Now the joy of (Tova) was so great even that (she) was full; yea, (she) was swallowed up in the joy of (her) God, even to the exhausting of (her) strength; ...
Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness.
Our merciful and long-suffering Lord is ever ready to help. His “arm is lengthened out all the day long” (2 Ne. 28:32), and even if His arm goes ungrasped, it was unarguably there! -Neal A Maxwell
This is a cool video talking more about God, and His mercy and forgiveness towards us.
A classic story about mercy is Jonah. He had a second chance to go to Nineveh, and the Ninevites had a chance to repent.
Here is a fun song from the "Jonah; Veggie Tales" movie:
First, here's a story told by Pres. Thomas S Monson:
In
about March 1946, less than a year after the end of the war, Ezra Taft
Benson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, accompanied by
Frederick W. Babbel, was assigned a special postwar tour of Europe for
the express purpose of meeting with the Saints, assessing their needs,
and providing assistance to them. Elder Benson and Brother Babbel later
recounted, from a testimony they heard, the experience of a Church
member who found herself in an area no longer controlled by the
government under which she had resided.
She
and her husband had lived an idyllic life in East Prussia. Then had
come the second great world war within their lifetimes. Her beloved
young husband was killed during the final days of the frightful battles
in their homeland, leaving her alone to care for their four children.
The
occupying forces determined that the Germans in East Prussia must go to
Western Germany to seek a new home. The woman was German, and so it was
necessary for her to go. The journey was over a thousand miles (1,600
km), and she had no way to accomplish it but on foot. She was allowed to
take only such bare necessities as she could load into her small
wooden-wheeled wagon. Besides her children and these meager possessions,
she took with her a strong faith in God and in the gospel as revealed
to the latter-day prophet Joseph Smith.
She
and the children began the journey in late summer. Having neither food
nor money among her few possessions, she was forced to gather a daily
subsistence from the fields and forests along the way. She was
constantly faced with dangers from panic-stricken refugees and
plundering troops.
As
the days turned into weeks and the weeks to months, the temperatures
dropped below freezing. Each day, she stumbled over the frozen ground,
her smallest child—a baby—in her arms. Her three other children
struggled along behind her, with the oldest—seven years old—pulling the
tiny wooden wagon containing their belongings. Ragged and torn burlap
was wrapped around their feet, providing the only protection for them,
since their shoes had long since disintegrated. Their thin, tattered
jackets covered their thin, tattered clothing, providing their only
protection against the cold.
Soon
the snows came, and the days and nights became a nightmare. In the
evenings she and the children would try to find some kind of shelter—a
barn or a shed—and would huddle together for warmth, with a few thin
blankets from the wagon on top of them.
She constantly struggled to force from her mind overwhelming fears that they would perish before reaching their destination.
And
then one morning the unthinkable happened. As she awakened, she felt a
chill in her heart. The tiny form of her three-year-old daughter was
cold and still, and she realized that death had claimed the child.
Though overwhelmed with grief, she knew that she must take the other
children and travel on. First, however, she used the only implement she
had—a tablespoon—to dig a grave in the frozen ground for her tiny,
precious child.
Death,
however, was to be her companion again and again on the journey. Her
seven-year-old son died, either from starvation or from freezing or
both. Again her only shovel was the tablespoon, and again she dug hour
after hour to lay his mortal remains gently into the earth. Next, her
five-year-old son died, and again she used her tablespoon as a shovel.
Her
despair was all consuming. She had only her tiny baby daughter left,
and the poor thing was failing. Finally, as she was reaching the end of
her journey, the baby died in her arms. The spoon was gone now, so hour
after hour she dug a grave in the frozen earth with her bare fingers.
Her grief became unbearable. How could she possibly be kneeling in the
snow at the graveside of her last child? She had lost her husband and
all her children. She had given up her earthly goods, her home, and even
her homeland.
In
this moment of overwhelming sorrow and complete bewilderment, she felt
her heart would literally break. In despair she contemplated how she
might end her own life, as so many of her fellow countrymen were doing.
How easy it would be to jump off a nearby bridge, she thought, or to
throw herself in front of an oncoming train.
