Samuel and the Star

Things to Be Grateful for When You're Having a Bad Day

10 Things to Be Grateful for When Everything Seems to be Going Wrong LDSLiving Nov 2016

https://www.ldsliving.com/10-Things-to-Be-Grateful-For-When-Everything-Seems-to-Be-Going-Wrong/s/76950?utm_source=ldsliving&utm_medium=email

We've all heard the phrase that when life gives us lemons, we should make lemonade. We've also all heard the story of Job in the Bible, who, despite losing all his possessions, family, health, and support from friends, trusted in the Lord and found something to be grateful for—his testimony.

Often life does not go the way we planned and "fate" seems to be against us. But even when jobs, friends, or health fail us, there is always something in our lives that the Lord has blessed us with and that we can be grateful for. If like Job we can keep our sights on the Lord and step back to see the bigger picture, the rough time will pass and we will find it easier to see the abundance that the Lord has blessed us. Though many of the ideas below are probably familiar, it never hurts to think about them more deeply and be reminded of our blessings.

1. Nature

Even if you live in the middle of a city with concrete pavements and high-rises, all you have to do is look up to see the sunshine, sky, clouds, or rainbows and remember God's powerful, creative hand. Buy a plant or visit a park to help you better appreciate these beautiful forms of green life God has put on the earth. 

2. Modern Conveniences

You know—all the little things you usually take for granted like running water, dishwashers, hot water, cell phones, and technology. All of these things allow you to live in relative comfort and ease and are probably making your rough day or week a little better, whether you're notice them or not.

3. Talents

Before you say you don't have any, think again. Whether you write, sing, serve, or play a sport, there's something you do that makes you a better person or helps you understand yourself. When you feel lost, disappointed, depressed, or alone, you always have a way to express it! 

4. Memories

Many of us keep photos, blogs, and journals to record the parts of our lives that mean the most to us. Look back on those pieces of your past and reflect on the good things you have done or been a part of. You’ll be surprised how much you have to be grateful for in your life. 

5. Laughter

Not only is laughter a gift, but it's a contagious one that is also easy to give. It’s hard to feel discouraged or disappointed when you are laughing. See if you can find something about your situation, no matter how small, to laugh about. 

6. Your Testimony

Your testimony is something of infinite, precious value that can't be taken from you. Part of your testimony may include precious knowledge about the plan of happiness, eternal families, and the Atonement of our Savior that some do not have. What a blessing that you have this knowledge and can share it!

7. Tender Mercies

What little things in your day or week could have gone worse? Are there any mini-miracles you missed seeing when you were caught up in your misery? It could be as simple as something uplifting you saw on a friend’s social media feed, one of your favorite songs that came on the radio, or someone opening the door for you. 

8. Your Divine Identity

Because of your knowledge that you're a child of God, you have the ability to become like Him. You have been blessed with opportunities to repent and to overcome the struggles you are facing and to learn from them. This is something that we often say, but don't really stop to think about. Be grateful for your divine heritage and ability to continually improve as you listen to the Spirit.

This usually consists of people like family and close friends who are there to try and cheer you up when life has road bumps. Even if you feel like you don't have anyone supporting you, you can always depend on the Savior. He is the one person you can completely believe knows how you feel. We are eternally grateful that He has atoned for our sins and that He has promised that He will not leave us comfortless. 

10. New Days 

If nothing else, you can be grateful for a new day. You don’t have to be permanently stuck in a rut, and the sunshine will always come out—literally and figuratively. A good night's sleep often brings fresh perspective and renewed energy to conquer your trials. Even if you have to tackle them one at a time.

The Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ

President Nelson’s Book of Mormon Lists

The Book of Mormon is:

·         Another testament of Jesus Christ. Its major writers—Nephi, Jacob, Mormon, Moroni—and its translator, Joseph Smith, were all eyewitnesses of the Lord.

·         A record of His ministry to people who lived in ancient America.

·         True, as attested by the Lord Himself.

The Book of Mormon affirms:

·         The individual identity of Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ.

·         The necessity of the Fall of Adam and the wisdom of Eve, that men might have joy.

The Book of Mormon refutes notions that:

·         Revelation ended with the Bible.

·         Infants need to be baptized.

·         Happiness can be found in wickedness.

·         Individual goodness is adequate for exaltation (ordinances and covenants are needed).

·         The Fall of Adam tainted mankind with “original sin.”

The Book of Mormon fulfills biblical prophecies that:

·         “Other sheep” shall hear His voice.

