It's all about attitude

The Lord Thy God Shall Lead Thee By The Hand

Doctrine and Covenants 112:10

10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.

This time in your life is exciting and challenging.  You will have many experiences that will teach you about yourself and help you to gain a better understanding of who you are and what the Lord expects of you.   Your life has a purpose.  You will find, over the next few years, that you do not yet fully understand your purpose and what the Lord has planned for you.  I will guarantee you that your Heavenly Father has a bigger, more satisfying plan for you than you have devised for yourself.  Your Heavenly Father knows your capacity, your abilities and the path  you need to take in order to realize your full potential.  It is your job to learn to be teachable, learn to listen to the spirit and be taught by scripture study and prayer.

The scriptures contain your answers. 

John 5:39

39 ¶Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
 Matt. 22:29 Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,  The entire ministry of Jesus was spent in teaching a generation that had not understood the scriptures-- are we also that generation?  Have the scriptures become your source for answers? 
 Timothy 3: hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

 15And that from a ^achild thou hast known the holy ^bscriptures, which are able to make thee ^cwise unto ^dsalvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

 16^aAll ^bscripture is given by ^cinspiration of God, and is ^dprofitable for ^edoctrine, for ^freproof, for correction, for ^ginstruction in ^hrighteousness:

 17That the man of God may be ^aperfect, throughly furnished unto all ^bgood works.

We have been admonished to read the scriptures.  We are blessed when we read the scriptures.  A relationship with the scriptures allows us to be guided.  We need the guidance that comes through the scriptures.  In Romans 15:

 4For whatsoever things were ^awritten aforetime were ^bwritten for our ^clearning, that we through ^dpatience and comfort of the ^escriptures might have ^fhope.

The scriptures are your guide.  When we combine scripture study with prayer and journaling, we will find personal messages that will serve as a guide. 

Your purpose.

What has God got planned for you?

The oft sung primary song "I Am A Child Of God" provides a clear and simple message that can be understood by the youngest among us but is oft forgotten as we grow.  A primary child will always answer with confidence that they are, indeed, a child of God.   In the song, there is the repeated plea:" Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way, teach me all that I must do to live with Him someday".  That humble pattern will yield the hoped for results.  If we are willing to be led, guided and ask the Savior each day to walk beside us, we will find the way.   The world would have us forget this important truth.  The world would have our value tied to things of little worth.  When we limit our relationsihp with our Christ, we limit our lives.  We must learn to believe and follow the promise Christ gave in

Mark 10:27

27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

 

First and foremost, you are a child of God with unbounded potential.  You will not be able to accomplish the things of God with the perspectives of men.  When you are discouraged and forget your value and your immense worth, search the scriptures, the scriptures will point you to your worth. 

Proverbs 31:10

10 ¶Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

Moses 1:39

39 For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

You are His work, You are His Glory.  If there was only you on this earth, He would have gone to Gethsamane for one.  He would have gone for you.  When you are numbered among the lost and the wandering, He has often left the 90 and 9 to find you and He will do it again. 

We must learn to trust in Him.  He will take us by the hand and lead us. 

Isaiah 12:2

2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

 You are not alone in your forgetfullness regarding who you are, it is a weakness that many of God's chosen have struggled with-- you are one of God's chosen .  We have many examples in the scriptures where the worth and the purposes of an individual are revealed and truly surprise the individual. 

The Psalmist provides an example for each of us when we loose our conficence and forget to trust in God:

Psalms 16:1

1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust

Exodus 4:10 we have a record of Moses' reaction when He finds out his assignment from God

10 ¶And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

The Old Testament had  not yet been written, Moses did not have the opportunity to read about the things that he woudl accomplish in his lifetime.  This was at the beginning of Moses' assignment and journey (both literal and figurative).  He knew that he had shortcomings and weaknesses.  He could not yet see how God could use him as an instrument. 

Esther began to understand the importance of her role to save the Jews from certain death.  She did not know that, by marrying the king, she was prepared and in a place where she could uniquely serve. 
Ester 4
13Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king’s house, more than all the Jews.

