Doing the Lord's Work & Sharing His Spirit

Thanks to some wonderful exemplar people in my life I have been show again how Facebook and Blogs can be an avenue for doing the Lord's work and sharing His message and Spirit.

Holiness

Doing holy work creates holiness in us.
-Silvia H. Allred from the August Visiting Teaching Message

The Leaps of Faith We Take

Photo taken by my co-worker Dawn at Liberty Park. (Thanks for letting me use it...again)

For me this picture represents the leap of faith I am taking by quiting my job to become a full time mom. See those rocks down there. Those are all my concerns. I don't know how we are going to make it. I get scared. But every time I pray about it to tell Heavenly Father about my fears I get an overwhelming feeling of peace. No answers on how it is all going to work out, but an overwhelming sense of peace and a prompting that everything is going to be all right. Guess what, these little goslings were just fine. :)

Today has also made me think about the leap of faith it took to get married. It was scary. Especially with how well relationships seem to end up in our world. I didn't know Spencer for that long and once I was married for several years and into the family life good and deep I honestly had a lot of feelings I felt I probably shouldn't be having. There have been a lot of moments that I have really hated it. I landed on those blasted rocks and they hurt. They were tough to get out of. But today has been an incredible example of why it is so right and so good.

Spencer gave a wonderful family night on the love of a husband and wife. He reminded us of why we are in families and the spirit witness to me the truth of what he was saying. We went and had ice cream and then came home and played as we got the kids ready for bed. Let me just say there was a lot of laughing go on. You should have heard Tanner. When he laughs he doesn't just give a little giggle. No, when he laughs, he laughs hard and it comes from the belly. His laugh is contagious.

While helping Aine take her shirt off Spencer pulled it onto the top of his head "by accident". He played it up that he couldn't see her. Then he found her and pulled her close, trying to get the shirt off his head. When he got it off he plopped it right back onto her with a "Now, how did that get back on you?" We all laughed.

These are the moments when a Heavenly Father gives me a little glimpse into why leaps of faith work out for our better.

He Lives

As Easter draws near again, I am trying to again re-focus my life of Christ. I add my testimony to that of these brethren that I know that Christ lives. I am grateful that when things seem in chaos even in my heart, in my home, in my neighborhood, in our country and in our world that Christ lives. That He is Peace and Safety. I am grateful for living Apostles and Prophets who testify of Him and preach His word. I commit to the challenge given by our dear Elder Seth Clark "to take sometime in this next month to read from the Ensign the teachings of the prophets. To read, then ponder, and then pray. Doing this will teach us what our Heavenly Father wants us to do in our lives next."

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

By The Evening Fire by Sarah Stilwell

I am grateful for the Gift of the Holy Ghost. It gives me strength while making difficult decision. It gives me the strength to know what is right and to stand by what is right. When questions come it gives me peace and comfort. I may not know every answer but He gives me the strength to do what He prompts through His Spirit.

Tuning Into The Good

Isn't it just how the Lord works, that I run across this video at the end of a very long and tiring day of trying to tune out all the noise in my life to desperately try to hear His voice and guidance for my life. I'm afraid that I have failed at this today despite all my trying.

Some of My Easter Blessings

These are a few of the blessings I have this Easter season and I hope to keep forever because of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection...

The family traditions that help me to remember.

This one symbolizing the new birth of resurrection and the gift of life that Christ gives us.

A handsome son,

newest to join our family, and enjoying his first spring.

A beautiful daughter

in a beautiful Easter dress, getting old enough to discover

the small and special things in the world outside.

Time to watch my children grow and experience life

I’m grateful for this season, especially as Easter falls on the Sunday of Conference weekend. I’m reminded of the great gifts and sacrifices that Jesus Christ has made for me and my family. He has given us the chance to receive bodies and live on the earth together as our little Clark family. We are learning and growing together. We are moving forward to the greatest gift of all, eternal life and exaltation as a family,

all made possible because of Christ.

Journal Musings

I have spent some time writing in my journal tonight and I feel prompted to share on here some of what came out of that writing. I haven't been faithful about writing in my journal since my mission. I'm being stubborn about how therapeutic writing my thoughts and feelings is for me. The last two years have been some of the hardest times I have been through yet in my life and I have been avoiding admitting any of it on paper. So, here is what I discovered tonight in my musings with my journal.

I've been avoiding facing my troubles by turning on the TV at night after the kids have gone to bed. Just at the time of day when I get enough quite time to think through things. I haven't wanted to think through them. My wonderful husband inspired me with a goal, less TV. So, tonight I wrote in my journal and faced my reality. I'm grateful for Spencer and how he strengthens and inspires me to do good. Without him and the added prayers and scripture studies that have come with our latest goals I wouldn't been able to have peace.

I relearned how to seek and find personal revelation while making huge decisions. The kind that scare me to make because I don't want to get them wrong. Through that personal revelation I now can have faith that I won't be getting them wrong. The spirit has confirmed what is right and I know I can trust that.

Spencer has 4 1/2 weeks left of school and that brings right to the surface the huge challange it has been for me to be working. I know you all have heard more than you want to hear of my complaining about this, but it's painful for me. I want to be at home with my kids. That is exactly what came out in my journal tonight. I faced how I've been drawing myself away from Heavenly Father because of my fear that this life is what He has in store for me. Of course, I don't know that for certain, but I have assumed that it's the way it's going to be. I've always been close to Heavenly Father and it makes me extremely sad that I have been pulling myself away from Him.

I was reminded by the spirit that Heavenly Father knows my heartache, but that He has a bigger plan. This bigger plan requires my heartache right now. This plan requires an education for Spencer that Heavenly Father will use in His work. This plan also includes forgiveness about how hard time of a time I have had with these past two years. It includes forgiveness for the fight I've put up against it the whole way through.

I wonder where I will be with my Heavenly Father in 4 1/2 weeks. I hope that I can forgive myself enough to gain my relationship back with Him. I hope that His plans for us in the near future will include mercy and the one blessing that I have been waiting for so long to come. For now, I'm facing my heartache with hope.

Emma Smith

Picture Source and Emma Info

Last night I was able to attend our ward's Enrichment Night in which Bill Rowley came to speak to us about Emma Smith. I have to admit that overall I have known very little about Emma's life, except for the stories I have heard in church and such. I am humbled by her life, what she had to go through and what she was able to do. While hearing about how she dealt with the deaths of 8 loved ones within 7 months and all recently before being called to serve as the first Relief Society president, I felt so foolish for the many times I have given into self-pity. My life and all the responsibility it entails felt like nothing when compared to sweet Emma's. I often feel so down because I can't be home with Aine, but instead go to work to support Spencer while he finishes school. But that is nothing in comparison to Emma's support of her husband while facing many hardships, like the loss of her children and moving around so much. I complain about having to live in an apartment instead of our own home and in just the years she was married to Joseph she only lived in her own home for so few. She was at the mercy of others so often. I have promised myself to remember her example when I am feeling overwhelmed by what is going on in my life. I know that it was through the support of Heavenly Father that she was able to go through so much and I know that He will also support me as I struggle. I will try to be an uncomplaining support to Spencer, Aine and anyone else I can serve. I know that God will bless Emma; she truly is a dear and special woman, An Elect Lady.