·         God will do “a marvelous work and a wonder,” speaking “out of the dust.”

·         The “stick of Judah” and the “stick of Joseph” will become one.

·         Scattered Israel will be gathered “in the latter days” and how that will be done.

·         The land of inheritance for the lineage of Joseph is the Western Hemisphere.

The Book of Mormon clarifies understanding about:

·         Our premortal existence.

·         Death. It is a necessary component of God’s great plan of happiness.

·         Postmortal existence, which begins in paradise.

·         How the resurrection of the body, reunited with its spirit, becomes an immortal soul.

·         How our judgment by the Lord will be according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts.

·         How ordinances are properly performed: for example, baptism, sacrament, conferring the Holy Ghost.

·         The Atonement of Jesus Christ.

·         The Resurrection.

·         The important role of angels.

·         The eternal nature of priesthood.

·         How human behavior is influenced more by the power of the word than the power of the sword.

The Book of Mormon reveals information previously unknown:

·         Baptisms were performed before Jesus Christ was born.

·         Temples were built and used by people in ancient America.

·         Joseph, 11th son of Israel, foresaw the prophetic role of Joseph Smith.

·         Nephi (in 600–592 BC) foresaw the discovery and colonizing of America.

·         Plain and precious parts of the Bible have been lost.

·         The Light of Christ is given to each person.

·         The importance of individual agency and the need for opposition in all things.

Warnings about “secret combinations.”

The Christ Child: A Nativity Story | #LightTheWorld

"Little Lamb" Painting

"Little Lamb" by Jenedy Paige

Little Lamb by Jenedy Paige 

A few years ago, I began to feel that I should attempt a Nativity painting. This of course was a very daunting idea, but I figured the best place to start was with research. I began with Luke 2:7, “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

I also came upon an article of archeologist, Jeffrey R. Chadwick, and found it eye opening and inspiring. Jeffrey R. Chadwick has worked in Israel as a researcher and field archaeologist for over thirty years, specializing in the backgrounds of biblical narratives. He suggested that the manger would have most likely been carved out of white limestone, one of the most abundant natural resources in the Israelite region, and showed pictures of many similar mangers they have uncovered on archaeological digs. And while we like to think of the baby, “asleep on the hay”, he also states that this was also unlikely, as grass was available on the hills surrounding Judea year round. They really would have had no need to store hay, and the mangers were most likely used for water.

I also learned that while we often think of “swaddling bands” as scraps of fabric, showing the poverty of Mary and Joseph, they were actually a big part of Israelite culture. When a young woman was betrothed she immediately began embroidering swaddling bands, which were 5-6” wide strips of linen that would be embroidered with symbols of the ancestry of the bride and groom. Thus the bands symbolized the coming together of the two families as one. They also symbolized the integrity of the woman, as she strove to make both sides of the embroidery match exactly, symbolizing to her soon to be husband that she was as good on the inside as she was on the outside. These bands were then wrapped around the hands of the couple at the wedding ceremony. So the bands the Savior was swaddled in may have included the lion of Judah and the stem of Jesse.

As I wrapped my head around these rather mind altering ideas, I realized that many of the concepts that we have of the Savior’s birth revolve around paintings of European artists from centuries ago. I’m sure they painted according to the best of their abilities and knowledge, but I also wondered why more modern painters had yet to illustrate these concepts. I felt up to the task and began sketching right away. I picked up limestone from a stone yard, I bought linen from the fabric store, and just in time one of my good friends had a baby boy, and oddly enough, his name was Luke. I put all these components together and created this painting.

As I’ve sketched and worked, my heart has been so full as I’ve uncovered this image. For when you take away the Hollywood drama, the traditions of centuries, and the wood and the hay, all you’re really left with is a babe in white linen on white stone. And my mind immediately went to the purpose of the Savior’s life: He was born to die. He came as the sacrificial lamb for all mankind; so how fitting that He would begin his life on a stone altar of sorts, and be wrapped in white linen, like he would after His death. And of course He would be placed in a trough for water, for He would be Living Water, and would bring life to all. I also found myself weeping for the Father, and how it must have felt to see His Son begin life foreshadowing His death. My heart was so full of gratitude that He would send His Only Begotten to be the Savior for us all. That He would send His Son, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, to die so that we all might live. What good news, what comfort and joy, what a gift was given to us all. O come, let us adore Him."