And
then, as these thoughts assailed her, something within her said, “Get
down on your knees and pray.” She ignored the prompting until she could
resist it no longer. She knelt and prayed more fervently than she had in
her entire life:
“Dear
Heavenly Father, I do not know how I can go on. I have nothing
left—except my faith in Thee. I feel, Father, amidst the desolation of
my soul, an overwhelming gratitude
for the atoning sacrifice of Thy Son, Jesus Christ. I cannot express
adequately my love for Him. I know that because He suffered and died, I
shall live again with my family; that because He broke the chains of
death, I shall see my children again and will have the joy of raising
them. Though I do not at this moment wish to live, I will do so, that we
may be reunited as a family and return—together—to Thee.”
When
she finally reached her destination of Karlsruhe, Germany, she was
emaciated. Brother Babbel said that her face was a purple-gray, her eyes
red and swollen, her joints protruding. She was literally in the
advanced stages of starvation. In a Church meeting shortly thereafter,
she bore a glorious testimony, stating that of all the ailing people in
her saddened land, she was one of the happiest because she knew that God
lived, that Jesus is the Christ, and that He died and was resurrected
so that we might live again. She testified that she knew if she
continued faithful and true to the end, she would be reunited with those
she had lost and would be saved in the celestial kingdom of God.8
From
the holy scriptures we read, “Behold, the righteous, the saints of the
Holy One of Israel, they who have believed in [Him], they who have
endured the crosses of the world, … they shall inherit the kingdom of
God, … and their joy shall be full forever.”
I know that through the Atonement and by knowing about the Plan of Salvation our sufferings can be understood, and maybe a little more appreciated.
I was listening to this talk this morning, and it was soo powerful, I just had to share it.
I know that the Savior suffered EVERYTHING for us. "What weight is thrown on the
scales of pain when calculating the hurt of innumerable patients in
countless hospitals? Now, add to that the loneliness of the elderly who
are forgotten in the rest homes of society, desperately yearning for a
card, a visit, a call—just some recognition from the outside world. Keep
on adding the hurt of hungry children, the suffering caused by famine,
drought, and pestilence. Pile on the heartache of parents who tearfully
plead on a daily basis for a wayward son or daughter to come back home.
Factor in the trauma of every divorce and the tragedy of every abortion.
Add the remorse that comes with each child lost in the dawn of life,
each spouse taken in the prime of marriage. Compound that with the
misery of overflowing prisons, bulging halfway houses and institutions
for the mentally disadvantaged. Multiply all this by century after
century of history, and creation after creation without end. Such is but
an awful glimpse of the Savior’s load. Who can bear such a burden or
scale such a mountain as this? No one, absolutely no one, save Jesus
Christ, the Redeemer of us all" (-Callister) “For many years I thought of the Savior’s experience in the garden
and on the cross as places where a large mass of sin was heaped upon
Him. Through the words of Alma, Abinadi, Isaiah, and other prophets,
however, my view has changed. Instead of an impersonal mass of sin,
there was a long line of people, as Jesus felt “our infirmities” (Heb. 4:15), “[bore] our griefs, … carried our sorrows … [and] was bruised for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:4–5).
The Atonement was an intimate, personal experience in which Jesus came to know how to help each of us.” -Merril J. Bateman What better proof that the Savior loves us? Why else would He go through with all of this? He was perfect. And instead of living an easy life, He helped us by giving us a chance to be perfect, through the Atonement.
I had the chance to attend a "Best of EFY" meeting a year or so ago, and one of the speakers was Brad Wilcox. He talked about how the church is different from other churches. He help us remember by spelling the word GOSPEL, like so: Godhead Only True Church Spirit Priesthood Everyone Living Prophets
Godhead: We know that Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are separate beings. (examples of this in the Bible can be found in Acts 7:55-56, and Jesus' Baptism) We also know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have physical bodies.
This was revealed in the latterdays through Joseph Smith's 1st Vision.
Some people argue that Joseph Smith just lied about the first vision. Well, let me quote The Trickster's Queen "If I was going to lie to you, I'd want to to believe me." Back then, the idea that the godhead was made up of 3 SEPARATE beings was unheard of! So why would Joseph try to get people to believe him with something as outrageous as that?
Others say that he wasn't lying, he was just crazy, and having a hallucination. Bro. Wilcox shared that when people have hallucinations they are things that they know about. ie, If you've never seen an elephant you can't imagine you see one/have a hallucination about one, because you don't know what it looks like.
Only True Church: There can only be one true church. Because all of the churches say different things. Like it says in "Fiddler on the Roof": "You are also right"(-Tevye) "He's right? and he's right? They can't both be right." "You are also right" :)
How can you tell which church is true? That is what Joseph Smith wanted to know. That is why he went to the Sacred Grove and prayed to Heavenly Father to know. I'm sure he didn't expect to actually SEE God and Jesus Christ, but he did, and they told him that none of the churches on earth were true. Later, others appeared to Joseph Smith, and helped him organize Christ's church on the earth.
