I just wanted to do a blurb on my favorite book, Dragonspell, by Donita K. Paul. Dragonspell is the first of a series about a world. The main character is a girl named Kale. She's young and grew up a slave. As she goes through her various errands in the book, she learns about her worth, her talents, and develops a relationship with Paladin. Paladin is the equivalent of Jesus Christ.
I think the most touching part of the book was one time when Kale is talking to Paladin. He is telling her that she will be a great help to him. She says, "But I'm just Kale!" He then informs her that she isn't JUST Kale. She's Kale! His friend, his servant, and someone with great worth.
This is a book I think EVERYONE should read. It teaches us the type of relationship we can all have with our Savior. Ours may not be face to face like Kale's is, but it doesn't mean ours can't be just as personal.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Am I the Only One?
Am I the only one who has done this? When I was in college, it seemed like all my friends were getting married. I had lots of people either teasing me or bugging me about the fact that I was still single. I wanted so badly to be married.
I remember I used to pray that I could get married. I would beg the Lord for some confirmation that it would happen eventually. I knew it wasn't right then, but would just beg for some kind of reassurance that while I was alone right then, it would happen for me eventually. It was a righteous desire, so why not just let me know it would happen eventually?
When I think back on this now, I'm almost embarrassed about it. But I was so lonely at the time, and I just needed so badly to know that I wouldn't be alone forever. My sister had gotten married after her first year of college, and I had gone into college assuming that I'd also be married by the time I graduated. I wasn't.
Every time I would pray for some kind of reassurance that marriage was in my future, I got absolutely no answer at all. At the time, I thought I was getting a no. When I look back on it, I realize I was just getting nothing. But I thought the Lord was telling me no, I would never get married. I finally gave up asking for it. I made peace with staying single forever. I still hoped for it, but only an outside hope. I didn't actually expect it.
Then I met Scott. We had a whirlwind dating, engagement, and wedding time. I remember knowing I loved him but being afraid to say it to him. After all, the Lord had told me I'd never get married, right? That meant I wasn't for him, as much as I wanted to be. I was afraid I'd lead him on. Then we started praying about marriage. I had to ask the Lord about five times if it was right, even though I kept getting definite yeses. After all, He'd told me marriage was never happening, right? :)
I guess the thing I had to learn was this: We can't always get an answer for future events. If it isn't time for an answer, we won't get one. It doesn't mean the answer isn't what we want. Doesn't mean it IS what we want, either. Some things we will never get answers for in this life. Some things we will get answers for but it will be much later. Some times we have to learn what we needed to learn before we get the answer.
I have always found it interesting- not surprising, but interesting- that I met Scott within a year of truly accepting the 'fact' that I'd always be single. I became HAPPY as a single person. THEN I met Scott. Our happiness should be enhanced by our spouses, children, etc. It should not DEPEND on them. I learned this lesson: If you can't be happy alone, you won't be truly happy WITH someone, either.
I also learned that we have to learn the lesson we are supposed to learn before we get the answers to our prayers for a trial to be ended. And sometimes the lesson is a LONG one. :)
I remember I used to pray that I could get married. I would beg the Lord for some confirmation that it would happen eventually. I knew it wasn't right then, but would just beg for some kind of reassurance that while I was alone right then, it would happen for me eventually. It was a righteous desire, so why not just let me know it would happen eventually?
When I think back on this now, I'm almost embarrassed about it. But I was so lonely at the time, and I just needed so badly to know that I wouldn't be alone forever. My sister had gotten married after her first year of college, and I had gone into college assuming that I'd also be married by the time I graduated. I wasn't.
Every time I would pray for some kind of reassurance that marriage was in my future, I got absolutely no answer at all. At the time, I thought I was getting a no. When I look back on it, I realize I was just getting nothing. But I thought the Lord was telling me no, I would never get married. I finally gave up asking for it. I made peace with staying single forever. I still hoped for it, but only an outside hope. I didn't actually expect it.
Then I met Scott. We had a whirlwind dating, engagement, and wedding time. I remember knowing I loved him but being afraid to say it to him. After all, the Lord had told me I'd never get married, right? That meant I wasn't for him, as much as I wanted to be. I was afraid I'd lead him on. Then we started praying about marriage. I had to ask the Lord about five times if it was right, even though I kept getting definite yeses. After all, He'd told me marriage was never happening, right? :)
I guess the thing I had to learn was this: We can't always get an answer for future events. If it isn't time for an answer, we won't get one. It doesn't mean the answer isn't what we want. Doesn't mean it IS what we want, either. Some things we will never get answers for in this life. Some things we will get answers for but it will be much later. Some times we have to learn what we needed to learn before we get the answer.
