Go Forth With Faith~

I smiled when I saw this graphic. In this current day, I look hard for those things that uplift my soul. 

I took a two-day break from social media, and I think I may pause for longer. It is incredible how nice it was not to see all the negative thoughts and comments out there. However, I do know a lot of good things going on and positive thoughts. I continue to wonder what is happening to us all. I love it when I see generous hearts and those who comply and wear masks to protect others. To me, this is obeying that 2nd commandment from our beloved Savior to love our neighbor as ourselves. I like it when there is a peaceful protest, but I am heartsick with the riots and destroying of property. 
 I feel like this is a test in the way of how far will we go to be loving children of our Heavenly Father. After all, we are all brothers and sisters. I have a natural love for people, but I can feel disappointed in their choices for sure and feel very sad about all the evil that surrounds us. 

For today, I want to leave a positive message of love to you all and a desire that we will all nurture our faith through these difficult times. 

I can't imagine anyone that didn't love Mr. Rogers. He was such a positive personality. His shows were all about how to love and be loved in this world of ours. Accepting one another where we are is part of that love. 
I have been reading some beautiful messages from our Prophet and Apostles. After reading some thoughts from Elder Jeffery R. Holland, I decided that I wanted to follow some of his ideas. 

Here they are: 

1. Take the time to look at yourself and see if you like what you see -

 Here are some profound thoughts from our Apostle, Elder Jeffery R. Holland. "The continuing and growing COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity for soul-searching and self-examination, the kind of personal reflection that refines faith, strengthens character, and "increases our humility before the Lord."

This is a rare time of enforced solitude when we don't have a lot of trivia or superficial busyness distracting us from considering the truly important things in life. "Such times invite us to look into our soul and see if we like what we see there."

Elder Holland spoke to the Church News, "as millions of Latter-day Saints worldwide respond to government mandates aimed to flatten the spread of the coronavirus that has caused illness and death, stifled economies, closed schools, and curtailed daily routines across the globe. In response to the pandemic, Church leaders have suspended meetings, closed temples, and transported thousands of missionaries to their home countries.

The result is a "kind of mandatory Sabbath—a time when we step away from our normal routine, from life as usual, and consider our dependence on God and the blessings from Him we so often take for granted."

Of course, right now, many of us are going back to a limited schedule of Sacrament meetings. I suppose there will be some adjustments to being with one another again. I hope it is with grateful hearts to be with our beloved ward members. 

2. Live in Gratitude - 

Elder Holland further stated; ""things are going to 'come right.' They are undoubtedly on their way to 'coming right' already. But we owe it to our Father in Heaven to be a little more grateful, a little more thankful, and a few more inclined to remember how many problems are resolved because of God, angels, covenantal promises, and prayer."

I do think there have been many miracles, and there will be more. Heavenly Father is aware of the world and its needs. We will see great things come to past. Meanwhile, I want to have a grateful heart. When I look for those daily tender mercies, I recognize who is in charge. God is! 

3. Nourish your Faith - 

I loved Elder Holland's thoughts on this one. "The opportunity to respond to trouble and turmoil with ever-greater faith is documented over and over again in scripture—where the love of God, the sacrifice of Christ, and their many manifestations of mercy are the great constants when we face adversity of one kind or another.

This present pandemic presents a "precious opportunity to demonstrate faith," he said. "Often, those opportunities seem rare. In our modern age, we don't have to worry about parting the Red Sea, because we have engineers that can build a bridge over it. We need some reminders from time to time that those beautifully engineered bridges can collapse, so to speak. This pandemic is just such a collapse."

I, myself, have been using this time to pray with more intent and with more faith that our will and our Father's are the same. I love studying the scriptures and our Conference Reports and find many uplifting messages of hope that help me to go forth with more faith in my Savior, knowing that He is there to walk this path with us whatever it might be. 

Because we can partake of the Sacrament in our home and bare testimony to one another; this has helped me stay centered in Christ. Knowing and feeling the blessings of the Atonement in my life has increased during this time of sheltering. 

4. Ministering to others -

In today's sheltering in place, it isn't as easy to run over and visit face to face. However, there is a multitude of ways of reaching out to loved ones, friends, and neighbors. Some of the things that I have done or thought about doing are; text, email, messenger, send a letter, facetime, and the one I enjoy the most is talking to others on the phone. I love to hear the voice of a  loved one or friend. Take a moment and see if you can think of some other ways of communicating with those you love. 

In closing, I want to share the final thoughts from Elder Jeffery R. Holland in his article. "There are repeated declarations in the scriptures where we have the Lord's promises He "will be with us in all of our circumstances—good, bad, and otherwise." For example, Alma said, "I have been supported under trials . . . of every kind, yea, and in all manner of afflictions . . . I do put my trust in him, and he will still deliver me" (Alma 36:27).

"That reassurance can be a source of hope and encouragement. Whatever else happens, we will never be separated from the Savior's love and His companionship, even if we don't recognize it at the time."

"The Spirit is not blocked by a virus or by national boundaries or by medical forecasts." There are "gifts from heaven that are not limited by trouble in the land or illness in the air. . . .

"He who created this marvelous world in which we live can say to any of the elements in it, 'This far and no farther.' That is what He will say to this blight we are facing. In the presence of His majesty, even subatomic-sized creations must bend—if only figuratively—and each in its own way 'confess' that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the great Redeemer of all. Under the direction of His Father, the Savior is in charge of the destiny of this world. We are in very sure and loving hands."

I will go forth in faith and believe that this pandemic will get better and that we are in His loving hands. Meanwhile, take the time to learn the lessons that Heavenly Father wants you personally to learn. During times of trials, we do learn our most significant lessons of life, and that is why we are here. We are here to pass the test.