 14For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there ^aenlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a ^btime as this? 

we read of Esther's confidence in the Lord when she asks the people to fast 3 days for her and then, she would go boldly yet humbly to the king-- with a trusting attitude "if I perish, I perish"

There will be many times in your life that you will be guided to do thing that seem to be beyond your capacity.  In every instance, you can expect help and guidance.  When your confidence wanes and when your knees begin to buckle under your load; when you move into a place where you tell yourself it's ok to stay small, remember, God knows your yesterday, your today and He knows your future.  Your future in His hands will be far beyond anything you can do on your own.  Every time you allow God to guide you, you will be prepared for things to come. 

I would like to share 3 examples in my own life that have led me to a firm belief in the truth that God will lead you by the hand and, even in times when, like Moses, you remind God of your weaknesses, God will show you how He will make your weaknesses into your strengths. 

I was 14 when I recieved my patriarchal blessing.  In my blessing, there is a phrase that indicates that my voice will be heard throughout the land.  Even now, I am not certain as to the meaning of that phrase in my life, though, I have had some indications but, at that time, it was even more curious to me.  To that point in my life, I had not had a succuessful speaking experience in church.  When I spoke in church in my youth, because of his callings my father always was on the stand.  I sat next to him in anticipation before each talk.  I prepared thoroughly before the talk, practiced in front of the mirror, did everything that I could think of to prepare.  When the time came for me to get up and speak, I would be overcome with fear.  There were times when I stood up at the pulpit silent, except for the sounds of my sobs-- I was gripped with fear and couldn't begin-- more than once, my father fininshed my talk..  I once handed my father my talk  before I got up because I had already started sobbing.  This good man got up and gave my talk and tried to ease my obvious pain.  Fast forward 25 years and, professionally, I have been a teacher and professional speaker-- conducinting 8 hour training sessions to crowds of hundreds in large presentation rooms.  God took my weakness and my self-doubt and helped me to overcome and move to a place where I could trust Him and He could trust me to be prepared and available. 

Heavenly Father prepares us. 

Doctrine and Covenants 133:4

4 Wherefore, prepare ye, prepare ye, O my people; sanctify yourselves; gather ye together, O ye people of my church, upon the land of Zion, all you that have not been commanded to tarry.

What are you doing to prepare yourself to answer a call to serve?  How are you preparing to be ready when He needs to teach you about yourself?  When you are prompted to move out of your comfort zone, are you talking yourself out of it?  Are you giving yourself reasons to stay comfortable? 

I have done that more times than I would like to admit.  There is one example that has stung over the years as I have looked back:
Two years after I finished my bachelor's degree program, I was living in Provo teaching school.  A dear childhood friend of mine, Craig Wilson, asked me if I wanted to go on a trip to Europe with him and some of his friends.  It would require that I take off a few days, I believe it was a week, from my teaching job.  He and his friends were going to be staying at hostels and backpacking, but he wanted me to go and accompany his mother (also a dear friend) who would be staying in nice hotels across Europe.  I said no.  I didn't pray about it, I didn't think about it.  I had money in the bank and could have afforded it.  I didnt think that I could get the time off work to go and so, I didn't.  Had I prayed, I am certain the door would have been opened.   I know that not because it was about Europe and travel that the Lord would have prompted me, but, because of an experience I had 5 years later. 

5 years later, a different friend suggested that I go, this time to england.  He was a student there at Oxford and thought that I should see the wonderful city of Oxford.  remembering my regret from the last time I had such an opportunity, this time I found a way.  I took 5 days off of my teaching job and gathered up the courage to get on a plane by myself to England.  I navigated the London airport on my own, changed my money, found the right bus and headed to the town of Oxford.  That trip changed my life and introduced me to my next step in life.  Within 10 months, I made that same trip again, this time, as a student at Oxford. 

