Dad's papers

 55- (2/26/24)  Hello Family, This weekend I finished reading  A Marvelous Work and Wonder.   I haven’t read that book since my mission as it was one of the books we were encouraged to read. Reading and studying it these past couple of months in combination with studying the Book of Mormon for Come Follow Me this year has been really eye opening for me. It is crazy to me to stop and think of all that we know and believe because of the Book of Mormon. Not just what is in the book itself, but because of all the truths that come with it, mainly the knowledge of living prophets. Consider all that you know and believe because of the restoration of the Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. All the knowledge and understanding we have from the Revelations of the Doctrine and Covenants, as well as the truths taught in Pearl of Great Price.  Sometimes we lose sight of how blessed we really are to know all that we know. It really is mind boggling. As I was reading ...

  Seth and Sadie, I have been thinking about and praying for both of you often this week. I know that it has been a difficult week, so I wanted to send you an email this morning letting you both know that there are much brighter days ahead. Every family has their own way of studying Come Follow Me, there isn’t a right or wrong way, just as the Spirit guides us. The important thing is that we are taking the time as individuals and as families to implement it. As I was studying it this week, I couldn’t help but feel grateful that this particular lesson of 2Nephi Chapters 3-5 fell this week. It is a message that I know will bring you both so much peace, comfort, and direction moving forward. Please take the time, if you haven’t already, to study these chapters, particularly the Psalm of Nephi in chapter 4: 15-35. The power that can come to you as you seek to apply it in your lives is undeniable and life changing. I know that things you have shared with mama this week, and gave her per...

 54- 2/19/24 Good Morning Family, I know I may have shared this with most of you before, but a couple of things really stood out to me in Come Follow Me this week, and so I will share them again and invite you to go and study them more on your own. As we read the stories of Lehi and his family we seldom think of the Priesthood power he held. The same Plan of Salvation that God has taught to us through prophets is the same Plan for Lehi and his family. Therefore needed Priesthood keys to perform sacred saving ordinances, binding his family to God through covenants existed in their time as well. These covenants were given to them for the same reason they are given to us, to give us the strength and power to see us through mortality’s journey, guiding us back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. They serve to protect us against all the distractions and negative influences of the adversary, and mostly importantly point us to Jesus Christ. Though the Nephites kept the Law of Moses, t...

 53- 2/12/24 This week I spent some time listening and studying again President Nelson’s address  Think Celestial . The invitation this week is to consider how to apply the prophet’s teachings into our everyday lives. Everyone of us will be different, but the source of strength is the same. (I’ve put in quotations the prophets words below) “Today, to assist you to qualify for the rich blessings Heavenly Father has for you, I invite you to adopt the practice of “thinking celestial”! “During my healing, the Lord has manifested His divine power in peaceful and unmistakable ways.” Think of a struggle you have had, or are having…. List the unmistakable ways you have felt power and peace in your struggle. Being able to see His hand in our lives is a major part of the power we receive.  “An understanding of God’s fabulous plan takes the mystery out of life and the uncertainty out of our future.” Take a minute to ponder this truth. We never have to feel uncertain about our futu...

52-  2/5/24 (waiting on the Lord) Happy Monday!  I thought I would share a thought from our Stake Conference this past weekend that stood out to me. I could relate it to my current work situation, but I’m sure we each can find relatable application of this same principle. If I were to pick a theme of the conference it would best described by Isaiah 55:8-9 - “ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” When we are spiritually minded we can more easily see God’s hand in our day to day lives, even if it is not in the way or time we would wish for. But the Spirit whispers to us that we can patiently wait for something better, enabling us to feel peace and purpose in the waiting, and trust that everything is going to work out for our good in the meantime. When our mental view is consumed with the world around us, all tha...