April Highlights

This is how I feel after listening to #GeneralConference

I am always uplifted! Yet at the same time I often see how far I need to go. But clearly over and over the theme from our church leaders is that we are never alone in progressing. And there is an abundant amount of Hope to carry us along that journey.

So may this simple primary song bring you a bit of comfort today.

Today there is a reason to hope.

I just loved Elder Uchtdorf’s conference talk.

I especially loved near the end when he asked us what would happen if the Savior came to church or our home.

I had the privilege of being in the Hill Cumorah Pageant when I was 20 years old. Part of that experience was imagining being there when the Savior came to the people on the American Continent. Taking time to really think about how I would feel changed my life. Then we were asked to put all those thoughts and feelings into our acting. This experience solidified my testimony of the Book of Mormon.

The love the Savior has for each one of us can change us. We can have that love with us and share it all around us where ever we are. We can be His hands.

What a great blessing it is to be able to feel the love of the Savior.

I am super imperfect and often have to ask my family’s forgiveness because I am not doing and saying what the Savior would do and say. And so I am also grateful for grace…for the opportunity each day to try and be more like Jesus…and for Him to infuse my soul with His love and the power of forgiveness.

Today there is a reason to hope.

I’ve been pondering motherhood and came across this talk by Elder Ballard in 2008 called Daughters of God. I loved his simple principles that will help us be better mothers. They will help us to be more present with our children.

I am happy to say that I am doing a pretty good job of following Elder Ballard’s advice- but I was not when I had mostly young children.

I was tired to the bone, I wasn’t diligently praying and studying, we weren’t overscheduled, because we were poor so our adventure’s consisted of walks.:) I can recognize a significant difference in myself with regards to daily happiness and my ability to feel joy in the moment as I had changed my life to apply these principles over the last several years.

Communicating my needs to my spouse has been a struggle for me. I didn’t really understand that principle. But when I started to tell my husband what I needed as person, not in a demanding way, but in an honest way, it helped me so much.

I hope that as Mother’s Day approaches, we as women can find ways to communicate our needs in loving ways, and make time to cultivate our talents, and deepen our faith through prayer and scripture study.

Today there is a reason to hope.

Music speaks to my soul. And I just love music by Nathan Pacheco.

Here are a few stanza’s from his song Come as You are:
“So lay down your burdens, lay down your shame
All who are broken, lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home, you’re not too far
So lay down your hurt, lay down your heart
Come as you are
Come as you are
Fall in his arms
Come as you are

There’s joy for the morning, oh sinner, be still
Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal
Earth has no sorrow that heaven can’t heal

So lay down your burdens, lay down your shame
All who are broken, lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home, you’re not too far
So lay down your hurt, lay down your heart
Come as you are”

You and I are loved as we are. We don’t need to “hide” our imperfections in order to receive HOPE, COMFORT, PEACE, and LOVE. Jesus loves everyone.

Today there is a reason to hope.