Do we turn towards the Lord?

This life will present some real challenges for us. How will we respond? When the challenges presented come from friends, family members, or church members offending us or turning away from what we believe is right, how do we respond?

Do we experience anger and desire estrangement? Do we feel genuine love and sorrow, and hope to build others' faith as well as our own? Does pride get in the way of our own progression and desire to repent? Does it get in the way of us forgiving and accepting others? Do we allow pride to impede our progress?

“The Light of Christ plants the eternal nature of the family in the hearts of all God's children” (Elder Cook).

“So much in life is extraneous, [but]...the family is the real thing, the substantial thing, the eternal thing; the thing to watch over and care for and be loyal to” (Carla Carlisle).

Why is family the important thing, and how do we make family ties stronger?

It is important that we all build our testimonies. There are proper ways to do this.

“Patiently and humbly studying, pondering, praying, living gospel principles, and counseling with appropriate leaders are the best ways to resolve questions and concerns” (Elder Coook).

This can be true when we are seeking our own growth, or when we are trying to gain understanding concerning someone else, so that we can appropriately respond to his or her needs.

“If we faithfully have family prayer, scripture study, family home evening, priesthood blessings, and Sabbath day observance in our homes, our children will be counting on that pattern of faith even when they are away from home. These positive habits, accompanied with sincere concern and love for each others' well-bing, will provide our families with security and a safe harbor. Each member will gain the needed fortification to stand in today's world, making good choices” (Elder Cook).

We will be able to feel secure in the eternal safety of our children no matter what life's challenges may bring, knowing that Jesus will save them in this life and in the resurrection.

How can families work together towards their goal of eternal life? How have family prayer, scripture study, family home evening, priesthood blessings, and keeping the Sabbath day holy blessed you in your families and throughout your life?

How does our ward family act in harmony with each family's goal for eternal life? How does involvement in quorums and auxillaries help build us as individuals and strengthen our families? In what ways do home and visiting teaching offer us stability in an ever changing and challenging world?

“Our ward family is important to our progress, happiness, and personal effort to be more Christlike” (Elder Cook).

We need to avoid the temptation to become disjointed. The Lord's emphasis has always been on unity. When the Nephite and Lamanite people were all converted to the Lord, there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another.” As a result to this we read in 4 Nephi vs 16, “And surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.”

Because the love of God dwelt in the hearts of the people, there were no contentions. What must we do in our wards and in our homes in order to dispel contentions and build unity?

Our outlook is not bleak. If we look towards the Light, our destiny is to grow in His Light and become like Him. It will take a change of heart. We will need to determine now to love the Lord more and to love each other more. He will help us.

“Our protections in this life and for eternity will be in individual and family righteousness, Church ordinances, and following the Savior. This is our refuge from the storm. For those who feel they are alone, you can stand resolutely in righteousness knowing that the Atonement will protect and bless you beyond your ability to fully understand” (Elder Cook).

“We should remember the Savior, keep our covenants, and follow the Son of God as the young sunflower follows the sunshine. Following His light and example will bring us joy, happiness, and peace. As Psalm 27 and a favorite hymn both proclaim, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”

Not Everything is a Celebration!

Not Everything is a Celebration!

I am increasingly amazed and disturbed by the many people who want to celebrate their weaknesses as successes and encourage others to do so as well. Certainly, we have diverse characteristics and challenges. While we should be able to recognize the accomplishments of others and of ourselves, we should also be able to distinguish when we fall short. It is important to own our weaknesses as weaknesses, instead of boasting that they make us unique; this, in turn, can allow us the ability to recognize our need for the Lord’s help so that we can progress.



No, I am not going to provide a list of examples here; because, I do not want to feel the unleashed backlash from those who would say that I’m judgmental and that I am without feeling. Neither of these things would be true. But I believe that I am discerning in this matter, which is part of practicing good judgment. And as far as feeling, I believe that we all must be open to feeling some shame, so that we can be humble enough to rely on the Lord, who will then help us on our journey to higher ground.



All of us fall short of the glory of God (see Romas 3:23). No matter what our individual trials are, God wants us to measure up, trust in Him, and meet His expectations. Why? Because He is our loving Parent, and His paramount desire is for our happiness and joy and safety (see Moses 1:39). He is the Protectant of our eternal welfare. But even He cannot ensure our safety and deliverance from sin and our own carnal nature, if we abandon His design and ignore His commandments, seeking to pacify ourselves in our own shortcomings, while celebrating them as special needs.



