Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Be Thou Humble

Be thou humble in thy weakness, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee,
Shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers.
Be thou humble in thy pleading, and the Lord thy God shall bless thee,
Shall bless thee with a sweet and calm assurance that he cares.
Be thou humble in thy calling, and the Lord thy God shall teach thee
To serve his children gladly with a pure and gentle love.
Be thou humble in thy longing, and the Lord thy God shall take thee,
Shall take thee home at last to ever dwell with him above.

Grietje Terburg Rowley



Sunday, February 15, 2009

sunshine in my soul


Looking on the Positive Side

"You have a choice. You can wring your hands and be consumed with concern for the future or choose to use the counsel the Lord has given to live with peace and happiness in a world awash with evil. If you choose to concentrate on the dark side, this is what you will see. . . . Now the brighter side. Despite pockets of evil, the world overall is majestically beautiful, filled with many good and sincere people. God has provided a way to live in this world and not be contaminated by the degrading pressures evil agents spread throughout it. You can live a virtuous, productive, righteous life by following the plan of protection created by your Father in Heaven: His plan of happiness."

Richard G. Scott, "How to Live Well amid Increasing Evil," Ensign, May 2004, 100


There is sunshine in my soul today,
More glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky,
For Jesus is my light.

O there's sunshine, blessed sunshine,
While the peaceful, happy moments roll;
When Jesus shows His smiling face
There is sunshine in my soul.

There is music in my soul today,
A carol to my King;
And Jesus, listening, can hear
The song I cannot sing.
There is springtime in my soul today,
For when the Lord is near
The dove of peace sings in my heart,
The flowers of grace appear.

There is gladness in my soul today,
And hope, and praise, and love,
For blessings which He gives me now,
For joys laid up above.

Monday, February 9, 2009



"I love Him. 
I speak the name of Jesus Christ in reverence and wonder. 
He is our King, our Lord, our Master, 
the living Christ, who stands on the right hand of His Father. 
He lives! 
He lives, resplendent and wonderful,
 the living Son of the living God."
-Gordon B. Hinckley



I know that my Redeemer lives;
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my ever living Head.

He lives to bless me with His love,
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.

He lives triumphant from the grave,
He lives eternally to save,
He lives all glorious in the sky,
He lives exalted there on high.

He lives to grant me rich supply,
He lives to guide me with His eye,
He lives to comfort me when faint,
He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all blessings to impart.

He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly Friend,
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives, and I shall conquer death:
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.

He lives, all glory to His Name!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same.
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives,
I know that my Redeemer lives!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

ministering angels



Last week I was listening to some inspirational talks on KBYU. 
Two of the talks just happened to be about ministering angels.  
I reflected on this, as I often have.  
I then attended the church service that my husband and I coordinate at an assisted living center in town.  
The main talk was on the ministering of angels.  
It took me by surprise and wondered if there was something I needed to know personally about angels and our journey here on this earth.  
Two key phrases stuck in my head. 
1.  Ministering angels are around you.
2.  You can be a ministering angel here on this earth.
These phrases filled me with warmth and peace.  
I in fact know that there are individuals from the other side of this veil of life that cheer us on.  I have felt this, especially in difficult times. 
I liked the concept that we on this earth could be 
used as a ministering angel, as well.  
'I want to be an angel', I thought. 
Truly.  I do. How do I become an angel?
Then I realized, I'd like to thank those angels who have helped me over the years.
Living, and on the other side.
I feel a great deal of gratitude for them.  
More than they will ever know. 
So, Thank You, dear angels.
I appreciate your following the light of Christ, your comfort, your intervention.
It is a sacred and rare gift.
I love you.

************

"I would like to say a word about the ministering of angels. 
In ancient and modern times angels have appeared and given instruction, warnings, and direction, which benefited the people they visited. 
We do not consciously realize the extent to 
which ministering angels affect our lives. 
President Joseph F. Smith said, 
“In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, 
may have a mission given them 
to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, 
bringing from the divine Presence messages of 
love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, 
to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.”  
Many of us feel that we have had this experience. 
Their ministry has been and is an important part of the gospel."


James E. Faust, “A Royal Priesthood,” Ensign, May 2006, 50–53

Can you identify times in your life when you felt a presence was helping you?