Discipleship: Following in the Savior's Footsteps

We talk so often about the sweet blessings of discipleship it sometimes seems easy to ignore the cost. In fact depending on how you look at it, the cost of not following the Savior is much higher than that of becoming a disciple. While this is true, it doesn’t mean discipleship is an easy path. It only means that the end result is definitely worth the cost. Often, this cost is more immediate and greater than many feel willing to pay. Even among His disciples, there will be many who try to “short-change” the Savior, never realizing that they’re only cheating themselves not Him.

What does the disciple pay for the Savior’s promised blessings? I think it’s different for each of us and some may actually think the price is negotiable. Different it may be, but the information on the price tag asks the same thing of everyone. He asks for our all. He asks us to turn over all that we are so that He can mold those things into something much more beautiful than any value we might have placed on the original price.

In the words of James E. Faust:

“Our true claim as disciples comes when we can say with certainty that His ways have become our ways.” James E. Faust, “Discipleship,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 20–23

Part of our purpose in life is to be tried and tested. Not just in a few things, but in all things that are necessary for our eternal salvation. He, and we, need to know the measure of our faith and patience for the things of the Lord. He tests not only our faith in the moment, but also over time. Can we still say, “Thy will be done” when that answer is not forthcoming on our own timetable?

The goal of the disciple is to become as close to Christ’s perfect example as our imperfect lives will allow. Following the Savior’s example requires us to embrace the mission of our own lives, overcome the world and finish the work we have been given to do. Even as Christ did, we need to learn to let our will be “swallowed up in the will of the Father”. We need to learn to embrace the process of change and refinement. While we have been granted the wonderful gift of agency, the best gift we can give back to the Lord in gratitude is the will of our hearts. We can offer that agency back to the Lord with humble sincerity in order to find out what choices He would have us make. That is the time we will truly find out about His love and our own divine potential. The more we are willing to “give up” of ourselves, the more room there is for the Savior in our lives.

“The more we know of Jesus, the more we will love Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will trust Him. The more we know of Jesus, the more we will want to be like Him and to be with Him by becoming the manner of men and women that He wishes us to be (see 3 Ne. 27:27), while living now “after the manner of happiness” (2 Ne. 5:27). Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Plow in Hope’,” Ensign, May 2001, 59

Walking as a disciple of Christ is a lifelong journey and because the journey can be rough there will be those who will chose to leave His path. Fortunately, whether we turn away completely, or simply stumble on the path, the Savior’s atonement is always there as a way back. Because of Christ’s sacrifice, we can live for and with Him. Discipleship requires a full commitment to the Lord’s way, where ever it may take us, for the duration of our lives. This is the price we pay for His welcoming arms and words of comfort, love and pride at that end of life. That is the price we pay for His guiding and steadying hand every day until then. It’s definitely worth the price.

When Christ was preparing to leave His disciples for the final time, He promised them a special gift. This gift, the Holy Ghost, was described by Christ as a Comforter, as foundation of peace, a Teacher, a source of truth and a Testifier, a way for Christ to be with His disciples even when He was removed from their physical presence. It was, in my opinion, the most beautiful gift He could give them.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. . .
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:16-27

The Holy Ghost’s role within the Godhead is to offer a direct connection with our spirits. Our spirits remember and rejoice in truths and recognize our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The spirit within us that remembers and recognizes these things is the very center and core of who we are. We are literal children of a loving Heavenly Father who sent the purest of His children as a Savior for all of us. When our spirit recognizes this, it changes who we are, it awakens our true nature and potential for goodness, it allows us to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

When Christ promised this gift to those who would follow Him, He was promising to keep that line of contact and communication open to us. He was promising that as long as we were living His commandments, we would have access to His loving guidance through the Holy Ghost. The faith we gain because of our connection with the Holy Ghost allows us to take His love into our hearts and trust in it. We can not cast our every care upon someone who we don’t intimately know and trust to comfort and bless us with what we need most. We can not trust in an atoning sacrifice that can relieve us our all our imperfections if we do not know we are loved to such an extent. We can not heed or follow His voice if we do not know what those tender whisperings feel like.

Keep the commandments and live worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. He is the best friend and companion that Christ can offer His disciples when we need to feel His love and guidance.

Do you remember the story of Jacob’s ladder?

11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Genesis 28:11-12

Aside from the sleeping on a rock, there is a small message for me hidden in Jacob’s dream. Overall, the Lord’s message is of covenants and promises, but for me there is also an understanding of who I am as a person. Like Jacob, I’ve made covenants with the Lord that will lead me on a path toward heaven. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, the world can be a very hard place and I can be very weak willed at some moments. My human nature makes me imperfect, but the Lord promises me that as long as I stay on the ladder, I’m still headed toward Him. It’s something within my reach, within my capabilities, and it’s personal. It’s a progression and a promise.

The great promise to me is that what Jacob saw was a ladder, not a giant leap, not a rocket, a one-way sign. It was a ladder with angels ascending and descending, each on their own path. No matter where they were, headed up or down, they were all angels. They were all disciples of Jesus Christ doing His will and serving God. I am one of those angels, one of those disciples. Where I belong on that ladder is up to me and my Heavenly Father http://www.mormonwiki.com/Heavenly_Father , where my neighbor belongs is their personal journey. We all have a place, sometimes we’re up, sometimes we’re down. The important part is that we’re still holding on.