We can make of our lives what we will at every turn with the help of the Holy Spirit and because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. But we need to acknowledge our dependence on the Lord; and when we fall, seek His help to lift us up again.



In today’s world, we see those who have similar challenges banding together and exercising pride in their togetherness of shared weaknesses. Instead of feeling some shame or uncertainty, which could cause them the necessary humility to initiate change, they believe that their togetherness will make them strong enough to offer endorsement to their struggle; as if their personal struggle is of more value than they are themselves.



But in doing so, they are claiming superiority of their need for sin or someone else’s need to sin. It seems that self-justification is highly prized, while self-evaluation is considered harmful. In the long run, the opposite is most definitely true; and, if we are honest, it is so even in the present. Change is not easy. But it is required if we want to follow Jesus.



There is purpose in the challenges that we face. The Lord has declared for what reason we have been given challenges. While the world would think that our challenges represent part of our eternal nature, it is not so. God wants better for us, and He has provided the way in His Son Jesus Christ.



Moroni, a Book of Mormon prophet was concerned about his weakness in writing. He thought that we Gentiles would mock his writings because of His weakness (see Ether 12:23).



Here is the Lord’s response (found in Ether 12:26-27):



26 And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying:


Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;



27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.



The issue of too much celebration is really an issue of too much pride. If we acknowledge our weaknesses and seek the Lord’s help in humility, He will bless us to overcome through Him and be made stronger to combat our challenges in His strength. Of necessity, this should promote more humility in our hearts, not pride, so that we can continue to approach Him and rely on Him for deliverance.

Sometimes we spend so much time turning to support groups that we forget to turn to the Lord. 


I feel like as a people we think that we have come so far, that we are much more enlightened than those of past generations and dispensations; but, I believe that Samuel the Lamanite is talking to us, as well as to the people of Nephi, when he said in Helaman 13:25-28:



25 And now when ye talk, ye say: If our days had been in the days of our fathers of old, we would not have slain the prophets; we would not have stoned them, and cast them out.



26 Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil.



27 But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth—and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet.



28 Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him.



Can you see that when we spend our efforts being sympathetic to sin instead of sympathetic to the sinner that we are acting in opposition to the prophets of God? Can you see that when we engage in media expressions of pride that we our offering an endorsement to the activity and not to our individual brothers and sisters?



Can you see from these verses that if we encourage pride in sin that we are setting ourselves up as false prophets and helping the devil in his devices to destroy the rightful destiny of the children of God? I believe this is so even if our desired goal is to gain recognition of being empathetic instead of monetary gain. There are better ways to show our love and concern for each other than to endorse sin. I do not want to be accountable of so great a calamity. I would rather face the anger of the unjustified, prideful masses than face the righteous indignation of the wrath of God.



Our celebration should be in the Lord’s strength, not in our personal weaknesses. He who was tempted beyond measure, yet gave the devil no heed; He who overcame on our behalf, so that He can lift us up and help us overcome our personal struggles with sin; He who offered us life, and that more abundantly, if we turn to Him, trust in Him, love Him, and show that love by keeping His commandment; it is He whom we should celebrate.



We should celebrate Jesus. And in celebration of Jesus’s glorious accomplishment in overcoming sin, we can again celebrate when He helps us on our journey in overcoming our personal sins one step at a time and one day at a time. The celebration must never be in our own weaknesses, but in the Lord’s strength.

Temples Bless Us with Power from on High

Temples Bless Us with Power from on High

It once was said that all roads lead to Rome. But the Roman Empire has since fallen. Today some people think that all road lead to the temple. While we know that the Lord’s Kingdom will not fail, not all roads lead to the temple. In fact, most roads will lead us away from the temple. Temples certainly do dot the earth, and we can even see the Redlands Temple from our own backyard; but, the real road to the temple is discipleship. When we comply to the principles, ordinances, and commandments found in the gospel of Jesus Christ, then we are on the road to the temple.

How do we begin?

