Mountains to Climb, Storms to Conquer

“If we do not have a deep foundation of faith and a solid testimony of truth, we may have difficulty withstanding the harsh storms and icy winds of adversity which inevitably come to each of us.

“Mortality is a period of testing, a time to prove ourselves worthy to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. In order for us to be tested, we must face challenges and difficulties. These can break us, and the surface of our souls may crack and crumble—that is, if our foundations of faith, our testimonies of truth are not deeply embedded within us.”  ^{Thomas S. Monson}

The First Epistle General ofPeter

Chapter 1

The trial of our faith precedes salvation—Christ was foreordained to be the Redeemer.

 1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the ^astrangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

 2 ^aElect according to the ^bforeknowledge of God the Father, through ^csanctification of the Spirit, unto ^dobedience and^esprinkling of the ^fblood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant ^amercy hath ^bbegotten us again unto a^clively ^dhope by the resurrection of ^eJesus Christ from the dead,

 4 To an ^ainheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

 5 Who are kept by the ^apower of God through ^bfaith unto salvation ^cready to be revealed in the last time.

 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a ^aseason, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold ^btemptations:

 7 That the ^atrial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the ^bappearing of Jesus Christ:

 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye seehim not, yet ^abelieving, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

 9 Receiving the ^aend of your ^bfaith, even the ^csalvation of yoursouls.

 10 Of which ^asalvation the ^bprophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it ^atestified beforehand the^bsufferings of Christ, and the ^cglory that should follow.

 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have ^apreached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the ^bangelsdesire to look into.

 13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be ^asober, and hope^bto the end for the ^cgrace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former ^alusts in your ^bignorance:

 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye ^aholy in all manner of ^bconversation;

 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am ^aholy.

 17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s ^awork, pass the time of your sojourning here in ^bfear:

 18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not ^aredeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your ^bvain conversation received by ^ctradition from your fathers;

 19 But with the precious ^ablood of Christ, as of a ^blamb without^cblemish and without spot:

 20 ^aWho verily was ^bforeordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him ^aglory; that your ^bfaith and ^chope might be in God.

 22 Seeing ye have ^apurified your ^bsouls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned ^clove of the brethren, see that ye ^dlove one another with a pure heart fervently:

 23 Being ^aborn again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and ^babideth for ever.

 24 For all ^aflesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

 25 But the ^aword of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

May My Heart be Turned to Prayer

Alma 3:  3-11

3 Do ye remember to have read what ^aZenos, the prophet of old, has said concerning prayer or ^bworship?

 4 For he said: Thou art merciful, O God, for thou hast heard my prayer, even when I was ^ain the wilderness; yea, thou wast merciful when I prayed concerning those who were mine^benemies, and thou didst turn them to me.

 5 Yea, O God, and thou wast merciful unto me when I did cry unto thee in my ^afield; when I did cry unto thee in my prayer, and thou didst hear me.

 6 And again, O God, when I did turn to my house thou didst hear me in my prayer.

 7 And when I did turn unto my ^acloset, O Lord, and prayed unto thee, thou didst hear me.

 8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou ^awilt hear them.

 9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations.

 10 Yea, and thou hast also heard me when I have been ^acast out and have been despised by mine enemies; yea, thou didst hear my cries, and wast angry with mine enemies, and thou didst ^bvisitthem in thine anger with speedy destruction.

 11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my^asincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine^bafflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, ^cbecause of thy Son.

Secret Prayer

There is an hour of peace and rest,
Unmarred by earthly care;
'Tis when before the Lord I go
And kneel in secret prayer.

May my heart be turned to pray,
Pray in secret day by day,
That this boon to mortals giv'n
May unite my soul with heav'n.

The straight and narrow way to heav'n,
Where angels bright and fair
Are singing to God's praise, is found
Thru constant secret prayer.

When sailing on life's stormy sea,
'Mid billows of despair,
'Tis solace to my soul to know
God hears my secret prayer.

When thorns are strewn along my path,
And foes my feet ensnare,
My Savior to my aid will come,
If sought in secret prayer.

Text and music: Hans Henry Petersen, 1835-1909

Sweet Hour of Prayer

Let Your Light Shine

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14–16.)

"If we live the principles of the gospel, we are the fulfillment of the Savior’s pronouncement: “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). And possessing this light, we can shine among our fellowmen through our lives and deeds, influencing them to glorify our Father in Heaven.

Jesus wants every one of us to know him because of the transforming power of that knowledge and because of the indescribable joy it brings into our lives. But the influence of the gospel is to extend beyond each individual. It is to be as a light that dispels the darkness from the lives of those around us. No one of us is saved solely and simply for himself alone, just as no lamp is lighted merely for its own benefit."

JOSEPH B. WIRTHLIN

Of the First Quorum of the Seventy

October 1978

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.
Saint Francis of Assisi