“An old proverb states that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Sometimes we make the process more complicated than we need to. We will never make a journey of a thousand miles by fretting about how long it will take or how hard it will be. We make the journey by taking each day step by step and then repeating it again and again until we reach our destination.
The same principle applies to how you and I can climb to higher spirituality.
Our Heavenly Father knows that we must begin our climb from where we are. ‘When you climb up a ladder,’ the Prophet Joseph Smith taught, ‘you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them.’
Our Heavenly Father loves each one of us and understands that this process of climbing higher takes preparation, time, and commitment. He understands that we will make mistakes at times, that we will stumble, that we will become discouraged and perhaps even wish to give up and say to ourselves it is not worth the struggle.
We know it is worth the effort, for the prize, which is eternal life, is “the greatest of all the gifts of God.” D&C 14:7
And to qualify, we must take one step after another and keep going to gain the spiritual heights we aspire to reach.
An eternal principle is revealed in holy writ: “It is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize.” Mosiah 4:27
We don’t have to be fast; we simply have to be steady and move in the right direction. We have to do the best we can, one step after another.”
Joseph B. Wirthlin, “One Step after Another,” Liahona, Jan 2002, 27–30

When God made covenants with Jacob in that dream, He gave Jacob everything he needed to succeed in His promises. God showed him the ladder, the path and the purpose, then gave him the promises of eternity. He does the same for each of us as we dedicate our lives to Him and make our own covenants. I love the promise this covenant contains.

15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Genesis 28:15

Jacob’s ladder gives me hope because it shows me everyone’s path is not the same. It shows me that we each have a purpose to serve as disciples of Jesus Christ. It shows me that as long as I hang on to the ladder and keep asking the Lord to guide my path, up or down, He’ll be with me.

I ran across a beautiful set of scriptures the other day as I was celebrating the return of spring. They’re found in John 15.

1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
John 15:1-11

It goes on with more great counsel and blessings, but I’d like to focus on just these verses for a moment.

I like the imagery of the vine and the fruit. I wonder how much nourishment I’m taking from my Master to bear sweet fruit. He gives us a wealth of council and knowledge which, if heeded will make us something more wonderful than we could ever imagine for ourselves. The less we heed that same counsel and knowledge, the more we shrivel and die on the vine. We can also become weakened and experience insults from outside of the vine. Again, the choice is ours as to whethe r or not we will treat these problems, or let them destroy us and cut us off from the vine. There will be times in our lives when we will find ourselves without so much fruit; times when the Master prunes and picks to allow us to become stronger and experience further growth. We decide how we will respond to these trials, as well.

Note that in all these cases the vine is still there at this point. It is the fruit and the branch that has changed. Eventually, that connection will change. Eventually, the Master will remove the dead fruit and the bare branches, so that those which are still growing can do so unimpeded. That is yet to come. Right now each of us is still on the vine with a choice to make. That choice concerns exactly how much of our Savior’s love we are willing to let into our lives and how much of the world we will keep out.

Let’s talk about the figurative worms and pestilence that can attack us in the world. These can and should be treated. Even when under attack the fruit can still be saved. Especially with the Master as the vine, each of us can be restored no matter how hopeless the situation seems. The choice is still ours; we decide if we can and want to be healed. He reaches out to honor our wishes and love us as much as we will let Him.

Consider the advice of James E. Faust.

“I believe that all of [you] want to be happy and find the peace that the Savior promised. I think many of you try very hard to keep up with all of your responsibilities. I do not wish to offend anyone. I am reluctant to mention a matter but feel it should be said. Sometimes we carry unhappy feelings about past hurts too long. We spend too much energy dwelling on things that have passed and cannot be changed. We struggle to close the door and let go of the hurt. If, after time, we can forgive whatever may have caused the hurt, we will tap “into a life-giving source of comfort” through the Atonement, and the “sweet peace” of forgiveness will be ours. Some injuries are so hurtful and deep that healing comes only with help from a higher power and hope for perfect justice and restitution in the next life. [You] can tap into that higher power and receive precious comfort and sweet peace.”
James E. Faust, “Instruments in the Hands of God,” Ensign, Nov 2005, 114

The Savior’s plea to each of us in these verses is to “Abide in me, and I in you.” He asks us for permission to enter our hearts and lives. He asks that we let Him love us. If we do that, we are called His disciples and our lives are filled with sweetness and peace. How do we invite Him in? How do we receive His greatest blessings? How do we feel His love? The answer is also given, “keep my commandments” and you will have joy. By simply using Christ as our example and living God’s laws, we can be filled with His love. He nourishes us and blesses us. He abides in us when we are trying to abide in Him.

“For the fruit of the gospel to blossom and bless our lives, we must be firmly attached to Him, the Savior of us all, and to this His Church, which bears His holy name. He is the vine that is our true source of strength and the only source of eternal life. In Him we not only will endure but also will prevail and triumph in this holy cause that will never fail us. May we never fail it nor fail Him . . . ” Jeffrey R. Holland, “‘Abide in Me’,” Liahona, May 2004, 30–32

I grew up as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I can’t really say we were a model LDS family. Oh, in a lot of ways we were, but in some very basic ways we weren’t. We only ever had a handful of Family Home Evenings, we hardly ever ate dinner together, and never had family scripture study or prayer. Even though these types of things were missing from my home, there were some other very important things that were present. I think it’s a system of checks and balances. My parents were very good at teaching me the power of service and showing me an example of 110% effort in church callings. But my favorite gospel lesson came from my father.

My father was a very busy man. He traveled a lot, both for his work and for his church service. He got tired and he got grumpy. But, what I remember most are those special occasions when he would call us around him: sometimes at the kitchen table, sometimes in the living room, sometimes all piled on my parents bed. Then my father would smile and say, “Let me tell you what I learned about the gospel today.”

Sometimes it was something deep and profound. Sometimes it was simple observances. I can’t distinctly remember many of the subjects he sat us down to talk about, what I remember is – his face. When he would bring us to him to hear about the gospel his face would shine with happiness. Have you ever been around someone who is talking about a hobby or passion that they love? Did you notice how everything about them began to change as they talked and got excited about what the subject meant to them? That was my father. I’d see him more at peace, more content, and more joyful in those moments than any others.