The way that YOU can find out is the same way: pray. I suggest that you read the Book of Mormon. It is really an amazing book. It has comforting words, it has battles, and people dying for the truth. If you read it and pray about it, I'm sure that you will feel the Spirit telling you that it is true.
Spirit: Soon after you are baptized a member of the church, you are Confirmed-- given the gift of the Holy Ghost (or the Holy Spirit, whatever you want to call it), who will guide you and comfort you through life. You can still feel it, even if you aren't a member. But this is how Brad Wilcox described the difference: When you feel the spirit, it's like blowing up a balloon, you feel full and happy. If you haven't been confirmed, the air just wooshes right back out. But if you HAVE been confirmed, then it's like tying th knot on the balloon.
Priesthood: The LDS church has the Priesthood authority. Think about this situation Bro Wilcox gave: Suppose you were driving down the road, and you saw a kid on a bike. The kid 'pulled you over' and said "You were speeding, here's a ticket." Would you think the kid was serious? (say "no") Why not? Because the kid doesn't have the authority to pull you over and give you a ticket! That's what it's like with the priesthood. The priesthood is the right for all worthy men on earth to act for Heavenly Father. In the church we have the Aaronic Priesthood, which is given to male members at 12 yrs. and the Melchezidek Priesthood, which is given when boys turn 18.
Here are a couple videos that have to do with the priesthood:
"The Power of God:
African-Americans/Africans are able to get the priesthood.
Everyone: Once there were a couple of missionaries. They were spreading the truth of the gospel. They met a woman one day, and started to talk to her. She asked them "So you claim that your church is for everyone?" "Yes" the missionaries said. "Well, what about the people who have died? How do you bring your gospel to them?" the woman asked "I've asked this question of many religious leaders, and not one has answered me. But when someone DOES answer it, I'll know their church is true." The missionaries were overjoyed "We do take our gospel to the dead!" and they explained how in our temples, we do saving ordinances (like baptism) for those who have died, and then the spirits of those people can choose whether or not to accept the gospel. This woman was sooooo happy to finally find the true gospel, and was baptized, and one day, she probably went herself into a temple to do some saving ordinances.
Living Prophets: Here is a story that demonstrates the importance of having living prophets.
"In January of 1975, on a dark,
rainy night in Tasmania, a 7,300–ton barge smashed into two piers of the
Tasman Bridge, which connects Hobart, Tasmania, with its eastern
suburbs across the bay. Three spans of the bridge collapsed. An
Australian family by the name of Ling were driving across the bridge
when suddenly the bridge lights went out. Just then a speeding car
passed them and disappeared before their very eyes. Murray Ling 'slammed
on his brakes and skidded to a stop, one yard from the edge of a black
void' (Stephen Johnson, "Over the Edge!" Reader's Digest, Nov. 1977, 128).
"Murray got his family out of the car and then began warning oncoming
traffic of the disaster ahead. As he frantically waved his arms, to his
horror, a car 'swerved around him and plummeted into the abyss' (p.
128). A second car barely stopped in time, but a third car showed no
sign of slowing down and crashed into the Lings' car at the edge of the
bridge.
"Suddenly a loaded bus headed toward Murray, ignoring his waving
arms. In desperation, risking his very life, he 'ran alongside the
driver's window. "There's a span missing," he yelled' (p. 129). The bus
swerved just in time and came to a halt against the railing. Dozens of
lives had been saved.
"I am grateful for these Brethren whom we sustain as prophets, seers,
and revelators who forewarn us of bridges not to be crossed"(Spencer J. Condie)
The scriptures tell us that God is unchangeable. To finish up with prophets, this is a poem Sophie wrote expressing appreciation to the prophets of today:
What have the prophets done for me? They have spoken for God. All of my questions they're answering 'Bout how to hold on the rod.
I wonder "What's truth? And how do I know? When I find it what's it like?" Why look, here's a talk that perfectly shows Everything. Now I can hike.
But, I think I'm worthless. I'm not important. Why should anybody like me. But then I read stories, and words of a chant. And now I know who I'm to be!
If you should ask what the prophets have done, I will just smile and say. They've spoken for God, and, with the sun Have helped me to start a new day. -Sophie
Luke 9:23 ¶And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Following are some stories of people who have made sacrifices for what they knew was right. They are examples to people today that if you sacrifice for the right reasons, you will be blessed.
