Blue + yellow = green.
Blue=initial reaction to trials
Yellow=God’s response to prayers
Green=courage and determination enhanced as a result of prayer
The formula is clear in Alma 58:9-13. Just read the highlighted words and apply them to a challenge that you are facing. This formula has worked for me my whole life.
I saw this image from the upcoming release of the film about Helaman’s army and it really affected me. This story from the Book of Mormon has found new pockets of meaning throughout the years of my motherhood. Even in these final months with a child at home, this story has fed my courage and resolve to be a valiant mother.
In family life, I have needed to be creative and determined in order to teach the gospel. Even now, as the last child moves outside my orbit, I am trying new methods, hoping to reach him in more effective ways.
Over the years I have learned to be more vulnerable and brief in my teaching, distilling my words to bring the most impact. No lecturing, no ranting, just direct, clear ideas are the goal.
I want my faith to be clear to them because their battles are real.
Enjoyed: an evening at Young Women’s camp with the bishopric.
Finished: 18 pages of visa application forms and instructions with Mark.
Played: a piano and violin duet on Sunday with Mark at church.
Wrote: a song for Primary Day Camp for guitar, voices, and percussion.
Struggling with: sleep while Richard has been away at Young Men’s camp.
Looking forward to: Mark’s senior piano recital.
Preparing: pepperoni rolls for dinner.
Loving: strawberry season.
Reading: The Count of Monte Cristo.
Collecting: so many screenshots of our grandson during video calls. 😍
Procrastinating: weeding the back flower bed.
A current favorite Book of Mormon phrase: “Publish peace.”
And how blessed are they! For they did publish peace; they did publish good tidings of good; and they did declare unto the people that the Lord reigneth.
Mosiah 27:37
In Ether 1 of the Book of Mormon it says that the prophet prayed for his family and friends who were refugees looking for a home. The Lord had compassion and told him to prepare to go to a choice land “…because this long time ye have cried unto me.” (Ether 1:43)
So, does this mean that all we need to do to get what we want is to pray long enough and hard enough?
I don’t think this is how things work. Jesus taught in the parable of the unjust judge that a corrupt official will show mercy just to be rid of someone who asks and asks for something, but God is surely better than that. (Luke 18:1-8)
I don’t think that the brother of Jared wearied the Lord or wore him down with requests so he finally said, fine, have what you want. I think this story illustrates how prayer makes us ready to receive the huge blessings that the Lord already has waiting for us.
In other words, prayer doesn’t chip away at the Lord’s iron will to withhold blessings. Rather, prayer chips away at our own wills and our pride, and helps prepare us to level up in understanding and joy.
After all, we pray to a God who knows our needs before they are spoken. (Matthew 6:33) So, prayer isn’t about informing Him of needs, but connecting with Him.
Please don’t let your prayers sound like a shopping list. The Lord’s perspective transcends your mortal wisdom.
President Russell M Nelson
Prayer is the vehicle for us to understand that God is there. He gets us. He will bless us in ways that will ultimately help us return to Him, and often that means He doesn’t remove every pain right away.
Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses- yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen!
President Russell M Nelson
Pray to have eyes to see God’s hand in your life and in the world around you. Ask him to tell you if He is really there-if He knows you. Ask him how He feels about you. And then listen.
President Russell M Nelson
I pray for an evolving list of people by name, but I have changed how I pray for them. I used to kind of whine and beg. Okay, I still do that sometimes. But, more and more, prayer has become the moment in the day where I can tell God that I trust Him with these precious people and that I trust His wisdom and His power to help. Sometimes during prayer I will quote a scripture of praise. This has been a helpful shift in how I approach my Father in Heaven in prayer.
We finished a very intense ward conference season on Sunday and I feel a mixture of emotions. As stake Primary president, I have had speaking assignments, teaching opportunities, and ministering visits which have taken my energy and some of my health (cold and flu season stuff), but I miraculously rallied each weekend thanks to the prayers of good friends.
I have felt the love of God for his children, and Primary children in every ward were well behaved and anxious to participate. I have seen a leap in their knowledge and understanding during the past few years because families are teaching them from the scriptures at home. The Come Follow Me program has amazing results!
The passing of my first counselor Anne’s husband in the midst of these conferences has been a source of deep sadness. These words from the Book of Mormon are true of my inspired and faithful presidency, “But behold, they have received many wounds; nevertheless, they stand fast.” (Alma 58:40)
Here are some words from the song that I taught in each Primary that summarize my thoughts, “I know He lives, I will follow faithfully, my heart I give to him, I know that my Savior loves me.”
Sometimes life is going just fine when I arrive at the war chapters in the Book of Mormon and I feel a little inconvenienced. On happy days there is rarely something in these chapters for me, so I read the words and move on.
This time as I have been reading the war chapters, life has been more complicated. “Oh, great,” I thought, “just what I need right now, stories about war.”
I was wrong. I have needed those war chapters during February 2024. I have needed the words of resolve that were uttered during those icky times. Concrete examples of faith. A script for how to face a daunting task. Reassurance that it will all be okay. Heroes. Miracle stories.
The editorial lens of Mormon is fantastic in these chapters.
Joseph Smith is a prophet.
This book brings me unto Christ.
I love it all. Even the war chapters.
In mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I had never before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.
1 Nephi 11:1
I’ve heard it said that when the Lord has something to teach you, he needs to separate you from what you know. This has been true for me.
Removed from the familiar and the comfortable, we are in a position to level up in our understanding and even our joy.
So often I catch myself praying for my family to be protected from pain, when I should be praying that they will know God better because of their experiences.