Of all the Family Home Evening lessons I could have had, or any other gospel centered activity, his face was the message I would carry with me into my adult years. My father taught me that the gospel of Jesus Christ is about joy.

Because of the look on his face, the change in his whole demeanor I learned what is possibly the greatest principle. The gospel brings happiness. Even if every thing else in my life is in turmoil, if I’m focusing on the gospel, I have a source of peace and joy.

So yes, I may struggle in my own family to consistently have Family Home Evening, but I hope they’ll overlook that and leave my home with the same knowledge I gained in my youth.

Service is important.
Give your all to the Lord.
The gospel brings joy.

I hope that as I try every day to be an active disciple of Jesus Christ my children can see that same look of happiness and peace on my face.

I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of spring to my part of the country. It’s always slow breaking through, but each year it feels just a little longer. We’ve had a series of warmer days so things are once again showing sings of life. That brought me a little bit of joy this morning because I walked by my trees and found that they were all still alive.

That may not seem like such a great accomplishment to some of you, but hang in there and I’ll tell you my very own parable of the trees.

My family moved into our current home about six years ago. It is situated so that it is the first house you see and drive by when you turn on our road. I’m a big fan of beauty and growing things, so I wanted some of that beauty up near the road. I envisioned turning the corner to my house and being greeted by gorgeous flowering trees. I started shopping around to figure out what I wanted, then in the early spring placed my order with a well-known gardening company.

I picked a flowering butterfly bush: it said it would grow rather tall, and it had a variety of colors that were supposed to bloom for an extended period of time. Perfect. Well, sort of.

The day my three bushes arrived, the postman rang the doorbell and handed me a package no bigger than a bread box. Inside I found three scrawny little twigs that were supposed to be planted and turned into something lovely. Now would be a good time to mention I’m not very good with growing things. I’m like the kid that strangles the kitten trying to give it a hug. I mean well, but…

Still, I dutifully planted my twigs and did my best to help them grow. Nothing. Not a one of them ever sprouted anything even resembling green and growing.

The next year I got smarter and poorer. I went to the nursery and picked out three bushes that were all I could afford. They were about eight inches high this time, but at least they were actually alive. They were planted and I did my best to help them grow, you know the drill. That lasted about a month. We had a particularly long rainy stretch that the grass grew in, but didn’t get cut. When everything dried out, my husband mowed the grass – and mowed right over my bushes because he’d forgotten they were there.

I tried again the next year. That year the plants were about twelve inches tall. That year a well-meaning neighbor got his hands on one of those huge industrial lawnmowers. He mowed everybody’s lawns, including my bushes.

You’d think I’d give up wouldn’t you? From the moment of the second mowing incident I began saving my money to get some real trees the next spring. I bought three trees that were about four feet tall and covered with sweet-smelling pink blossoms. They bloomed all spring and summer and it was a special treat to drive around the corner to my home. Winter came and the trees got confused. They never stopped blooming until it had been snowing for two months. It took everything out of them. When the next spring and summer came they refused to ever bloom, or actually grow, again.

I got really desperate and planted three fruit trees. They didn’t have flowers that year, but at least they lived. Then winter came and I held my breath. Now spring is creeping in and my trees are still alive! Can you see now, why I consider this a small miracle?

After the first couple of years, my husband asked me why I kept trying. I told him it was a matter of faith and endurance. I knew what result I wanted, I knew what I needed to do to make it happen, and I had to believe that someday I’d actually achieve my goal.

That brings me to the point of my little parable. I’ve been doing my best with what I have. I knew the pattern for achieving my goal, but I also knew I wasn’t very good at what I wanted to accomplish. I knew it might take me longer to accomplish than someone else, but it felt worth it. I think the life of a disciple is much the same.

We have a beautiful vision of what we’d like to become, we see the example of our Savior Jesus Christ and want to place that example as the first thing we see in our lives as well. He has promised that is possible. He has given us the guidelines and plans that will make it possible, but He never promised everything would be flowers and springtime all the time if we followed those plans. He asks us to do the things He did and endure to the end, only then will some blessing ever be realized. Often the greatest rewards are the ones that are the most difficult to reach. We have to decide that as disciples of Jesus Christ the process is worth it, no matter how long it takes.

Is there an area in your life where you’ve planted trees with very little reward for your efforts? Is the end result worth it, no matter how long it takes? The Lord’s promises and blessings always are.

I’d like to share a small piece of a dream I had last night. I know, that seems a bit odd, but it was something that my mind needed to hear, and something that you might need to hear as well.

It was about money. That’s something that has been on my mind for the last few days as my husband’s commuter car literally died Monday. It was a sudden death that we were not prepared for. Yeah, we knew it would be “soon” but we just kept limping it along because we didn’t have the money to replace it.

Now, like it or not, we have to find a way to replace it. I wish we didn’t need to, but my husband’s work is too far away. If there were an emergency with one of the children, it would take too long for him to get to us. So, we’ve been car shopping and I’ve been stressed.

Enter last night’s dream.

I was sitting in some sort of class and the teacher was asking us to share things that we had learned through our life’s experiences. After a few other people spoke up, I raised my hand and shared a thought I’d never consciously had before. I told the class that I had discovered that the Lord cares just as much about your financial well-being as He does your health, relationship and spiritual well-being. I’d never really thought about this before. But it was starting to make sense to my dream-self.

I said that finances follow the same rules Christ has set out for every other part of our lives. Though there are specifics, the overall goal is the same as any other good thing the Lord would have us reach for.

First: Do your best.

Second: Turn the rest over to the Lord with faith that He can make up the difference.