Elder Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of meeting a young naval officer from
Asia. The officer had not been a Christian, but during training in the
United States, he had learned about the Church and was baptized. He was
now preparing to return to his native land.
“President Hinckley asked the officer: ‘Your people are not
Christians. … What will happen when you return home a Christian and,
more particularly, a Mormon Christian?’
“The officer’s face clouded, and he replied: ‘My family will be
disappointed. … As for my future and my career, … all opportunity [may]
be foreclosed against me.’
“President Hinckley asked, ‘Are you willing to pay so great a price for the gospel?’
“With his dark eyes moistened by tears, he answered with a question: ‘It’s true, isn’t it?’
“President Hinckley responded, ‘Yes, it’s true.’
“To which the officer replied, ‘Then what else matters?’
In the course of constructing (the) tabernacle, the local brethren
ordered the glass for the windows from New York and had it shipped
around the cape to California. But a bill of $800 was due and payable
before the panes could be picked up and delivered to St. George. Brother
David H. Cannon, later to preside over the St. George Temple being
built at the same time, was charged with the responsibility of raising
the needed funds. After painstaking effort, the entire community, giving
virtually everything they had to these two monumental building
projects, had been able to come up with only $200 cash. On sheer faith
Brother Cannon committed a team of freighters to prepare to leave for
California to get the glass. He continued to pray that the enormous
balance of $600 would somehow be forthcoming before their departure.
Living in nearby Washington, Utah, was Peter Neilson, a Danish
immigrant who had been saving for years to add on to his modest two-room
adobe home. On the eve of the freighters' departure for California,
Peter spent a sleepless night in that tiny little house. He thought of
his conversion in far-off Denmark and his subsequent gathering with the
Saints in America. After coming west he had settled and struggled to
make a living in Sanpete. And then, just as some prosperity seemed
imminent there, he answered the call to uproot and go to the Cotton
Mission, bolstering the pathetic and sagging efforts of the
alkali-soiled, malaria-plagued, flood-bedeviled settlers of Dixie. As he
lay in bed that night contemplating his years in the Church, he weighed
the sacrifices asked of him against the wonderful blessings he had
received. Somewhere in those private hours he made a decision.
Some say it was a dream, others say an impression, still others
simply a call to duty. However the direction came, Peter Neilson arose
before dawn on the morning the teams were to leave for California. With
only a candle and the light of the gospel to aid him, Peter brought out
of a secret hiding place $600 in gold coins--half eagles, eagles, and
double eagles. His wife, Karen, aroused by the predawn bustling, asked
why he was up so early. He said only that he had to walk quickly the
seven miles to St. George.
As the first light of morning fell on the beautiful red cliffs of
southern Utah, a knock came at David H. Cannon's door. There stood Peter
Neilson, holding a red bandanna which sagged under the weight it
carried. "Good morning, David," said Peter. "I hope I am not too late.
You will know what to do with this money."
With that he turned on his heel and retraced his steps back to
Washington, back to a faithful and unquestioning wife, and back to a
small two-room adobe house that remained just two rooms for the rest of
his life.
This story is a favorite of mine, because I can totally relate to it. I love playing the violin, and would have the hardest time making this sacrifice.
A story written by Karen Nolen, which
appeared in the New Era in 1974, tells of a Benjamin Landart who, in
1888, was 15 years old and an accomplished violinist. Living on a farm
in northern Utah with his mother and seven brothers and sisters was
sometimes a challenge to Benjamin, as he had less time than he would
have liked to play his violin. Occasionally his mother would lock up the
violin until he had his farm chores done, so great was the temptation
for Benjamin to play it.In late 1892 Benjamin was asked to
travel to Salt Lake to audition for a place with the territorial
orchestra. For him, this was a dream come true. After several weeks of
practicing and prayers, he went to Salt Lake in March of 1893 for the
much anticipated audition. When he heard Benjamin play, the conductor, a
Mr. Dean, told Benjamin he was the most accomplished violinist he had
heard west of Denver. He was told to report to Denver for rehearsals in
the fall and learned that he would be earning enough to keep himself,
with some left over to send home.A week after Benjamin received the good
news, however, his bishop called him into his office and asked if he
couldnt put off playing with the orchestra for a couple of years. He
told Benjamin that before he started earning money there was something
he owed the Lord. He then asked Benjamin to accept a mission call.