We must become acquainted with our Heavenly Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. This is the most important thing we can so. As mothers especially, I feel that it is important to teach our children very young that they are children of God, that He loves them, and that He has expectations for them. 

In the Lord’s Mission Statement, we read, 

“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39).”  

The day that the Prophet Joseph Smith spoke about will soon be here: 

 “If any man does not know God, . . . he will realize that he has not eternal life; for there can be eternal life on no other principle” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 344).  

So it is important to make these things known unto the children of men (2 Nephi 2:8). 

It is interesting to note, that many in the world today think that knowing about God is enough. If they acknowledge that He exists, they think that they have done their part and all will be well with them. They do not realize that like any loving parent, God has expectations for them and of them. Remember, that even Laman and Lemuel believed in God; they knew He existed; they were visited and reprimanded by an angel. But when they expressed unbelief or resentment towards Nephi for his understanding and his relationship with God, 

Nephi asked them, “Have ye inquired of the Lord?” 

And their response was, “We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us (See 2 Nephi 15:8-9 ).”  

You see, they failed to become acquainted with God, and they failed to see their relationship to Him. In essence, even though they believed in God, they did not believe in themselves or in God’s love for them.

Satan perpetuates this lie: that none of us can know God. Why? Because, if he can divert us from the path back to our Heavenly Father, he feels that he’s won. Yet we know that because of God’s Plan for us and our Savior’s Atonement for us, They won a long time ago. It is just up to us to choose to be on the winning team, and to invite others to be as well; and as parents, we must begin with our own families.

There are others who have abandoned any belief in God. They claim superiority to those who have faith, saying that we are childish. There are many examples of this type in The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Basically, this group does not want to live by the teachings of the gospel, so it becomes more convenient for them to deny God than to deny themselves of their godlessness.

Also, we live in a day when diversity is the thing to be prized and celebrated. Even though diversity abounds and can add richness to society, I prefer to celebrate our commonality—that we are all children of God, that we have a common parentage through Adam and Eve, and that we have unlimited potential if we make and keep covenants with our Father. I feel it is a shame that there is so much pride in belonging to a special interest group. Our Father and our Savior have invested greater interest in all of us than any special interest group ever will, and They have so much more to offer. Some celebrate their individual struggles as making them more special or more blessed. In Ether 12:27, we learn that God gives unto men weaknesses that they may be humble, and then if they turn to Him in humility and faith, he will make weak things become strong unto them.

So it isn't our weaknesses or our diversity that we should celebrate most; but, we should celebrate the grace of the Lord, that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can become stronger, and better, and be made whole.  

I have chosen to give this background information to this talk, because it is of paramount importance that we become acquainted with God; that we help our children to become acquainted through reading, study, prayer, service, devotion, meditation, work, and genuine love and kindness. We cannot maintain a relationship with our Heavenly Father if we become too casual in our devotion.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been restored in our day, and all the Priesthood power along with it, that can bind us as families for eternity and deliver us to God’s throne spotless, where we can receive a full extension of His grace, and move forward in our progression to become like Him. That is powerful. That is merciful. That is brilliant. And Satan knows it. We live in a time where we can go to the temples and be endowed with power from on high. Why would Satan and his minions allow that? No, he will do all in his power to thwart that from happening. And that is why we see the confusion over the family unit, gender identity, and proper use of priesthood power. 

Did God know this would happen? Of course He did, and that is why He had the prophet and the apostles issue The Family: A Proclamation to the World nearly 19 years ago. As we study that document, we can equip ourselves and our family with the necessary knowledge to combat both personal doubts and assaults from within and without the church. In saying this, I am not suggesting that we argue, fight, or force our opinions down anyone’s throats. That has never been the Lord’s way, and it isn't today. But we do need to have the boldness NOW to hasten the work. 

• As mothers and fathers, there is no better way to hasten the work than to teach our children and to be an example to them. 

• Second to that, let’s hasten the work by being more valiant home and visiting teachers and by magnifying our callings. 

• As individuals, couples, and families, let’s hasten the work by sharing our testimonies, our faith, The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, our food, our time, our homes, and our lives. 

The souls of all around us are in danger, and we have the means to help them. 

Let’s point them in the direction of our Heavenly Father, of His Son’s Atonement, of access to their mercy and grace through the first principles and ordinance of the gospel, which are Faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism by immersion for remission of sins by proper priesthood authority, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost (See Article of Faith 1:4). And we cannot stop there. 