My plans for me in my life were not this big.  Oxford was a tremendous, intimidating, exhilerating experience that is a gift that God gave me.  I got a degree, but much more importantly, I uncovered a part of myself that I did not know.  I am a woman that can travel and live comfortably in other places.  I am a writer.  I love to write and did not know that about myself until I went to Oxford.  I shared the gospel, served in the church, and found an academic drive within me that I had not previously understood. 

As I drove through the city of Oxford the first day on a bus, it truly took my breath away.  I knew that I was led there for a purpose. I have had this experience repeated a few other times in my life:  the first time I met my husband, and the first time I was able to look into the eyes of each of my three children.  These are some of the things that God had prepared for me and led me to that I had scarce imagined possible.  The sacred nature of God's plan for you is real.  You will have moments when you recognize that you are on your path and that He is specifically leading you on your path.  The path that He has prepared for you. 


I learned that there are untold blessings awaiting when I follow the guidance of the spirit.  I have been led to blessings and experiences that i would not have created for myself but were uniquely designed for me. 

I have been guided to most important blessings of my life.  I went on the one last set up date,  you need to know, I went on more than 100 set up dates, but,  against my better judgement (complaining all the way) I went on this one, because I felt like I should-- and that one was different.  My last set up would end in a celestial marriage.    My husband is truly a light in my life and a blessing that was beyond my hopes.  I had no idea what it would mean to me to have someone that always has my back-- that always has my best interest and my personal growth and his priority. 

We have been guided in regards to things spiritutal and things that seemed temporal.  We have been blessed as we followed. 

Your Heavenly Father has a larger plan for you than you can imagine right now.  You will find that plan through prayer, you will uncover it in your scripture study.  You will know the message is for you when you are listening to a talk in conference and the spirit speaks to you.   This is a time for you to stay more focused on the presence of the spirit in your life than you have ever done previuosly.  Don't miss His whisperings.  Don't go a day without Him.  You cannot afford to miss this.   Dedicate yourself to a study of the gospel.  The church is so interested in you and knows how vital this time of your life is.  As a church, we will loose 1/2 of your age group.  We need you and you need the church.  Remember that  you need the church and that you have covenented to be here and to bring others with you.  Spiritual development has to move up on your list of priorities in your life and stay there throughout your life. The world wants you to think you are avereage, normal, with nothing specific or fabulous to contribute.  Your contribution will be most obvious to  you when you allow for still and quiet moments.   I don't know what God has planned for you, I do know it is spectacular.  It will not be the same as my path, but it will be as satisfying, as difficult, as exhilierating and it will suit you.  You will meet a part of you that you don't know yet.  This is part of the joy that He wants  you to experience.  You are His child and He has a path for you.

Doctrine and Covenants 112:10

10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.

Obedience depends on Trust

In Job 38:7 we are told that in the beginning, “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy”

We shouted for joy at the opportunity and blessing of this day—of each day. 

God tell us in Moses 1:39 just how important we each are

“For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man”

We are His work.  We are His glory. 

God told Jerimiah that before he came to earth, he was known of God and was given a specific calling to accomplish on earth. 

We are His work.  We are His glory. 

God has a plan for each of us.  He answers our prayers, He guides our life, He prompts and directs us on our path. 

In primary, the children are learning a beautiful song that truly captures this very individual message:

Jesus is my Savior, I’m His precious Lamb

Tenderly He guides me, with His gentle hand

Calm are waters where He leads

Green are pastures where He feeds me

Jesus is my Savior, He loves me.

Jesus is my Savior, Jesus knows my name,

For His sheep are numbered, each He loves the same

If my tiny feet should roam, He would seek to bring me home.

Jesus is my Savior, He loves me.  He loves me. 

Is there a more important message?  What a gift the primary is to my life.  What a gift the primary songs have been throughout my life.  Jesus Is my Savior, He loves me. 

We are His work.  We are His glory.  He leads us and He feeds us.  He has a plan for us—for me, for you. 