Benjamin
felt that giving up his chance to play in the territorial orchestra
would be almost more than he could bear, but he also knew what his
decision should be. He promised the bishop that if there were any way to
raise the money for him to serve, he would accept the call.
When Benjamin told his mother about the
call, she was overjoyed. She told him that his father had always wanted
to serve a mission but had been killed before that opportunity had come
to him. However, when they discussed the financing of the mission, her
face clouded over. Benjamin told her he would not allow her to sell any
more of their land. She studied his face for a moment and then said,
Ben, there is a way we can raise the money. This family [has] one thing
that is of great enough value to send you on your mission. You will have
to sell your violin. Ten days later, on March 23, 1893,
Benjamin wrote in his journal: I awoke this morning and took my violin
from its case. All day long I played the music I love. In the evening
when the light grew dim and I could see to play no longer, I placed the
instrument in its case. It will be enough. Tomorrow I leave [for my
mission]. Forty-five years later, on June 23,
1938, Benjamin wrote in his journal: The greatest decision I ever made
in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to the God I loved
even more. He has never forgotten me for it.
I love this talk. Elder Holland really helps the scriptures become real to me.
I know that if we truly love God, nothing else will matter to us. We will pray to have His guidance, and we will act for Him and with Him in everything we do.
I say this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Amen
A story is told that during the bombing of a city in World War II, a large statue of Jesus Christ
was severely damaged. When the townspeople found the statue among the
rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith
and of God’s presence in their lives.
Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but its hands had
been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested
that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave
it as it was—a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war. Ultimately,
the statue remained without hands. However, the people of the city added
on the base of the statue of Jesus Christ a sign with these words: “You are my hands.” (-told by Elder Uchtdorf)
Think about that. "You are My Hands"
Elder Uchtdorf continued "When I think of the Savior,
I often picture Him with hands outstretched, reaching out to comfort,
heal, bless, and love. And He always talked with, never down to, people. He loved the humble and the meek and walked among them, ministering to them and offering hope and salvation.
That is what He did during His mortal life; it is what He would be
doing if He were living among us today; and it is what we should be
doing as His disciples and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
On this beautiful Easter morning, our thoughts and hearts are drawn to Him—the Hope of Israel and the Light of the World.
As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart."
How can you be His hands? You can comfort people, laugh with someone, help someone up.
Here is a "Karma" video, showing people doing things that the Savior would do (no matter how small it was), and the effects it had:
My mom is an amazing person. She listens to the spirit, and if it whispers that she should call someone, or make an extra batch of rolls to give to someone else, she does it. And other people have told her (or told me) how much she's done for them. Even if it was something super small, like a quick chat or call, it made a difference to them.
To end, this is a video about a girl who recieved help, and how she helped others:
We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us anad we love Him. We will "stand as witnesses of God at alltimes, and in all things, and in all places"* as we strive to livethe YW values, which are Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountibility, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue. We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, recieve the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation. (*Mosiah 18:9)
This is the YW's Theme, that the most LDS Young Women say before their classes. It is a very powerful thing. Thomas S Monson said "My young friends, believe in the words you say each week as you recite
the Young Women theme. Think about the meaning of those words. There is truth there. Strive always to live the values which are set forth. ... These are
beautiful gospel truths, and by following them, you will be happier
throughout your life here and hereafter than you will be if you
disregard them"
I think that this theme can be a great tool for teenage girls, as well as adult women. It boosts your esteem (We are Daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us...) It tells us how to show our love for him (We will stand as witnesses of God... as we strive to live (with) Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountibility, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue.) And it tells you how He'll bless you for showing your love for Him (we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, recieve the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation.)
When young women memorize this, I think that they don't think about it very much. I think that we take it for granted. But it is an AMAZING thing that we are saying!
Here is a video showing a girl who lives this theme:
I believe that the YW's theme can help us through life, and can serve as a map for an easier road.
The Welshman said
Huck had good spots in him, and the widow said:
"You can depend
on it. That's the Lord's mark. He don't leave it off. He never does. Puts it
somewhere on every creature that comes from his hands."
That is a quote from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It really struck me. Everyone has a little spark in them- a little Light of Christ.
Some people have had that light smothered, and some have put it out themselves. Some people are running low on light. What do you do if you're one of these people? You should seek Christ (it's His light, after all), and seek peoplewho have the light.
This light can guide you, and can help you have comfort and warmth in a storm.