Let’s point them to the temple, and let’s develop the faith to take them there! 

I feel that too many of us are more worried about our rights of worship, and the rites performed in our temples, being taken away from us than we are in making it known that these blessings are available to all and inviting them to join us.

As a young mother, I felt it was important to read the scriptures and the Friend magazine with my children. It was important to teach them to share and to get along, and to rejoice in each other’s accomplishments. It was important for Bob and me to read with them, play with them, and teach them. Bob was very involved in all of this. He made sure that the children always had a good supply of books and music and that our family had wonderful daycations together.

Mother and Father need to work together as a team. This is especially true as the children grow older. Parents offer many prayers on behalf of their children, because they love them and want the best for them. And we point them in the right direction; but, we cannot coerce them or break them like a horse. They are sons and daughters of God, and they will learn to love Him more easily if their earthly parents love them. I would never purport to say that Bob and I were perfect parents, and our children may be quick to agree with that. But I know as they grow older in years and experiences with their own children, they will realize that we did the best we could. (And so did their grandparents.)

Our children were taught the gospel in our home through prayer, scripture study, Family Home Evening, and service to one another. They were prepared to enter the waters of baptism, and each had the personal desire to do so. It is a commandment to parents in the church to teach their children the first principles and ordinances of the gospel so that they will be prepared to be baptized when they are eight-years-old (Doctrine and Covenants 68:25).

Since the Gift of the Holy Ghost will be such a blessing in every facet of their lives, we should never adopt the worldly philosophy to not teach them and let them decide when they are older if they want to learn and convert or not. We can have the greatest influence on them for good while they are still young. And we should not want to deny them the privilege of the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

Besides the family nights and church attendance and teaching our children the importance of the gospel, how can we help them feel the Savior’s love and know how special they are to Him and their Heavenly Father? I won’t answer that question fully, and I really can’t. But The Family: A Proclamation to the World is a great starting point. Plus, the parents in each family unit can pray for direction on how they can most fully implement the teachings of the gospel in their home, what experiences will best help to invite the Spirit, and how they can help their children learn how to recognize the Spirit in their lives. The truer that we become in our own discipleship, the more our children will recognize the importance of developing their own relationships with God.

One of the most important things we can do is teach them about revelation. 

• As children of God we are all born with the Light of Christ and the ability to discern good from evil (See John 1). 

• Also, as children of God, even before being members of the church, we are all entitled to being influenced through the power of the Holy Ghost, which will lead us to truth (See 1 Nephi 10:17 and 2 Nephi 26:13).
  
  
• We should teach them that everyone is entitled to seek personal revelation, and if they are humble and faithful, and are seeking truth, they can expect to receive it.
  
  
• They should understand that only the prophet can receive revelation for the church and for the world; the stake president for the stake; the Bishop for the ward; parents for their families; and individuals for themselves. (We only receive revelation over that which we have stewardship.)

We need to teach them that those things that deny the Christ, or that deny the scriptures and the prophets, or that make all beliefs relative and equal are false doctrines. Truth is eternal; it is what God has established, and it is not what each individual person or civilization redefines it to be. Once we have the Gift of the Holy Ghost, we should seek our Father’s direction continually so that we can be led by truth and chart a proper course in our lives, and lovingly help others to do so as well.

In the temples, we will receive even more light and knowledge, and the personal revelation that we are prepared to receive. In the temples, we are endowed with power from on high. Yet we are not exempt from the struggles of our present-day world, and we will yet fall if we do not cleave unto the truths that we know, and if we do not follow the prophet. We will fall if we embrace the things of the world and let go of the things of God. What an amazing gift we have been given. We don’t just get to go to the temple once for ourselves and then stop. We can and should go back often. That way as we help our kindred dead receive their endowment, so that they can be blessed with power from on high, and so that they can be sealed eternally with their loved ones; as we go back ourselves, our own endowment is renewed in our lives, and we gain more power to resist evil and to pursue good. We also become a blessing to our family and friends, because we are enlightened by the Spirit of Truth, and we are carriers and keepers of the covenant. 

