Merry Christmas!
We had a wonderful Christmas this year. I love this time of year and the feeling the spirit brings while we ponder on the birth and life of our Savior. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas season.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Recent thoughts
There are times when we can become upset at imagined hurts or perceived injustices. President Heber J. Grant, seventh President of the Church, told of a time as a young adult when he did some work for a man who then sent him a check for $500 with a letter apologizing for not being able to pay him more. Then President Grant did some work for another man—work which he said was 10 times more difficult, involving 10 times more labor and a great deal more time. This second man sent him a check for $150. Young Heber felt he had been treated most unfairly. He was at first insulted and then incensed.
He recounted the experience to an older friend, who asked, “Did that man intend to insult you?”
President Grant replied, “No. He told my friends he had rewarded me handsomely.”
To this the older friend replied, “A man’s a fool who takes an insult that isn’t intended.”- President Monson, General Conference October 2009
Plan of Happiness
A couple weeks ago, my cousin and his wife had a premature little baby boy who lived for 5 days and passed away in his mother's arms. My husband and I took the girls and drove 5 hours with my mom and grandma to be able to go to his funeral last week. I am very grateful that I was able to be at the funeral, even though I was trying very hard to keep the girls happy and reverent throughout the funeral. Watching his father carry the tiny casket in his arms was so moving.
In a perfect world, there would be no caskets that size and no parents left without their children. But we are here in this world to be tested. To do the tasks that the Lord has for each of his children and each has a different mission to achieve. Our father's plan is a plan of happiness and love. We will be able to live forever with our families and raise children who left this world before adulthood. Heavenly Father has created a way for everyone to be with their families forever through the atoning love of Jesus Christ. I love these truths. In times of trials it is the truths of the gospel that help us live our lives and find happiness and joy.
President Monson said in April's General Conference, "None of us makes it through this life without problems and challenges—and sometimes tragedies and misfortunes. After all, in large part we are here to learn and grow from such events in our lives. We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will be saddened. However, we are told, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”
We will miss this little baby boy in this life, but look forward to knowing him better in the next.
In a perfect world, there would be no caskets that size and no parents left without their children. But we are here in this world to be tested. To do the tasks that the Lord has for each of his children and each has a different mission to achieve. Our father's plan is a plan of happiness and love. We will be able to live forever with our families and raise children who left this world before adulthood. Heavenly Father has created a way for everyone to be with their families forever through the atoning love of Jesus Christ. I love these truths. In times of trials it is the truths of the gospel that help us live our lives and find happiness and joy.
President Monson said in April's General Conference, "None of us makes it through this life without problems and challenges—and sometimes tragedies and misfortunes. After all, in large part we are here to learn and grow from such events in our lives. We know that there are times when we will suffer, when we will grieve, and when we will be saddened. However, we are told, “Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.”
We will miss this little baby boy in this life, but look forward to knowing him better in the next.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
My Grandmother's Testimony
Well over a century ago, my mother's grandparents immigrated from Ireland to California. They brought with them their Catholic religion, which Mother practiced. She marred and they lived on a ranch. It was a distance to town. They had two daughters, both were born there on the ranch. Then a son was born to them, but before he was two months old, he died from an abdominal problem, one which probably could be readily corrected now in our day.
When the Catholic priest talked to Mother, he told her that her infant son would go strait to hell because he hadn't been baptized into the Catholic church.
Mother gave that some consideration and concluded that her sweet, innocent baby could have in no way committed a sin that would send him to hell. Believing that this was a false concept, she left the Catholic church. She and her husband sent their children to the closest Protestant church wherever they lived but never to a Catholic church. In fact, years later when I went with a friend to some event in the Catholic church, Mother was quite displeased.
Later, they had two other daughters. It was Dad who taught us to pray.
The family moved and lived on Route 66. The neighbors up the corner and across the street had kids the same ages as us, so we were good friends. One girl was my age and invited me to go to parties with her and we had a good time. After months of participating in these activities, which were MIA parties and were nice, clean fun, she invited me to go to church with her. I thought I probably should because, after all, I had been going to the parties so I should probably go to church...feeling maybe a bit guilty. My sisters felt the same.
The sacrament meetings were good, I knew all the kids my own age because of going to the parties. The building was nice and clean with a stained glass window of Joseph Smith receiving the revelation of the Godhead. I enjoyed the meetings and stopped going to the Church of God.
When I heard the revelation that Joseph Smith received, it was like a floodlight fell on me! This church was true! It has a real basis for its existence. It was not a unit started by some man, but organized by God himself. The original gospel was restored. What wondrous news!
My sisters and I were baptized in June of 1946. I was 16 years old and had just graduated from high school. The truth of the restoration has remained with me. I am grateful for the church and for my wonderful family.
Love
Grandma C
When the Catholic priest talked to Mother, he told her that her infant son would go strait to hell because he hadn't been baptized into the Catholic church.
Mother gave that some consideration and concluded that her sweet, innocent baby could have in no way committed a sin that would send him to hell. Believing that this was a false concept, she left the Catholic church. She and her husband sent their children to the closest Protestant church wherever they lived but never to a Catholic church. In fact, years later when I went with a friend to some event in the Catholic church, Mother was quite displeased.
Later, they had two other daughters. It was Dad who taught us to pray.
The family moved and lived on Route 66. The neighbors up the corner and across the street had kids the same ages as us, so we were good friends. One girl was my age and invited me to go to parties with her and we had a good time. After months of participating in these activities, which were MIA parties and were nice, clean fun, she invited me to go to church with her. I thought I probably should because, after all, I had been going to the parties so I should probably go to church...feeling maybe a bit guilty. My sisters felt the same.
The sacrament meetings were good, I knew all the kids my own age because of going to the parties. The building was nice and clean with a stained glass window of Joseph Smith receiving the revelation of the Godhead. I enjoyed the meetings and stopped going to the Church of God.
When I heard the revelation that Joseph Smith received, it was like a floodlight fell on me! This church was true! It has a real basis for its existence. It was not a unit started by some man, but organized by God himself. The original gospel was restored. What wondrous news!
My sisters and I were baptized in June of 1946. I was 16 years old and had just graduated from high school. The truth of the restoration has remained with me. I am grateful for the church and for my wonderful family.
Love
Grandma C
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