It is our task to trust His plan for us.  When our life is difficult, we need to trust His plan.  When our life seems to be just going along without a bump, we need to expect a bump and trust His plan.  When we are in pain and wondering if He still has a plan for us, we need to trust His plan. 

Proverbs 3.5-6

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thing own understaning.  In all they ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths”

This life is not a guessing game.  He WILL direct your path.

 There have been so many times in my life that my life has taken an unexpected, usually abrupt turn—and, my first reaction is typically fear.  When I remember to trust, I begin to see a path. 

Lead, Kindly Light

"Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th'encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus,
nor prayed that Thou shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path;
but now lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!

So long Thy power hath blest me,
sure it still will lead me on.
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent,
till the night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile, which I
Have loved long since, and lost awhile!

Meantime, along the narrow rugged path,
Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith,
home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting life."

For many years, I wanted to see the whole path.  I wanted assurance that God did have a plan for me.  I wanted to know how many days, weeks, months and oh, please, please not years, before God was going to fulfill His promises to me.  In truth, I still find myself wanting to see the whole path, but, I am getting better at ‘one step enough for me’

I have found that my greatest blessings have come while learning to wait for the Lord to answer my prayers.    What I wanted immediately, He gave me gradually. 

When I was 19, I came to a point of crisis in my testimony.  I knew that I needed to know,  without a doubt, whether Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and whether the Book of Mormon was true.  I knew that if I didn’t know this, I couldn’t keep moving forward in my testimony.  I spent two agonizing weeks in prayer and study and thought.  I expected the answer to come quickly.  It was a righteous desire and I wanted to know truth.  The answer didn’t come immediately like I expected, it didn’t come the first day, it didn’t come after the first time I fasted.  It didn’t come at the end of the first week.  It came, but it didn’t come out of a casual curiosity.  It came because I realized I desperately needed to know.  When it came, I knew.  That two week period, seems short in retrospect but, thankfully, the experience of needing to know and begging God for an answer is still fresh in my heart and in my memory.  The answer came with such an overwhelming reassuring still, small voice.  I remember where I was standing,  I remember how quickly it came.  I wasn’t praying at the time.  I was standing, looking at a bookshelf.  The answer came unmistakably.   I knew and I knew God answered me. 

There have been countless times when I have been prompted to do something—to go on an errand for the Lord.  Sometimes, I have been blessed enough to know that the prompting that I received to serve or help someone else was an answer to a prayer. 

My sister Lori was here a few weeks ago and reminded me of a time when she was struggling and I was guided to literally answer her prayer. 

Her husband was out of town for a few months and she had four small children.  She was exhausted, afraid, and worn out.  She knelt down and told Heavenly Father she needed help.  Moments later, I knocked on her door.  I lived in Provo and she lived in Las Vegas.  I had driven down to surprise her on what I thought was a whim.  

Oh, how important it is to trust Heavenly Father’s promptings. 

I was having an especially difficult time one night just before Thanksgiving.  The thought of having my husband gone for many more months was weighing on my mind.  I lay awake with a heavy heart asking God to help me figure out how to get through the next days, weeks, months.  Where to start, how to find peace and joy during this experience.    Alan had just arrived at his assigned military post and we were not always successful in getting daily phone calls.  The anxiety of not being able to talk to him when I needed to was weighing down on me.  As I was explaining this to my Heavenly Father in prayer, my phone rang.  Alan called.  The effect of that 2 minute phone call was all that I needed to get my perspective back.  Alan had a few minutes of down time and decided that, even though it was near midnight for me, he would call.  