Our family has been blessed bountifully through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the gifts poured out to us in the temple. What a comfort it is to know that our son Robby has gained eternal life, that he is sealed to our family, and we can all be together after this life if we live worthily. As Bob and I grow older, it’s a comfort to us to know that our marriage was performed by the correct authority in the temple of God, and that it will be sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise if we keep our covenants to God and to each other. We have been blessed that, so far, four of our children have been endowed and served missions; and that Christine is preparing to do the same. We are blessed that our children have decided to marry in the temple, and that three of them have already had that opportunity; that our grandson Jacob could be sealed to Tom and Whitney on their wedding day, and that our granddaughter Amanda was born in the covenant. Great are the blessings to our family because of the temple; and greater will be the blessings if each family member chooses to remain faithful to their covenants. Agency is paramount in our Father’s plan. But without proper teaching and guidance, there is not proper agency. We need to make known the benefits of the gospel of Jesus Christ to our own children, our own family, and to the world. We have been called upon to hasten the work. Let us do so. Let us take the high road of true discipleship which leads to the temple and back to our Heavenly Father's presence; and, let us invite all to come unto Christ, so that they can do the same.

Christmas is a Greater Show

It’s the Christmas season, and once again both Hollywood and politically correct supporters want to steal the show. It is disturbing how far we have sunk in the name of political correctness. It is unbearable to think of the sacrifices that our Founding Fathers made for this Country to supply us with the freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly and so forth. So much of the founding was based on Judeo-Christian principles and patterns that have worked well in past democracies and republics. But the name of Jesus Christ is no longer politically correct. In this world of sophistry reigning supreme, it is still the meek that shall inherit the earth (See Matt 5:5). Why? Because our Lord and Savior said so.

As I have studied the scriptures from childhood through my 53rd year here on this earth, one thing has been made clear to me. The Lord has always done the will of the Father (See John 5:30), putting His own needs and interests on the altar of sacrifice, and supplying for our constant welfare and support, in both offering us peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come, if we will but accept Him as our Savior and determine to follow Him (See Matthew 16:24). Following His example means that we must also put our needs and interests on the altar of sacrifice by giving to Him a broken heart and a contrite spirit. What does that mean? It means that we keep His commandments…all of them…to the very best of our ability; and, it means that we accept His laws, recognizing that they are never obsolete, no matter how many people scoff and scorn and shake their fists. Hopefully, those who have chosen to do so will find their way to repentance before that is all that they are able to do.

Another thing that I have learned is that Lucifer or Satan is very capable in his abilities of persuasion (See Revelation 12:3-9), but somehow he seems to have remained underdeveloped, like an everlasting self-centered teenager. Truly part of our real growth into maturity comes from our submitting ourselves to the will of the Father. Have you noticed that those who put their own wants, needs, and desires before the common good of their own families or humanity as a whole, care very little for the wants, needs, and desires of their fellowmen? They possess underdeveloped souls, every searching for pleasure and reassurance that their ways are just as truthful and good as the Lord’s ways, because they serve their purposes, and their personal freedoms are paramount in their own eyes. But they do not foresee how their self-centeredness affects everyone else around them and society as a whole. So instead of accepting that they indeed might be in the wrong, they proclaim that there is no right or wrong, that there is no God and no devil. The devil has perpetuated this common lie since the very beginning of time. Interesting, isn’t it, how he puts evil thoughts and desires into men’s hearts and then he tells them, “I am no devil, for there is none (See 2 Nephi 28:21-22)?” He must feel jolly good about himself to fool so many.

And that brings us back to Heavenly Father’s true plan for us. Since Adam and Eve, our Heavenly Father has supplied His spirit sons and daughters a correct family model to bring forth all the families of the earth. And God gave Adam and Eve this commandment in the Garden of Eden, “To multiply and replenish the earth (See Genesis 1:28).” He further explained this commandment, stating that “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh (Genesis 2:24).” This is God’s pattern for the family. There is no other. But Hollywood and television media have been carefully working out new family patterns since the 50s and 60s to gear people up for Satan’s eventually well-accepted lie that all relationships are equal and that there is no set pattern for the family. And as family life has been misplaced by government programs, the erosion of society has been underway. And for those who think that it is all okay, No, it is not. This has happened before in other societies, and they were destroyed (See Genesis 19). Vanity of vanities, there is nothing new under the sun (See Ecclesiastes 1).