I have always found it interesting- not surprising, but interesting- that I met Scott within a year of truly accepting the 'fact' that I'd always be single. I became HAPPY as a single person. THEN I met Scott. Our happiness should be enhanced by our spouses, children, etc. It should not DEPEND on them. I learned this lesson: If you can't be happy alone, you won't be truly happy WITH someone, either.
I also learned that we have to learn the lesson we are supposed to learn before we get the answers to our prayers for a trial to be ended. And sometimes the lesson is a LONG one. :)
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Hold On
I thought of a song today that I haven't thought about in years. Two, actually. The first is a song called "Hold On, The Light Will Come" and the second is just called "Hold On." I don't know composers for either. The second is from "The Secret Garden." The first song is about holding on because you will feel the spirit of God and God will help you get through difficult times. The second is about holding on because things aren't as bad as they seem and you can get through it with your own strength and your friends.
When I was in high school, I went through a period of depression. Not serious depression, but enough that I felt sad ALL the time. I don't remember how long this period of depression lasted, but it was about six months, I'd guess. During that entire time, I had two songs stuck in my head. (The two I talked about above.) I remember being so annoyed that I had the same two songs stuck in my head for that long.
When the depression passed, I looked back and was amazed. How kind of Heavenly Father to put THOSE songs in my head during that time of sadness. I was depressed and He sent me a frequent message that if I just held on, it would pass.
And to think I thought it was annoying while it was happening. :)
When I was in high school, I went through a period of depression. Not serious depression, but enough that I felt sad ALL the time. I don't remember how long this period of depression lasted, but it was about six months, I'd guess. During that entire time, I had two songs stuck in my head. (The two I talked about above.) I remember being so annoyed that I had the same two songs stuck in my head for that long.
When the depression passed, I looked back and was amazed. How kind of Heavenly Father to put THOSE songs in my head during that time of sadness. I was depressed and He sent me a frequent message that if I just held on, it would pass.
And to think I thought it was annoying while it was happening. :)
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Answers to Prayers
This isn't a new story for most people who know me. I share it sometimes, as it comes up in conversations during Sunday School and Relief Society. But it's something I do think about a lot. It's an experience I had in college that proved to me beyond the shadow of a doubt that our Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers, and that He loves us.
I went to college at Utah State University in Logan, UT. I lived just off campus, but on the hill the campus was on. I did not have a car during college, so I walked most places I needed to go. This resulted in the frequent occurrence of friends pulling over and giving me rides to wherever I was walking to.
About once a week I walked to the temple to do an Endowment session. I didn't have a set time that I went. I would just pick a day and time during the week and go. I usually chose a time when I had a good three to four hours blocked out. Between the two hour session and the walk to and from the temple, it wasn't uncommon for me to need nearly four hours.
The day this happened, it was really important to me that I make the session that started at a certain time. I don't remember why it was so important. I don't remember if I had something going on or if I just didn't want to wait in the waiting room for the next session to start. I just remember how important it was to me to make that particular session. For some reason I was a little later getting started down the hill on the road to the temple than usual. I remember praying with my whole heart that I'd be able to get to the temple in time for this session that I wanted so badly. Deep down I was praying for a ride. On the surface I was praying to be able to walk fast enough.
As an answer to my prayer, my friend Julie pulled over and gave me a ride the rest of the way to the temple. I made the session I wanted to make, and things were great. After the session I was sitting in the Celestial room. A college aged young man came and sat next to me after a few minutes. It's very uncommon to sit with strangers in the Celestial room because most people don't talk. It's a sacred place, and most people sit and ponder. So I was surprised that someone I didn't know was sitting next to me. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he told me he needed to apologize to me. Then he told me that he had seen me walking to the temple. He knew I was going to the temple because I had my temple bag (the bag with my temple clothes in it). Then he said that he had felt he needed to pull over and give me a ride, but he hadn't. When he saw me in the session, he realized that he had been prompted to give me a ride, but had ignored it.
That was such a testimony to me. Our Heavenly Father knew it was important to me to make that session. He prompted someone to give me a ride so I could get there in time. When that person didn't follow the prompting, He prompted a SECOND person to answer my prayer.
