So every week, we email the ward a spiritual uplift email, and I wanted to forward it on to y'all this week. I love you! And I hope you have a wonderful week. I wrote this weeks, though I used the plural for everything because the ward doesn't know who wrote it. ☃
Master the Tempest is Raging
Howdy y'all! (Look at that, you're rubbing off on me)
We hope you had a wonderful week, and may the next one bring joy in its wings. Something that's been on our mind a lot recently is staying true to the testimony and conversion you already have, no matter how much or little it may be. There are two great quotes that we feel sum up our thoughts pretty well on this point, one is from Joseph Smith, stated when he was merely a 14 year old boy, and the other is by Elder Holland.
Joseph Smith wrote, "I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation." (Jospeh Smith - History 1:25. emphasis added)
Then Elder Holland declared, "In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited.... When those moments come and issues surface, the resolution of which is not immediately forthcoming, hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes" ("Lord, I Believe" April 2013 General Conference)
Throughout our lives, we will each have storms rage, tempests churn, questions arise, and hail beat down. These storms, tempests, questions, and hail can at times make us question the testimony we have. However, as Elder Holland promises, as we hold fast to what we have already learned (however little it seems to be) we will receive additional knowledge. It may not be much, it may not be a lightning flash of understanding, in fact, it probably won't be. However, the assurance will come as we show Heavenly Father that we are willing to act on faith when that is all we have left to act on. When the world tries to persuade you that it's not worth it, and that your faith is vain, remember the experiences you've already had. I love the idea given voice by Joseph Smith when he said, "I knew it, and I knew that God knew it". Once you have a knowledge of something, stand like Brother Joseph and refuse to let anyone take it from you. After all, God himself knows that you know, and you must behave accordingly. The great mercy in all this is that when we waver, when there are storms we feel we cannot conquer, WE ARE NOT ALONE. As the beloved hymn, "Master the Tempest is Raging" states, "the winds and the waves shall obey thy will, peace be still". We do not have to overcome our hard times alone. If we have wavered and maybe even strayed, there is a way back, and there is strength to stay on course. That strength is our savior and redeemer, our brother and master, even Jesus the Christ. He loves us each with a perfect love which will enable us each to return home again as we do our very best to do what Heavenly Father would have us do.
We love you each so much,
Sisters Marks and Poulton
Master the Tempest is Raging
Howdy y'all! (Look at that, you're rubbing off on me)
We hope you had a wonderful week, and may the next one bring joy in its wings. Something that's been on our mind a lot recently is staying true to the testimony and conversion you already have, no matter how much or little it may be. There are two great quotes that we feel sum up our thoughts pretty well on this point, one is from Joseph Smith, stated when he was merely a 14 year old boy, and the other is by Elder Holland.
Joseph Smith wrote, "I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation." (Jospeh Smith - History 1:25. emphasis added)
Then Elder Holland declared, "In moments of fear or doubt or troubling times, hold the ground you have already won, even if that ground is limited.... When those moments come and issues surface, the resolution of which is not immediately forthcoming, hold fast to what you already know and stand strong until additional knowledge comes" ("Lord, I Believe" April 2013 General Conference)
Throughout our lives, we will each have storms rage, tempests churn, questions arise, and hail beat down. These storms, tempests, questions, and hail can at times make us question the testimony we have. However, as Elder Holland promises, as we hold fast to what we have already learned (however little it seems to be) we will receive additional knowledge. It may not be much, it may not be a lightning flash of understanding, in fact, it probably won't be. However, the assurance will come as we show Heavenly Father that we are willing to act on faith when that is all we have left to act on. When the world tries to persuade you that it's not worth it, and that your faith is vain, remember the experiences you've already had. I love the idea given voice by Joseph Smith when he said, "I knew it, and I knew that God knew it". Once you have a knowledge of something, stand like Brother Joseph and refuse to let anyone take it from you. After all, God himself knows that you know, and you must behave accordingly. The great mercy in all this is that when we waver, when there are storms we feel we cannot conquer, WE ARE NOT ALONE. As the beloved hymn, "Master the Tempest is Raging" states, "the winds and the waves shall obey thy will, peace be still". We do not have to overcome our hard times alone. If we have wavered and maybe even strayed, there is a way back, and there is strength to stay on course. That strength is our savior and redeemer, our brother and master, even Jesus the Christ. He loves us each with a perfect love which will enable us each to return home again as we do our very best to do what Heavenly Father would have us do.
We love you each so much,
Sisters Marks and Poulton