Why is the family unit important (See The Family: A Proclamation to the World)? Being placed in families gives us the greatest potential for growth in our lives and in our development to become more like our Heavenly Father. Husband and wife work together to supply the best environment that they can for their children. If they have entered their relationship responsibly, with maturity, covenanting with each other and with God, they sacrifice many of their own needs and desires for one another and for their children. They put the welfare of the entire family at the forefront of everything they do, not just exalting one person’s interests at the disparity of all others. They seek to follow the Father's will. Doesn't that sound familiar? It is the pattern that the Lord set for us in putting the common welfare of all people above his own comfort and welfare. The family allows us to establish an environment that is in keeping with God’s law and that helps us develop into mature selfless beings that are becoming more like our Heavenly Father.

Now I am not a perfect family member, but I do try to do what is right. There are many things that I have chosen not to do because I knew that those things would bring dishonor to both my earthly parents and my Heavenly Father. As a parent, many of my decisions have been based upon what is good for my husband in his professional endeavors; what is good for our children in their growth, learning, and progression into adulthood; and what is the Lord's will. As a result, I have not been diminished in any way; but, if anything, have become more accomplished as a result. Also, there are many things that I have chosen to do, because I was taught by good Christian parents who established a healthy environment for learning and growth, and because I have personally studied the scriptures, tried to be of Christian service, and gained a firm faith, hope, and testimony of my Lord Jesus Christ. This pattern we have sought to perpetuate in our own home.

And for the things I have done wrong, I have felt appropriately guilty, acknowledged my errors to God and to those He deemed necessary, and recommitted myself to His plan for me. As children of the Highest, we are never promoting ourselves well by leaving His path and going on our own merry way, thinking that we are now free. Cain made that mistake in the beginning (See Moses 5:30-33). And so it has continued; we bring personal and perpetual destruction when we deviate from God’s course. In contrast, the best way to promote ourselves is to follow God’s plan. He has so much more to offer us (See Luke 14:11, Moses 1:39).

So much of what happens in the media today seems to draw our attention away from what is most important. If we would all receive direction to focus on the Savior of mankind, we would begin to heal as a nation (See 2 Chronicles 7:14). Because of the easiness of such a choice, to just turn and look to the Savior, many turn themselves about and seek disparaging counsel and continue to struggle in darkness (See John 3:14-15; 1 Nephi 17:41). There is no peace and salvation offered that can reach to every struggling mortal soul than that which has been offered by God in the gift of His Son Jesus Christ (See John 3:16-17). He is the way, the truth, and the life (See John 14:6). There is no other way that is acceptable than the Lord’s way. And the Lord’s way cannot be changed or eradicated. Like the Lord, His ways are eternal. And the established pattern of families to include a husband and a wife, who may become a father and mother, who may be blessed with children that Heavenly Father sends to that union is not just a pattern, but it is eternal law. No matter what man does to obliterate God’s laws, they will still stand. Those who worship the Father in spirit and in truth, those who trust in the words of the prophet and the atoning sacrifice of the Only Begotten Son, these are the ones who will be blessed for adherence to the laws despite the ridicule and condemnation of the world. These are those whom Jesus prayed for, and these are those whom He will claim (See John 17:9-26).

So back to the Christmas Season. May the Spirit of Christ reign in our hearts throughout this season and throughout all the years ahead! May we decide that Jesus will be our focus and that the distractions of the world will only serve to make us more determined to both follow Him and pray for our fellowmen to have the opportunity for a change of heart, a chance for repentance, and the gift of following Him in their own lives. Christmas is a reality. This season is not just a holiday. It is a celebration of a Holy Day: the day that our Lord and Savior was born, fulfilling the prophecies of all the holy prophets, and bringing us hope of his glorious sacrifice and our impending rebirth and salvation through Him. And Christmas grows in ever deeper importance because Easter is a reality. Jesus Christ lives. To Him be all praise and glory both now and forevermore. The captive shall go free. All shall live again. And the righteous shall be exalted through His perfect grace and holiness. Let us turn our hearts and thoughts back to the Savior. He will not forsake us, and He will offer us His perfect peace in the midst of unsettling times (See John 14:27).