Never feel like your prayers go unanswered. We may not get the answers that we want, or answers that we see, but we never go unheard.
I went to college at Utah State University in Logan, UT. I lived just off campus, but on the hill the campus was on. I did not have a car during college, so I walked most places I needed to go. This resulted in the frequent occurrence of friends pulling over and giving me rides to wherever I was walking to.
About once a week I walked to the temple to do an Endowment session. I didn't have a set time that I went. I would just pick a day and time during the week and go. I usually chose a time when I had a good three to four hours blocked out. Between the two hour session and the walk to and from the temple, it wasn't uncommon for me to need nearly four hours.
The day this happened, it was really important to me that I make the session that started at a certain time. I don't remember why it was so important. I don't remember if I had something going on or if I just didn't want to wait in the waiting room for the next session to start. I just remember how important it was to me to make that particular session. For some reason I was a little later getting started down the hill on the road to the temple than usual. I remember praying with my whole heart that I'd be able to get to the temple in time for this session that I wanted so badly. Deep down I was praying for a ride. On the surface I was praying to be able to walk fast enough.
As an answer to my prayer, my friend Julie pulled over and gave me a ride the rest of the way to the temple. I made the session I wanted to make, and things were great. After the session I was sitting in the Celestial room. A college aged young man came and sat next to me after a few minutes. It's very uncommon to sit with strangers in the Celestial room because most people don't talk. It's a sacred place, and most people sit and ponder. So I was surprised that someone I didn't know was sitting next to me. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he told me he needed to apologize to me. Then he told me that he had seen me walking to the temple. He knew I was going to the temple because I had my temple bag (the bag with my temple clothes in it). Then he said that he had felt he needed to pull over and give me a ride, but he hadn't. When he saw me in the session, he realized that he had been prompted to give me a ride, but had ignored it.
That was such a testimony to me. Our Heavenly Father knew it was important to me to make that session. He prompted someone to give me a ride so I could get there in time. When that person didn't follow the prompting, He prompted a SECOND person to answer my prayer.
Never feel like your prayers go unanswered. We may not get the answers that we want, or answers that we see, but we never go unheard.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Tender Mercies
The Lord loves us. Because he loves us, he showers us with tender mercies- if we will just see them. I've had several experiences recently that have pointed this out to me. Today I was working hard trying to dismantle a set of bunk beds we have so we could move them to a different room up the stairs. The pieces were heavy, and the screws were in so tightly it took all my strength to get them back out. I had a constant prayer in my heart as I dismantled the bunk beds. There were several times I couldn't figure out how to get the bed apart, but was inspired at the right way to do it. In the end, I was given the strength and wisdom I needed to get the beds apart and up the stairs. It didn't matter if the beds went upstairs today or not. I could just as easily have waited for my husband to come home and help. But it was important to me, so I was given the help I needed to do it. That is a tender mercy.
A few weeks ago, I swept off our patio for an event. The event got rained out. The next day (or the day after) my daughter dropped a glass jar and it broke. Had I not swept off the patio, I would never have been able to find and clean up all the pieces of glass. Most likely no one would have gotten seriously hurt. But it was a tender mercy that we didn't have to worry about it.
I can think of at least two instances in the past year where I have had something flammable sitting on the stove, and knob to the burner has been accidentally bumped and the burner turned on. Both times we could easily have had a fire. Both times we saw it before anything got seriously damaged. Again, the fires most likely would not have gotten big enough to hurt anyone or do any serious damage. But it was a tender mercy that we didn't have to deal with it.
Look around you. You'll be grateful for all the tender mercies.
A few weeks ago, I swept off our patio for an event. The event got rained out. The next day (or the day after) my daughter dropped a glass jar and it broke. Had I not swept off the patio, I would never have been able to find and clean up all the pieces of glass. Most likely no one would have gotten seriously hurt. But it was a tender mercy that we didn't have to worry about it.
I can think of at least two instances in the past year where I have had something flammable sitting on the stove, and knob to the burner has been accidentally bumped and the burner turned on. Both times we could easily have had a fire. Both times we saw it before anything got seriously damaged. Again, the fires most likely would not have gotten big enough to hurt anyone or do any serious damage. But it was a tender mercy that we didn't have to deal with it.
Look around you. You'll be grateful for all the tender mercies.
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