He is the Gift—Christmas Video—#ShareTheGift

Be of Good Cheer; I Have Overcome the World

·         Jesus said, “Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 Later He added, “I will that ye should overcome the world.” D&C 64:2

·         Overcoming the world is not a global invasion but a private, personal battle, requiring hand-to-hand combat with our own internal foes.

·         Overcoming the world means treasuring the greatest commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.” Mark 12:30

·         Overcoming the world is keeping our promises to God—our baptismal and temple covenants and our oath of faithfulness to our eternal companion.

·         Overcoming the world is trusting in the one voice that warns, comforts, enlightens, and brings peace “not as the world giveth.” John 14:27

·         Overcoming the world means turning ourselves outward, remembering the second commandment: “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Matthew 23:11

·         Overcoming the world brings humility, empathy, patience, and compassion for those different than yourself.

·         Overcoming the world will always mean that we will have some beliefs that are ridiculed by the world. The Savior said: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own.” John 15:18-19

·         Overcoming the world is being less concerned with our online connections and more concerned with our heavenly connection to God.

·         Overcoming the world is remembering, even when we are discouraged, the times we have felt the love and light of the Savior.

·         Overcoming the world does not mean we live a cloistered life, protected from the unfairness and difficulties of mortality. Rather, it opens the more expansive view of faith, drawing us to the Savior and His promises.

·         While perfection is not complete in this life, overcoming the world keeps our hope aflame that one day we “shall stand before [our Redeemer]; [and] see his face with pleasure,” Enos 1:27

--"Overcoming the World" by Elder Neil L. Andersen, Apr 2017

I believe in Christ, like I believe in the Sun...

Thanksgiving Gratitude - Memory of the Heart

Three Ways You Can Build a Relationship with God

“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

John 17:3

God is our loving Father, and we can have a strong and meaningful relationship with Him. You can build and strengthen your relationship with God by doing three simple things every day.

1. Study the word of God

Jesus said, “Learn of me . . . and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:29).

God is our loving Father, and He wants a relationship with His children. The first way we can learn about God is by reading about Him. Like the Bible, the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It has helped millions of people find God and feel His love.

2. Pray to God

God loves His children, and He wants to hear from them. As His child, you can ask God for help and guidance. He is eager to bless you and help you find happiness. Jesus promised, “Whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matthew 21:22). At first, it may not feel easy to learn how to pray in faith and to recognize God’s answers, but it is possible. Chat online or talk to missionaries in person to learn how to pray and recognize God’s answers.

3. Follow Jesus Christ

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Learning about Jesus and His teachings is an important part of building a relationship with God. We can read about these teachings in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. As we live these teachings, we will truly come to know Jesus and Heavenly Father.

Holy Ghost recognizes Plain Truth & Plain Nonsense

05-06 October 2019: General Conference

Church Signs of the Times

Testimony of Lord Jesus Christ

God's Size

Prayer is a Key

Prayer is a key.

Pray to know what to stop doing and what to start doing. Pray to know what to add to your environment and what to remove so the Spirit can be with you in abundance.

            Plead with the Lord for the gift of discernment. Then live and work to be worthy to receive that gift so that when confusing events arise in the world, you will know exactly what is true and what is not.

            Serve with love. Loving service to those who have lost their way or who are wounded in spirit opens your heart to personal revelation.

            Spend more time—much more time—in places where the Spirit is present. That means more time with friends who are seeking to have the Spirit with them. Spend more time on your knees in prayer, more time in the scriptures, more time in family history work, more time in the temple. I promise you that as you consistently give the Lord a generous portion of your time, He will multiply the remainder. – Pres Russell M Nelson

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Good Thoughts Shine Out of Your Face Like Sunbeams

One Elder Holland Quote to Help You in Different Situations

One Elder Holland Quote to Help You in Different Situations by Emily Abel LDSLiving

http://www.ldsliving.com/An-Elder-Holland-Quote-for-Every-Situation/s/90924?utm_source=ldsliving&utm_medium=email

            As much as we would all love to get in-person life advice from Elder Holland (and he would probably love to give it), that is unlikely to happen to most of us. But somewhere on this handy list, there's a quote from this passionate apostle that will speak directly to your situation.  

