Friday, March 23, 2007

   No foxxy....
"We can know what the Lord wants us to do--and experience 'the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work' (Alma 26:3). . . .
"To truly be an instrument in the hands of God, in order to fully have that blessing bestowed upon us in 'the day of this life' in which we 'perform [our] labors' (Alma 34:32), we must, as Elder Maxwell says, 'finally submit ourselves' (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 24) to the Lord."
Topics: submissiveness, blessings, Heavenly Father, responsibility
(Anne C. Pingree, "Knowing the Lord's Will for You," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 112)

Your Heavenly Father needs you. His work, under the direction of our Savior Jesus Christ, needs what you are uniquely prepared to give. Every missionary experience requires faith, sacrifice, and service, and these are always followed by an outpouring of blessings.
As we discuss these blessings, you will naturally consider what I have called the four Fs: fear, family concerns, finding the right mission opportunity, and financial challenges. May I yet add another more important and powerful F—faith. Only through our faith can we heed God’s counsel to “choose ye this day, whom ye will serve” 3—“to serve the Lord God who made you.” 4 And only through a trial of our faith can we receive the miraculous blessings we seek for ourselves and our families. “ For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.”
Allow me to share some of these miraculous blessings from letters and accounts I have received over the past four years. A humble couple from Idaho met fear with faith when the Lord called them to Russia. They wrote the following acceptance letter: “No one would have imagined we would be called to this assignment. We have no idea how we will learn the language or manage to be of service, and although we accept with much trepidation, going completely on faith, we know that the Lord and His prophet know more than we do where we should serve.” Ten months later the Stockholm Sweden Temple welcomed 30 Saints from a small branch in Russia led by this couple from Idaho who had barely begun to learn the Russian language. The scriptures tell us, “God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles.” Thus, God’s work is carried out by His children: “That faith also might increase in the earth. … That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world.”
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As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is our greatest privilege to return His love through sacrifice and service.

~ Elder Robert D. Hales, Ensign, May 2005, 42

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Xihuitl: What's wrong, Okami-chan?

The silver wolf looks up sadly from her spot under the grand piano that just moved into Equus's living room last week.

Okami: I don't get to see Kit-kun for over a week.

Xihuitl: Oh, sweetie, it'll be okay. We'll take care of you until he gets back.

Okami looks over at Equus and Sano snuggling on the couch. She anime-sobs and curls up.

Xihuitl: Let's get you something to eat, and we'll take a walk.

Okami: But . . . but . . . Kit-kun loves walks! *waaaah*

Xihuitl: This is gonna be a long week.

Emeraulde: Here are your pocket hugs and glomps, and please say hi to Okami as you leave. It'll make her feel better. ^_^ Take care, and remember: Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love you and want to help you!

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Fact of the day: Tired people can be quite grumpy. But be patient with them. Then, hopefully, they'll be patient with you when you're tired and grumpy. ^_~

Mosiah 2: 41
And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

Mosiah 3: 4-5, 16-17
For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that thou mayest rejoice; and that thou mayest declare unto thy people, that they may also be filled with joy.
For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.
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And even if it were possible that little children could sin they could not be saved; but I say unto you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or by nature, they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth for their sins.
And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent
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