That may seem overly simplistic, but I think it’s what I needed to understand. I also think there is some truth to it. The Lord does care about the state of our checkbook. Maybe not so much if it’s grand and large or very humble in its content, I think it’s really more of a matter of wisdom and met needs. He expects us to be wise and careful, to do the needful thing first, then He expects us to have a measure of faith that He will not leave us wanting for our needs.

Notice I didn’t say our wants or even our goals, necessarily. Those may not be in line with the path He wants us to be on. But He does care whether we have food on the table, a roof over our head, and are able to go to the doctor.

After I woke up, I thought about this. I thought about my worries and desires and wondered if I was bearing a greater burden than I needed to be. For me, it was time to sit back and see if I was doing my best and if I was placing my faith regarding my finances in the world’s inadequate hands or the Lords.
In doing my best, I need to look at the commands He has given us on how to govern ourselves and our money. These include:

1. Honor your obligations
2. Know where your money is
3. Pay your tithes and offerings
4. Work for what you need
5. Beware of pride- either to placing more value on money than it should have in our lives, or by refusing or ignoring help that you could use
6. Stay out of debt
7. Prepare for the future

I think the whole point of my dream was to make me look at things realistically rather than in panic and upset. Am I doing my best in the areas He has directed me to pay attention to? Then, am I allowing Him to help me when I fall short? If I’m doing these things, just as with everything else, there shouldn’t be room left over for fear.

Yes, fears and doubts still happen because we are human. That’s why it’s so great to get little reminders every once in a while. Whether my mind was consciously thinking about it or not, my heart knew the Lord cared – about me and even about my checkbook.

I've been thinking lately about my relationship with Heavenly Father. Not from my view point, but from His. When we make covenants with God and become disciples of Christ we become His. It carries a weight of responsibility to act in a manner that is pleasing to God. We try to build our lives around the teachings of Jesus Christ and live worthy of the blessings the Lord sends our way.

Sometimes I become so focused on how I feel about Heavenly Father, that I almost forget how He feels about me. Maybe that's not quite right. I don't completely forget, it is the central part of my faith and belief that God is a loving Father who wants what is best for me. I guess it's more a feeling of being the middle child. That child does usually know that they are loved by their parents, but they sometimes feel lost in the shuffle of everyday life. They see the needs of those children on either side of them and watch while those needs are met by a loving parent. They spend so much time watching others that they forget that they have a place as well.

I think that this is sometimes the position I find myself in. It's not so much forgetting I am loved as forgetting that love is personal. I see His love and His blessings in all the world around me, I strive to be an instrument in His hand to help and serve those in need. I share my love for the Savior and in my small way try to encourage others to reach their full potential and somewhere in the middle of all of that I forget myself. It's not necessarily a bad thing. When I forget myself, my fears and worries are also forgotten. But sometimes, just sometimes, forgetting myself means that I also forget to ask for help when I need it, or loose sight of my own eternal worth.

That's why I'm so grateful that even when I seem lost, Heavenly Father does not forget about me. I've been appreciating the stories of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son very much lately. No, I had not strayed from the fold by some great sin or rejection of the gospel; I simply got a little lost. I forgot that when I make covenants to the Lord to do my best, He promises to make my best good enough. I had forgotten how much my happiness and success mean to Him.

That's why I'm grateful for these parables. They remind me that even when I become lost, I am not forgotten. When I get a little lost, a little discouraged, He is there and then while I'm looking around I might see Him beckoning to me to draw a little closer and feel His love. I might hear His voice in the words of another encouraging me on my path and opening ways before me. Then, I remember how personal His love for me is. I'm not just one of many; I hold a special place in His heart, a special purpose in His kingdom. He notices me, even when I may not be as close to Him as He'd like. If I don't turn my back on Him, He'll always find a way to remind me where I belong and how much I'm loved.

When was the last time you witnessed a miracle? In a world full of so much sorrow and evil, it sometimes overwhelms the good. The Lord’s hand is still visible if we look. I have seen Him working in the lives of many that I love. I have seen His miracles.

The other day I ran across an interesting quote from Walt Whitman.

“To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,

Every cubic inch of space is a miracle.”

(Walt Whitman, Miracles)

It’s a beautiful quote that gave me a moment’s pause. I try to look for the Lord’s influence in my life; I seek out His guidance, direction, and comfort. Maybe that’s not enough. In reality God’s goodness and blessings touch everything around me. I think I sometimes take that for granted. I have seen many miracles, but I think I’ve missed many of the quiet everyday miracles that surround me.

Moses 6:63— And behold, all things have their alikeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.

The earth is His; it was created by His hand and still resonates His love for us. As a disciple of Christ I have declared myself to be His. When I allow myself to be molded and guided by that same hand, I too, bare witness of His goodness. The world, and my life, is full of everyday miracles.

Did I notice the blanket of freshly fallen snow that covered winter’s gray, or was I too busy wishing for spring? Or how about the time I went grocery shopping, got everything that I needed, and managed to stay within budget, too?

Think about:
A friend stopping by or sending you a note without knowing how badly you needed to be loved that day.

The birds that delight your two-year-old when they come to the feeder.

The song that touches your heart and lifts your spirit.

All things testify of Him.

These are everyday miracles that if we aren’t looking for them, may be missed entirely. If we put ourselves more in tune to the Spirit of God, it opens our eyes. We become more aware of the blessings that are abounding in our lives. No matter how dark a day may seem, there is always light if we will seek it out. Or, we can choose to turn our backs in favor of the darkness created by dwelling on our trials, fears, pains, and other negative aspects of this world. If we look to that light, and pay attention to the everyday ways God touches our lives, He takes those patches of darkness that find their way into our hearts and lightens them. He is better able to bear our burdens when we are acknowledging all the tiny ways He is all ready doing so.