If You Need a Good Pep Talk

"Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going. If you fall, summon His strength. Call out like Alma, 'O Jesus, … have mercy on me.' He will help you get back up. He will help you repent, repair, fix whatever you have to fix, and keep going. Soon enough you will have the success you seek." "Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You," April 2016 General Conference

If You Feel Like Life Is Slipping Out of Control

"Are we all just hanging in a cold canyon somewhere in an indifferent universe, each of us searching for a toehold, each of us seeking for something to grip—with nothing but the feeling of sand sliding under our fingers, nothing to save us, nothing to hold on to, much less anything to hold on to us? Is our only purpose in life an empty existential exercise—simply to leap as high as we can, hang on for our prescribed three score years and ten, then fail and fall, and keep falling forever?

"The answer to those questions is an unequivocal and eternal no! With prophets ancient and modern, I testify that “all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things." "Where Justice Love and Mercy Meet," April 2015 General Conference

If You Need Some Solid Common Sense

"One would truly need a great and spacious makeup kit to compete with beauty as portrayed in media all around us." "To Young Women," October 2005 General Conference

"No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won’t make it worse." "The Tongue of Angels," April 2007 General Conference

"Imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we." "Lord, I Believe," April 2013 General Conference

“Like thieves in the night, unwelcome thoughts can and do seek entrance to our minds. But we don't have to throw open the door, serve them tea and crumpets and tell them where the silverware is kept!” "Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul," April 2010 General Conference

If It Feels Like Your Service Isn’t Amounting to Anything

"A journalist once questioned Mother Teresa of Calcutta about her hopeless task of rescuing the destitute in that city. He said that, statistically speaking, she was accomplishing absolutely nothing. This remarkable little woman shot back that her work was about love, not statistics. Notwithstanding the staggering number beyond her reach, she said she could keep the commandment to love God and her neighbor by serving those within her reach with whatever resources she had. 'What we do is nothing but a drop in the ocean,' she would say on another occasion. 'But if we didn’t do it, the ocean would be one drop less [than it is].' Soberly, the journalist concluded that Christianity is obviously not a statistical endeavor. He reasoned that if there would be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over the ninety and nine who need no repentance, then apparently God is not overly preoccupied with percentages." "Are We Not All Beggars?" October 2014 General Conference

If You Need a Healthy Dose of Optimism 

"We know for certain that if and when everything else in the latter days is down or dying; if governments, economies, industries, and institutions crumble; if societies and cultures become a quagmire of chaos and insecurity, nevertheless, through it all the gospel of Jesus Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that bears that gospel to the world will stand triumphant. It will stand undefiled in God’s hand until the very Son of God Himself comes to rule and reign as Lord of lords and King of kings. Nothing is more certain in this world. Nothing is more sure. Nothing could be more of an antidote to anxiety." "Be Not Afraid, Only Believe," February 6, 2015, Address to CES Religious Educators

If You Feel Far from God

"I do not know who in this vast audience today may need to hear the message of forgiveness inherent in this parable, but however late you think you are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made or talents you think you don’t have, or however far from home and family and God you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines." "The Laborers in the Vineyard," April 2012 General Conference

If You Feel Like a Bit of an Oddball

“On those days when we feel a little out of tune, a little less than what we think we see or hear in others, I would ask us, especially the youth of the Church, to remember it is by divine design that not all the voices in God’s choir are the same. It takes variety—sopranos and altos, baritones and basses—to make rich music. To borrow a line quoted in the cheery correspondence of two remarkable Latter-day Saint women, 'All God’s critters got a place in the choir.' When we disparage our uniqueness or try to conform to fictitious stereotypes—stereotypes driven by an insatiable consumer culture and idealized beyond any possible realization by social media—we lose the richness of tone and timbre that God intended when He created a world of diversity.” "Songs Sung and Unsung," April 2017 General Conference

If the Future Feels Daunting

"There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the 'light that is endless, that can never be darkened.' It is the very Son of God Himself. In loving praise far beyond Romeo’s reach, we say, 'What light through yonder window breaks?' It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun. To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His 'more excellent ministry' with a future of 'better promises.' He is your 'high priest of good things to come.'” "An High Priest of Good Things to Come," October 1999 General Conference

If You Wonder If God Knows You

"Brothers and sisters, I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn’t measure our talents or our looks; He doesn’t measure our professions or our possessions. He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other." "The Other Prodigal," April 2002 General Conference

If You Are Confronted with Emotional or Mental Illness

"So how do you best respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those you love? Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend. As President Monson said to the Relief Society sisters so movingly . . . 'That love never changes. . . . It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve [it]. It is simply always there.' Never, ever doubt that, and never harden your heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual well-being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week, and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If those miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead." "Like a Broken Vessel," October 2013 General Conference