On a new note....

I think that I thoroughly enjoy this whole Blog thing. It's easier to write stuff down-but it's not so personnal. I appreciate everyone's concerns who read my last blog :-)

THIS blog however, is more about my spiritual contemplation and findings from this past week. Sunday morning in our ward mission meeting, Heath gave our spiritual thought. He shared a scripture from Ether talking about faith and how in order to receive from God, we need to have faith first. We can't test God. It doesn't work that way. I need to have faith that He knows what I need and will give it to me in order to receive from Him. FAITH FIRST.
My second little tid bit is about my scripture reading. It's been awful. I don't think I've picked up my Book of Mormon or my Bible to read in a very long time other than to bring them to church. SO I'm not learning anything new, I'm not feeding myself everyday and I believe that talking to people about the gospel would be way easier for me if I knew what I was talking about. And I have a newfound desire and motivation to read them again :-)

OH! And I really appreciate Institute choir. It's not often that a song can really touch my heart the way "Draw Near" and "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee" have. Both of which are found in the Doctrine and Covenants. "Kindness" was the song we sang tonight that is beautiful. Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail, feeling absolutely abandoned by God and he wrote "Where art thou?" The Lord responded: the lyrics of the song are as follows:

"For a little while Have I forsaken thee,
But with great mercies will I gather thee.
In a little wrath I hid my face from thee,
For a moment.
But with everlasting kindness will I gather thee,
And with mercy will I take thee 'neath my wings,
For the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed,
And the valleys shall be lost beneatht the sea.
But know, my child,
My kindness shall not depart from thee.
Though thine afflictions seem at times too great to bear,
I know thine every thought and every care.
And though the very jaws of hell gape after thee,
I am with thee.
And with everlasting mercy will I succor thee,
And with healing will I take thee 'neath my wings.
Though the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed and the valleys shall be lost beneath the sea,
Know my child,
My kindness shall not depart from thee!
How long can rolling waters remain impure?
What power shall stay the hand of God?
The Son of Man hath descended below all things.
Art thou greater than He?
So hold thy way,
For I shall be with thee.
And mine angels shall encircle thee.
Doubt not what thou knowest,
Fear not man, for he cannot hurt thee.
And with everlasting kindness will I succor thee,
And with mercy will I take thee 'neath my wings.
For the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed and the valleys shall be lost beneath the sea.
But know my child,
My kindness shall not depart from thee."

This goes hand in hand with faith, and if Joseph Smith could struggle this much with His faith in feeling abandoned by God, then why in the world wouldn't I have the same struggle? This kind of was a wake up call in a way for me because I know that He won't abandon me, or any of us. He is there and will help us through if we have faith first that He will. "It will be but a small moment."

P.S. You should all come see it performed or visit institute choir to hear it sometime. It's wonderful :)