1. Earth, with her ten thousand flow’rs,
Air, with all its beams and show’rs,
Heaven’s infinite expanse,
Sea’s resplendent countenance—
All around and all above
Bear this record: God is love.

2. Sounds among the vales and hills,
In the woods and by the rills,
Of the breeze and of the bird,
By the gentle murmur stirred—
Sacred songs, beneath, above,
Have one chorus: God is love.

3. All the hopes that sweetly start
From the fountain of the heart,
All the bliss that ever comes
To our earthly human homes,
All the voices from above
Sweetly whisper: God is love.

(“God Is Love,” Hymns #87)

Do you remember the story of the fiery serpents and the children of Israel as they wandered in the desert with Moses? Among the trials that the Lord’s people faced during this time was a plague of fiery serpents when their faith began to wane. This new test did humble the people and they pled with Moses to beg the Lord for forgiveness.

Numbers 21:6-9— And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

The miracles of God that these people witnessed were many, both great and small. Where did the Lord’s commandment to look and live fall in the spectrum of perceived greatness? It was a very quiet miracle, with a simple commandment. The Lord beckoned His people with a symbol of His love. We learn in the New Testament that the symbol Moses fashioned under the Lord’s direction was an evidence of a greater sacrifice: that of the Savior Jesus Christ.

John 3:14— And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Just as the Israelites, we are admonished to look to the Savior for our hope, salvation and eternal life. The sad thing is that even though many willingly looked upon the serpent, there were also many who did not.

1 Nephi 17:41— And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.

The Israelites had seen many spectacular miracles from the Lord’s hand, their way had been opened before them, their needs were provided for. But when it came down to it— His ways seemed too easy. It wasn’t a matter of whether or not they believed the Lord could heal them, but rather a lack of faith in His commandments through which healing was promised. The answer was too easy. Often we face the same disbelief that cost a number of Israelites their lives. Sometimes we don’t accept what we should do, because in times of trial it seems too easy. Looking, or focusing on the Lord’s commandments, does not seem powerful enough to heal our lives and hearts. Yet, it is. The Lord’s answers are always the way to life.

Developing the faith of a disciple means we must learn to “look to God and live”. It means learning to trust the Lord, no matter what answer He gives to direct our faltering footsteps. Our restricted vision may even worry that He is leading us away from what we need. The answer may be a simple course correction. It may mean a greater challenge that seems too difficult and beyond our reach. No matter the commandment, if we focus on Christ without giving in to doubt and fear the blessings will follow.

The basic standard that the Lord has set up for us is to gain a firm foundation in His gospel through scripture study, prayer, church attendance, and service to others. These principles do not change, no matter the trial. This is where we must first look and make sure our lives are in order, then the Lord directs us, leading our lives back to Him. Everything else in the gospel of Jesus Christ is built on your personal relationship with the Savior. If we are to look to Him for our salvation, we need to understand who He is.

When is the last time you had a “spiritual eye exam”? Take a moment to reflect on how clear your view of the Savior is. Have you forgotten the basic steps of coming unto Christ because they seem too simple? They seem so small and insignificant. It is very easy to let them slip from view and be forgotten in the busyness of life. But if we are not looking, if we are not reading and praying, our souls are dying. Do not let yourself come to the same fate as many of the Israelites. Look and live.

Think back on a time in your life when you faced a challenging or dark time. It is a natural response within the disciple to go to the Lord with a pleading in our heart and a hope for relief. What do we ask for? The righteous desires of our hearts.

I doubt that many of us would ask to win the lottery. If the issue is money our prayers are more likely to be a plea for “just enough”: enough to see us through. No matter the need, we entreat our Heavenly Father to see us through with righteous desires.

Please, don’t let me be late for work.

Please, let me find a way to help my teenage son.

Please, guide the surgeon’s hand so that all the cancer can be removed.

Whatever the need, we turn to Him to succor our wounds and bring peace to our lives. We ask Him for a blessing, we trust in the author of our faith, we do the best we can, and then we wait.

What if the blessing we think we need does not come? What if the heavens seem silent in response to our pleadings? What if the answer is no?

Life on this earth is a difficult path to conquer. It is full of trials and sadness, but it is also full of blessings and joy. Sometimes, in the middle of the sorrow it becomes very easy to forget the moments of happiness. Our vision narrows and even though we are desperately reaching for Christ and His blessings, we can not see the full picture.

What if being late for work meant you avoided the accident you would have been in? The “what ifs” that go with larger trials are just as large. It becomes impossible to know what would have been, even when we think we know what could have been had our righteous desires been answered. It’s still a matter of perspective. We do not have the view of the eternities that God has. We know ourselves well, but not as well as He knows us.

There is great wisdom in His plan and a design to His will. The Savior taught this during His ministry. Jesus told us that He came to earth to do the will of His father. He taught us to do our best and pray, “Thy will be done.” He also became the ultimate example of this in the garden of Gethsemane.

“And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Matthew 26:39

It is a hard thing to trust in the wisdom of God, yet we must. His design and purpose is to see us through to eternal joy in His presence. He does not take pleasure in our pain. He gives us the tools and the strength that we will need to face our trials— whatever they may be.

Take your trials to the Lord. He has promised to help us bear our burdens. He has promised to hear and answer our prayers. But, He did not promise that His answer would always be yes, only that His answer would always be in our best interest.

There is a hymn that I enjoy that helps me keep this perspective even when heart wants to pull me in another direction.

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom;
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene—one step enough for me.

“Lead, kindly Light,” Hymn #97

He keeps His promises if we will let Him. If we show ourselves willing to submit to His will, instead of turning away, the end will always be better than the beginning.