I was blessed to be a teacher for many years.  There are many sweet experiences that I could share from that period of my life.  Two tender memories come to mind:

There was a boy named Michael that came to my class in the spring of the school year.  Michael was in foster care and he really struggled to find friends.  He was a hard child to connect to.  I had not quite pieced the different stories of his recent life together into a cogent story.  He had come from out of state and was hoping to reunite with is family soon.  His mother was too ill to care for her seven children but, he was hopeful that she would be able to bring the children back together soon.  One day, after Michael had been in my class for almost a month, I learned that Michael’s mother had passed away.  He asked me if I would come to the funeral.  I told him that I would.  The morning of the funeral, I had meetings that lasted longer than usual.  I had a very busy day and I was trying to tell myself that I would not be noticed at the funeral.   I considered not going to the funeral and then decided that I would go to the building and make a quick stop at the viewing and make sure Michael saw me and then slip out.  I drove to the building and Michael was standing at the door.  He had been waiting for me at the door.  Other people had tried to coax him back into the viewing but, he said that he had to wait for me.  He ran out to meet me.  Gave me a hug and brought me into the viewing where he proceeded to introduce me to 15-20 people.  He kept saying, “I knew you would come”.  It took my breath away when I realized how close I had come to letting this little boy down. 

One of my favorite stories is not about me at all but about two boys that I taught.  Rick and Ryan.  Rick was an all American kid.  He was a red-head freckle faced ten year old that had more energy than ten children combined.  He always had a grin on his face and was always out for fun.  Ryan was an autistic boy in my class.  I was team teaching with another teacher that year and we integrated the special education students into the other 5^th grade class.  Ryan had limited language skills and had a difficult time in structured situations.  He had a delightful personality and many wonderful personality traits.  Ryan’s mother called me one Monday morning with an obviously tearful voice as she related this story:

“ On Saturday afternoon,  a ten-year old Rick rang the doorbell.  Rick asked if he could take Ryan for a ride on the back of his banana seat bike and go around the neighborhood for 10 or 15 minutes. ( Rick had found a banana seat at a thrift store, put it on his bike and headed right over to Ryan’s house.  He had not seen these seats before and thought this one would be perfect for gving rides) Rick told Ryan’s mom that he knew Ryan would be ok with it because Ryan was his friend from school.  Ryan’s mom said ‘Karen, in the ten years of Ryan’s life, I have never had someone come to the door and say Can Ryan come out to play?” 

This dear sweet Rick, did what he always did—he went out of his way to be a friend. 

Oh how important it is to trust promptings.  To trust that God’s plan for us is our plan.  That every day we have a work to do.  That each stage of our life requires our prayer and willing heart.  Jesus knows your name. 

Elijah 1 K 17

 8¶And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

 9Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a ^awidow woman there to sustain thee.

 10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

 11And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of ^abread in thine hand.

 12And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

 13And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and

14For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.

 15And she ^awent and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

 16And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

 17¶And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his ^asickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

 18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my ^asin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

 19And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

 20And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

 21And he ^astretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s ^bsoul come into him again.

 22And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he ^arevived.

 23And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy ^ason liveth.

 24¶And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.

As is often the case for us, this woman took courage and followed God against what seemed to be her best plan at the time.  She had no more food and no means of procuring more food.  God sent His prophet and asked this widow to serve.  She served to her capacity and God blessed her for a long time to come.  The service was for the prophet as the widow thought that it was, but, God, in his abundant efficiency also used the opportunity to put a mirror up to the woman so that she could see herself anew. 

Oh how important it is to trust promptings.  To trust that God’s plan for us is our plan.  That every day we have a work to do.  That each stage of our life requires our prayer and willing heart.  Jesus knows your name. 

In a conference talk given in April 2005, President Erying reminded us:

“So, the great test of life is to see whether we will hearken to and obey God’s commands in the midst of the storms of life. It is not to endure storms, but to choose the right while they rage. And the tragedy of life is to fail in that test and so fail to qualify to return in glory to our heavenly home.

…  He later provided this guidance:

Let me suggest to you four settings in which to practice quick and steady obedience. One is the command to feast upon the word of God. A second is to pray always. A third is the commandment to be a full-tithe payer. And the fourth is to escape from sin and its terrible effects. Each takes faith to start and then to persevere. And all can strengthen your capacity to know and obey the Lord’s commands.

