Charity

What I am Thankful for

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, this is what I am thankful for (in no particular order):
1.  My family
2.  My health
3.  The health of my family
4.  Repentance
5.  Jesus Christ
6.  My faith
7.  My friends
8.  My dog
9.  A house to sleep in every night.
10.  A warm winter coat.
11.  I have a daily abundance of food.
12.  My son's laughter.
13.  My daughter's art pictures.
14.  The scriptures
15.  Living in a free country where I am free to home school my children and go to any church I choose.
16.  Modern medicine
17.  The Internet
18.  Telephones
19.  Ease of transportation
20.  Having all of my monetary needs met by a hard-working husband and a loving Heavenly Father

Strong Women

A sweet sister makes hand-outs for Primary, Young Women's and Relief Society.

You can find all of her handouts here.

Joshua 1:9

Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

The Value of Work

"If we learn to work early in life we will be better individuals, better members of families, better

neighbors, and better disciples of 

Jesus Christ."

Friend, June 1975

The Reason for the Season-unknown author

T’was the month before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*

*Not a Christian was praying*

*Nor taking a stand.*

*See the PC Police had taken away,*

*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*

*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*

* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*

*Something was changing, something quite odd! *

*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*

*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*

* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was nowhere to be found.*

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*

*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*

*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*

*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*

*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*

*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*

*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*

*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

not Happy Holiday !*

Faith in Every Footstep

President Faust teach us to exercise faith as we are tested.

Each of us needs to have our own storehouse of faith to help us rise above the troubles that are part of this mortal life.

Thomas Giles, a Welsh convert who joined the Church in 1844, suffered much in his lifetime. He was a miner, and while he was digging coal in the mine, a large piece of coal hit him on the head and made a wound nine inches (23 cm) long. The doctor who examined him said the injured man would not live longer than 24 hours. But then the elders came and blessed him. He was promised that he would get well and that “even if he would never see again, he would live to do much good in the Church.” Brother Giles did indeed live but was blind the rest of his life.

In 1856 Brother Giles and his family moved to Utah, but before he left his homeland, the Welsh Saints presented him with a harp, which he learned to play well. At Council Bluffs, Iowa, he joined a handcart company and headed west. “Though blind he pulled a handcart from Council Bluffs to Salt Lake City.” While crossing the plains his wife and two children died. “His sorrow was great and his heart almost broken, but his faith did not fail him.” When Brother Giles arrived in Salt Lake City, President Brigham Young, who had heard his story, loaned Brother Giles a valuable harp until his own arrived from Wales. Brother Giles “traveled from settlement to settlement in Utah, … gladdening the hearts of the people with his sweet music.”

We all face trials. Members in the early days of the Church were tested and refined when they had to decide if they had the faith, like Brother Giles, to put their belongings in a wagon or a pioneer handcart and travel across the American plains. Some did not have the faith. Those who did traveled “with faith in every footstep.”

In our time we are going through an increasingly difficult time of refining and testing. None of us knows the wisdom of the Lord. We do not know in advance exactly how He will get us from where we are to where we need to be. We encounter many bumps, bends, and forks in the road of life that leads to the eternities.

As we live on earth we must walk in faith, nothing doubting. We have much reason to hope. Joy can be ours if we are willing to sacrifice all for the Lord. Then we can look forward to the priceless possibility of overcoming all the challenges of this life. Then we will be with the Savior forever.

Be Not Discouraged by Eliza R. Snow

Though deepening trials throng your way,
Press on, press on, ye Saints of God!
Ere long the resurrection day
Will spread its light and truth abroad.

Though outward ills await us here,
The time at longest is not long
Ere Jesus Christ will reappear,
Surrounded by a glorious throng.

Lift up your hearts in praise to God;
Let your rejoicings never cease;
Though tribulations rage abroad,
Christ says, "In me ye shall have peace."

What though our rights have been assailed?
What though by foes we've been despoiled?
Jehovah's promise has not failed;
Jehovah's purpose is not foiled.

His work is moving on apace,
And great events are rolling forth;
The kingdom of the latter days,
The "little stone," must fill the earth.

Though Satan rage, 'tis all in vain;
The words the ancient Prophet spoke,
Sure as the throne of God remain;
Nor man nor devils can revoke.

All glory to his holy name
Who sends his faithful servants forth
To prove the nations, to proclaim
Salvation's tidings through the earth.