Picture yourself on a vacation in the mountains. Even as you unpack your bags, the trees and the path seem to be calling: beckoning you to come and enjoy their beauty. A journey is begun which takes you deep into the forest until time and the trail escape you. Until all at once you realize it is getting dark, you are in fact lost and that you brought nothing with you that would help get you back to the safety of your cabin.

Without canteen, flashlight or compass and very little hope, you have but a few options. You either keep walking and hope you find a way out, call for help and hope someone finds you, or sit down, hang your head in despair and hope things will look better in the morning.

Thankfully, help arrives: a ranger from the area. He sits with you in the glow of His lantern, offering you His canteen and a granola bar as He dresses your cuts and bruises from the trail and tells you where you are. Then, He walks with you, guiding your steps and calming your fears until you reach the safety of your cabin.

Upon entering this life we, in a sense, took a vacation from all that we knew to a place we had never been. We left the presence of our Heavenly Father and now must find our way home again. Fortunately, most of us are willing to let the Ranger, Jesus Christ, help us on our way. He has promised us His constant companionship. He will bind up our wounds and provide us with living waters and the bread of life. He will guide us home.

Is a lantern, canteen and a granola bar the extent of our Elder Brother’s power or His willingness to help us?

Let’s change the ending a bit. This time Ranger says, “I know that you are tired and it’s late, but if you will trust me and follow me there is someplace I want you to see.” Agreeing to follow, you put your life in His hands and begin to walk.

When it seems that you have been walking in darkness forever with only the glow of a friendly lantern to guide your steps, you begin to notice the path before you is changing. The trees and bushes are beginning to thin. Off in the distance, the faintest morning glow is beginning to appear. The sweet sounds of the morning are replacing the mysteries of the night. As you continue to walk towards the coming dawn, hope and excitement begin to fill your heart.

There it is!

A meadow of vibrant wild flowers and the bank of the most beautiful lake you have ever seen. It’s clear blue surface ripples into sparkling diamonds which seem to shout out its purity and sweetness. Off to the side, in the most peaceful spot of the meadow, sets a table. All arrayed in shining white linen, it is prepared with an elegant menu of tempting dishes.

Christ then extends an invitation: “Come, rest where you need never hunger or thirst. Where I will be your constant companion. Where you can stay as long as you wish.”

What is the difference between the two endings? Our expectations and our commitment to them. Many of us have sold ourselves short. Although we may believe that the table is spread for some, most of us can hardly imagine that it is meant for us. We therefore construct a wall between us and our Elder brother and occasionally say, “I need of a sip of water” when there is a feast on the other side of the wall. We can accept that some may receive revelations or live every aspect of their lives by the promptings of the spirit; but, we rationalize and justify this so that it can not, and in the end does not, apply to us. We all have the same promises given to us. If we hunger and thirst after righteousness and do all that is in our power these blessings can not be withheld.

Sadly, many of us simply cannot envision ourselves as that spiritually aware, so we set ourselves up for failure. What we do to ensure we stay on a lantern and granola bar path is very subtle. We may even feel we are doing rather well and have a sense of satisfaction with our course. The wall between us and the Savior is slowly built brick by brick. We add a brick for the harsh words about the driver in front of us, a missed opportunity to serve, a forgotten morning prayer. Then, when we tire from the winds around us and the efforts of building the wall we repent and ask for his canteen, drink, return it and go on building our wall. We seem oblivious to the potential of tearing down the wall instead of building it up.

The basic difference between that which can and will happen is our attitude, our expectations, and our faith. Can we put forth the faith to envision ourselves reaping the benefits of Christ’s promises, and then are we willing to invest ourselves in the work to make it possible? Christ can but knock and wait for us to be willing to open the door and let Him in. We have the keys.

There is a story in the Book of Mormon about a young man. Enos begins his account by thanking his father for teaching him the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Then he tells of some time he spent by himself, alone with his thoughts as he hunted in the forest. During this time of introspection he reflected on the many things his father had taught and his good example. Pondering these things, Enos made a discovery.

“…and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

And my soul hungered;…” Enos 1:3-4

There are times that I too spend a little time reflecting on all the blessings of the gospel and come away feeling that I’m not where I should be. Sometimes my soul hungers.

A hungering soul is crying out for peace and assurance, it is seeking the nourishment of truth and life. It is recognizing the absence of Christ in your life. How did the distance get there? Christ stands firm as our eternal brother and friend. Why did you move? Sometimes its very little things that cause us to stumble on the Lord’s path, occasionally we completely lose our way.

How grateful I am to know that Christ will always help me find my way again and welcome me home.

For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile. 2 Nephi 26:33

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Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me. 3 Nephi 9:14

When I get there, and sit at His feet once again, my soul will be filled.

Jesus Christ has prepared a feast for each us. A feast of His word.

Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. 2 Nephi 32:3

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Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. 2 Nephi 31:20

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Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.

Behold, my beloved brethren, remember the words of your God; pray unto him continually by day, and give thanks unto his holy name by night. Let your hearts rejoice. 2 Nephi 9:51

Christ instructs us to look to Him, for He is the Bread and Waters of Life. His love, His Gospel, are the things that fill our hearts and spirits. When we invite Christ into our lives and emulate His teachings in all our actions we are spiritual fed with nourishment that is vital to our earthly and eternal happiness.

When He offered Himself as the Bread of Life to those who gathered around Him in Galilee, many turned away. They were looking for something more tangible, more material, more worldly. It happens to all of us, the world gets in the way and we forget to look past our material needs and wants to those that can sustain us forever. We forget that the Lord has promised us His blessings if we seek Him first.

I try every day to be more like the woman at the well. When she was offered living waters, she immediately asked to drink and was filled.