In D&C 122: 7  Joseph Smith receives sobering counsel from the Lord.  Joseph was a prisoner in Liberty jail.  He must have been worried for his life, for his little family, for his wife, for the people of the church.  This counsel was given a little more than 5 years before his death.  In verse 7, God makes an ominous list of the many earthly things that can and have come up against the prophets of God, at the end of the list is the counsel that was important for Joseph that day and important for us each day as well”…know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good”

God takes what we consider catastrophes and forms them for our good.  Know that the pain in your life, if you yoke yourself to God, will always come to good for you.  This was God’s promise to Joseph Smith and is counsel for each of us. 

In the heavens, we shouted for joy at the news that we would come here to live on earth and to experience mortality.  We have been told by God that we are His work, we are His glory.  We have been told in prayers and blessings that God has a plan for us.  We are having experiences.  God taught us through His words to Joseph Smith that we should value experiences.  We need experiences.  We need opposition.  We need to learn to trust God.  When we trust God, we want to obey His words and stay on His path. 

May we each turn toward God in our hearts and expand our trust in Him enough to obey His promptings and His commandments.   

Lead, kindly thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene --one step enough for me.

A house is just a house

Today, I signed the papers to sell the house in South Jordan!  We started building the house six years ago, our relationship with the house has lasted much longer than we'd hoped.

 As I was waiting for the notary at the bank. I had a few minutes so I read 1 Ne.  In chapter 2, it refers to Lehi's family moving from their home and leaving their belongings behind.  It seems that Lehi had much in the way of possessions, gold, silver, precious things, land, a house, when he left, he took very little with him:
"...and took nothin with him, save it were his family and provisions" (Ne 2:4).  Lehi traveled into the wilderness for three days, set up a tent and built an alter of stones, made an offering "and gave thanks unto the Lord our God"

Lehi gave thanks to God for guiding him.  Lehi went from having riches to living in the wilderness.  There is such a strong visual offered of the polar opposite in the description of Lehi's faithful journey.  Lehi begins with, what seems to be exceptional wealth and prominence in Jerusalem.  Upon leaving Jerusalem, Nephi's description of his father's new status is simply stated "and my fatehr dwelt in a tent" (Ne 2:15).

Lehi gave thanks upon leaving all things behind.  He truly was not tied to his belongings, in fact, he had his family and, for that reason, he had enough and he gave thanks. 

"Poor Me-ness" service remedy

I was wallowing in my “poor me-ness” with the pressures that I feel  and the general “overwhelmedness” of dealing with all things for everyone today.  I keep trying to figure out ways to solve all things.  It is all fine and we are fine, but, I get myself carried away and worked up.  My perspective came when I went to take 72 year-old friend to run some errands. 

Every time I feel sad for myself, I get a different perspective: 

Her husband was in Vietnam, he called her once. It was a different time back then, so, letters every few weeks were the only form of communication.  She can’t remember how long he was in Vietnam.  She had three small children when he was gone. 

She lives off of her ex-husband’s pension and counts each penny.  She is simple and gets excited about the small things in life.  She lives in the same complex for almost 30 years and gets excited when the maintenance people do the smallest repair for her.  She hugs the children that live in her complex and she knows the name of every repair man and knows their life story.  She showed me the paint job that they did this last time and how much better it is than any other time they have come in to paint.  To me, it looked like white paint on an old wall. 

Right now, I am myopic.  There may be a time, maybe in 40 years, when someone will ask me about this year and I won’t remember things about it.  I won’t remember how I felt, I might not remember the details of the pressures I feel (after all, I thought I wouldn’t forget a moment of the cuteness of the first year of my children’s lives….and we all know how that turns out even 3 years later…).   I was shocked when my friend told me she didn't remember how long her husband had been gone-- I am counting the days right now.  The sting of the time apart my fade somewhat, but, the time apart will certainly be a landmark in our life. 

When I miss my husband, I am missing a good, kind faithful husband and a devoted father.  I need to spend time being grateful that I have such a high quality man in my life—even if he doesn’t live at my house, he is good and I am blessed.