I try to remember to ask every day to drink of His spirit and love; then, I seek it out as I try to live as His disciple during the daily grind of life. I try to immerse myself in the scriptures for at least a few minutes every day. I eat of the bread and waters of life each Sunday as I take the Sacrament and renew the covenants I have made with Christ to remember Him and carry His name. When I try, I am fed with His love.

May we each follow the example of Enos and drop to our knees and raise our voices to heaven so that our souls will be filled and our hearts will rejoice.

1. The Living Christ- I’m grateful for the knowledge that I have that Jesus Christ is a resurrected, glorified person who knows me personally. He is my friend, my supporter, my advocate, my Savior. He lived. He shared His love with the world and suffered for all our sins and earthly sorrows so that He could understand us, comfort us and offer us a path to overcome the world and return to live with Him and Heavenly Father once again. He still lives, and guides His church today.

2. The Plan of Salvation- There is a Primary song that says:

“My life is a gift; my life has a plan.
My life has a purpose in Heaven it began.
My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth
And seek for God’s light to direct me from birth.
I will follow God’s plan for me,
Holding fast to his word and his love.
I will work, and I will pray; I will always walk in his way.
The I will be happy on earth And in my home above.”
“I Will Follow God’s Plan,” Children’s Songbook, 164

I’m grateful to know the measure and purpose of my life. I feel comfort in knowing that God knew me personally, that He was my Father before I even came to this earth. I know that I came to receive an earthly body and to test my faith away from my heavenly home. I know that if I do the best I can in this life; working and praying to always find myself in God’s light, I’ll be able to return and live with Him again when my earthly life is over.

3. Temples- It is a blessing and a privilege to hold myself worthy to enter the house of the Lord. As Moses was instructed to take off his shoes before walking on holy ground where the Lord tread upon this earth, I consider it a blessing to shake off sin that would keep me from the Lord’s presence. The temple is literally His house: holy ground where His spirit can be closest to His children. I walk inside, leave the world behind and find His love and peace waiting for me there.

4. Families are Forever- I love my family. I love every minute I spend with them. Well, almost. I love the fact that we were placed together in a family unit by choice and heavenly design. I love that we can learn and grow together, love and support each other. Most of all, I love that they will always be my family.

5. Prophets- I love the wonderful spirit that surrounds the modern day Prophet and Apostles. I’m grateful to know that they are diligently trying to lead me back to my Heavenly Father. I’m even more grateful to know that they in turn are led by Heavenly Father.

6. The Word of Wisdom- To many, it may seem extreme or binding to have a health code as part of a religion. To me, however, it makes perfect sense. Why wouldn’t the creator of our bodies give us guidelines for how best to keep them healthy and properly respected? I find comfort in knowing that no matter how the trends of the world may sway as to what is healthy and what is not, I am not relying in the arm of the flesh for my answers. Rather, I am placing my faith in my creator. I have also found that abiding by these simple guidelines for health I am mentally and spiritually more open to the will of the Lord and His love for me in every aspect of my life.

7. Programs- I’m grateful for the programs of the church. They are specifically designed to meet my needs as a daughter of God and to meet the needs of the other members of my family. I love Primary, where my children learn how precious they are to Heavenly Father and how to “Choose the Right”. I love the youth programs that focus on values and how to set goals that will lead our teenagers into great men and women. I love Relief Society that encourages me to be who I am and helps me serve and love those I come in contact with.

8. Truth- I’m grateful for my testimony. That I feel comfortable, welcome and whole within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It does not leave holes of doubt and unanswered questions. Its gospel speaks truth to my soul and fills me with light. It is where I belong and where Christ has asked me to be.

9. Repentance- I am grateful for the atonement. For the chance that I have to try a little harder each day to be a little better. I’m grateful for Christ’s love that wipes the slate clean when I humbly come to Him with my mistakes. I’m grateful for the loving promptings of the Holy Ghost that keep me mindful of my promise to serve Christ as His disciple every day of my life.

10. Peace- When you combine the many blessings I experience from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have a foundation that gives me peace in my every day life. It gives me perspective and comfort in times of trial. It gives me joy.

Have you heard the story of the First Vision? How did it affect you?

It's amazing the power that the story of the First Vision can have. When you first hear it your heart either rejoices or your mind clouds over and can't see the possibility of its truth.

For me, I didn't recognize its power until I shared the story for the first time with a non-member friend. I remember the doubting look on her face while she tolerated my story; but, what I remember more is how the words made my entire body burn with peace and happiness. My mind and soul seemed to wake up in awe of the wonder of such an experience. My friend never joined the church, but I was certainly converted that day.

I think that experience also speaks of the power of our words. We can think through many things. We can reach a decision or worry through a problem but when we open our mouths and say what we are feeling or thinking out loud there is power in it.

For Joseph Smith, the time he spent in the grove was the first time he had prayed out loud at it had the power to alert Satan and prepare him to see Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

When my testimony needs to be strengthened I need to hear my own voice declaring my beliefs. Giving voice to the things of my heart invites the presence of the Spirit. It lends strength to both the speaker and the listener. True, sometimes it’s scary or uncomfortable to testify of Jesus Christ. Satan doesn’t want that pathway of truth opened up, just as he didn’t want it opened for Joseph Smith.

When I desperately need a blessing I need to pray to my Heavenly Father out loud as if he were in the same room. When you only open your thoughts and feelings to the Lord in the quiet of your mind it becomes easier to forget that He is a real, loving Heavenly Father. It also becomes more difficult to separate His words to us, from the tumultuous thoughts of our own mind.

There is power in the spoken words of the gospel. Using these two tools, testifying and vocal prayer, are the times peace and restoration come the quickest and have the most lasting effect. May it bring the Spirit into your own life as well.

When the weather was still nice where I live, I would go for early morning walks in a neighborhood close to the one where my daughter attended early-morning seminary. I chose the neighborhood because it was quiet, well kept, and well lit. It was also nice to look at as I made my laps each morning. The houses were all big and new, the lawns well manicured and landscaped. I could see the chandeliers gleaming in the grand entryways and many other telltale signs of niceties.

At first I was mildly jealous. I live in an older home that seems to be constantly falling apart around me. My lawn is often far from neat. My lighting is furnished by Wal-Mart and my draperies are all stained and dated. I thought that it would be nice to live in such a beautiful place as the neighborhood I walked in. I thought what it must be like to have such nice things and to have them stay nice. I was becoming slightly envious of those around me. Had I allowed myself to continue down this path it could have led to a great deal of discontent for the life the Lord has blessed me with.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long until I began to come to my senses. I still loved to look at the neighborhood and notice the neatly kept yards, but I also began to notice that if I did live there I would probably be inherently unhappy. That isn’t to say that I looked down on these neighbors, I just began to realize that their lives were entirely different from mine. I am not a neat freak. It would dismay me to no end to see such a beautiful house become unkempt by myself and my family as we lived our daily lives. I’m afraid I would spend all my time miserably protecting and adding to the fineness of my home rather than attending to the eternal nature of my family. I’m also not saying that those who lived in that neighborhood can’t value their family as much as I value mine. I’m just saying that I quickly realized that who I am is not the same as who they are, and that’s okay for both of us.

The next step in our journey to understanding charity is to understand the nature of envy. The Lord has said: “Charity envieth not”. Envy is a desire within us to have what another does, to the point of denying it to them or being unable to rejoice with them in their blessings.

We come face to face with situations that can cause us to feel envy every day. We may envy worldly possession such as a home or financial well-being, we may envy another’s talents or accomplishments, and we may envy what appears to be a superior family life than our own. Envy can take almost any form, but when we allow it into our lives the result is a soul eating cancer that can quickly overwhelm us before we are even aware of its presence.

Where there is envy the pure love of Christ can not grow and develop. It can alienate us from our fellow man and more importantly from the Lord. It restricts our spiritual growth and harms all of our relationships. It may cause us to think or act badly towards others. It keeps us from having Christ-like motives to our actions and creates a “me against them” way of thinking. It fosters negativity toward others and feeds a desire to create envy of ourselves in others as well.

Envy often comes disguised as criticism and comparison. Envy generally begins as the seemingly innocent practice of comparing ourselves to one another. It causes us to feel that we aren’t good enough, that we must find ways to achieve more, acquire more, or do more than someone else to prove we are as good or better than someone else around us. We deny the value that the Lord places on us as individuals and assume that our worth to us, or neighbors and our God is tied to our ability to “do” or “have”.

Most of us will experience envy at one time or another. The danger comes when we allow it to take root in our lives. Then it has the potential to harm us and may cause us to think or act badly toward others. As James stated, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work”.

Satan knows that envy is a quiet way into many of our hearts. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin has cautioned us:

“Satan knows our weaknesses. He puts attractive snares on our paths at just those moments when we are most vulnerable. … Sin may result from activities that begin innocently or that are perfectly legitimate in moderation, but in excess, they can cause us to veer from the straight and narrow path to our destruction. …”

As disciples of Christ, it is our task to take those moments when Satan would try to ensnare us with the seemingly little things, like a walk in a nice neighborhood, and turn them back over to the Lord. If we turn to Him, He will bless us with the ability to rise above the pettiness of envy and rejoice in our own and our brothers and sisters unique blessings. We must seek the Spirit of the Lord, through service to others, learning to focus not on what we are lacking but learning to recognize the blessings the Lord has given us. It means looking for only the good in everyone around us. It means finding contentment with our own lives.

For those of us who have a history of low self-esteem or struggle with inadequacy, this can be a major task to overcome, yet it can be overcome. To be filled with the Savior’s love is the greatest blessing and worth the work. Charity envieth not.

This is a parable about prayer. I have two young boys, one has special needs and the other is just special. They balance each other out and keep my days very full of adventure. They are also very different in nature. Each says their prayers before bed but those prayers are about as different as they can come. My special needs child says the same prayer every night. Most nights he rushes through it as fast as he can. It is correct in form as well as a crucial part of his bedtime routine but that is as far as it goes. He lacks the ability to understand that it should be anything else. We’ve worked so hard to help him understand that when someone speaks to you, you need to say something back that he’s taken this to heart. He has decided that since Heavenly Father doesn’t talk back (like a telephone conversation) that prayers are not conversations, they are routines.

My other son is a conversationalist to the extreme. He loves to talk and share his thoughts with anyone who will listen. Prayers are another opportunity to talk. He treats this as his one-on-one time with Heavenly Father. He talks extensively, as if he were talking to his best friend at a sleepover, about his day, his feelings, his hopes and dreams. I’ve learned valuable lessons about prayer from each of my sons.

As adults I think we all fall someplace along the continuum I’ve just described. Some of us may have never gained a testimony of prayer at all. It may be lacking entirely from our lives, or we may treat it as a routine. We go through the motions but never feel it reach our hearts. Others of us may come to our knees expecting to hear from a dear friend. We talk, He listens. He talks, we listen. Most of us, I think vacillate between the two extremes.

When I find myself becoming more routine and less personal in my prayers, I try to think of my sons. The Savior has asked us to “come unto Him” and one of the sweetest ways we have to heed that call is in the gift of prayer.

Prayers are conversations with a dear friend who understands and loves us more than we could ever comprehend. He wants to hear from us, He cares about our day, the little things and the big things we encounter as we try to be more like Him. It’s okay to take our time. It’s okay to laugh with Him. It’s okay to cry with Him. It’s okay to listen for His answers, they will come.