Direction from on High

Heavenly Father, are you really there?  And do you hear and answer ev'ry child's prayer? Some say that heaven is far away, But I feel it close around me as I pray.  Heavenly Father, I remember now Something that Jesus told disciples long ago: "Suffer the children to come to me." Father, in prayer I'm coming now to thee.  Pray, he is there; Speak, he is list'ning. You are his child; His love now surrounds you.  He hears your prayer;  He loves the children.  Of such is the kingdom, the kingdom of heav'n. Words and music: Janice Kapp Perry,  b. 1938(c) 1984 by Janice Kapp Perry. I was very lucky to have learned about Heavenly Father and His love for me from my parents as I grew up.  Here is a story from my life that confirmed one thing I knew. This picture was taken in 1964, we went to pick out our Christmas tree in the mountains.    I added the picture because it shows my......  White Boots ...

  Frequently, prayers are requests for specific blessings. They may, however, and should, include expressions of thanksgiving, praise, worship, and adoration. As James Montgomery has so beautifully written:   Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed, The motion of a hidden fire That trembles in the breast. Prayer is the burden of a sigh, The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, When none but God is near. Prayer is the simplest form of speech That infant lips can try, Prayer , the sublimest strains that reach The Majesty on high. Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, The Christian’s native air; His watchword at the gates of death; He enters heaven with prayer . Oh, thou by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way! The path of prayer thyself hast trod; Lord, teach us how to pray. (Prayer and Revelation by Pres. Marion G Romney 1978) ...

  "Having the Holy Ghost brings forth certain fruits. . .  The most important thing in our lives is the Spirit. I have always felt that. We must remain open and sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost in all aspects of our lives" ("Seek the Spirit of the Lord," Ensign , April 1988). Ezra Taft Benson What do you seek?  What are your fruits?

Mosiah 3:17 “And moreover, I say unto you, that there shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.’ “We must believe in Christ and pattern our lives after him.   We must be baptized as he was baptized. We must worship the Father as he did.   We must do the will of the Father as he did.   We must seek to do good and work righteousness as he did.   He is our Exemplar, the great Prototype of salvation” (“The plan of Salvation,” Ensign, November 1971). "Our lives of service and sacrifice are the most appropriate expressions of our commitment to serve the Master and our fellowmen." - Elder Dallin H. Oaks

Strength is power no matter if it is physical strength, mental, or spiritual strength.  Power to do more than the average person.  When I consider strength it is something that needs to be increased or built up.  As with physical strength it takes pushing the limits, over and over again.  Spiritual strength comes the same way.  Elder Eyring says, “It is like building muscle strength. You must break down your muscles to build them up. You push muscles to the point of exhaustion. Then they repair themselves, and they develop greater strength. Increased spiritual strength is a gift from God which He can give when we push in His service to our limits. Through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our natures can be changed. Then our power to carry burdens can be increased more than enough to compensate for the increased service we will be asked to give.”1 I want spiritual strength in order to be able to do the things I am asked to do through callings, and ...

“I have personally verified that concepts like faith, prayer, love, and humility hold no great significance and produce no miracles until they become a living part of us through our own experience, aided by the sweet prompting of the Holy Spirit. In early life I found that I could learn gospel teachings intellectually and, through the power of reason and analysis, recognize that they were of significant value. But their enormous power and ability to stretch me beyond the limits of my imagination and capacity did not become reality until patient, consistent practice allowed the Holy Spirit to distill and expand their meaning in my heart. I found that while I was sincerely serving others, God forged my personal character. He engendered a growing capacity to recognize the direction of the Spirit. The genius of the gospel plan is that by doing those things the Lord counsels us to do, we are given every understanding and every capacity necessary to provide peace and rich fulfillment in thi...

Prayer is the method of communication with our Heavenly Father.   A most wonderful way to reach out for help, comfort, and support from a being that knows who we are, what we need to be doing, and how to help us be happy here and hereafter.   What an amazing thing to connect with a loving heavenly parent.   I believe we were created by God and that He wants us to succeed in this life and to be successful in the next life. We are not alone.   Elder Hales says, “To my dear friend and all those whose souls are hungering for faith, I invite you ‘to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written.’   Let their witness that the Savior gave His life for you sink deep into your heart. Seek a witness of the truth through the Holy Ghost in prayer, and then see your faith strengthened as you joyfully meet the challenges of this mortal life and prepare for eternal life.”1 When hungering for knowledge, faith, and understanding the best possible source would...

“As we pray, let us really communicate with our Father in Heaven. It is easy to let our prayers become repetitious, expressing words with little or no thought behind them. When we remember that each of us is literally a spirit son or daughter of God, we will not find it difficult to approach Him in prayer. He knows us; He loves us; He wants what is best for us. Let us pray with sincerity and meaning, offering our thanks and asking for those things we feel we need. Let us listen for His answers, that we may recognize them when they come. As we do, we will be strengthened and blessed. We will come to know Him and His desires for our lives. By knowing Him, by trusting His will, our foundations of faith will be strengthened.” Thomas S Monson, “How Firm A Foundation” October 2006 “This appeal to me for faith was answered as follows: ‘Your family story of the loss of your grandson to leukemia was touching. Hopefully, you and your children will find peace as you seek answers to the pu...

I believe it is important to live an obedient life.   Here is one reason, “All prophets, ancient and modern, have known that obedience is essential to our salvation.” 1    I choose to believe the prophets, I also believe that there is a living God that cares about what I do and me personally.   I believe that there is a reason for me being on this earth, I just need to find it.   At the very least grow and prepare for what ever comes my way.    I like the words of Elder Ballard, “Mortality, then, is the time to test our ability to understand our Heavenly Father’s plan and, of course, our willingness to be obedient.” 2 That answers the purpose, a time of testing to see what we will choose and use our agency to do.   There is a God and a purpose so there a goal.   I believe that living with Heavenly Father after this life is the goal.   Then obedience to His laws is essential to reaching that goal.      ...

"There are rules and laws to help ensure our physical safety. Likewise, the Lord has provided guidelines and commandments to help ensure our spiritual safety so that we might successfully navigate this often-treacherous mortal existence and return eventually to our Heavenly Father" Thomas S Monson "Obedience Brings Blessings," April 2013 “What we need is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime”                 Dallin H Oaks “Dedication of a Lifetime” April 2013 “We are privileged to have the words of our living prophets, seers, and revelators during this wonderful general conference. They will speak the will of the Lord for us, His people. They will transmit the word of God and His counsel to us. Pay attention and follow their instruction and suggestions, and I testify to you that your life will be completely blessed.” Claudio R. M. Costa, “O...

Peace, what is peace and how do we hold on to it in the midst of storms that rage around us and even beat upon us?   Quentin L Cook expresses very well the desire and the kind of peace I am seeking, “We all long for peace. Peace is not just safety or lack of war, violence, conflict, and contention. Peace comes from knowing that the Savior knows who we are and knows that we have faith in Him, love Him, and keep His commandments, even and especially amid life’s devastating trials and tragedies. The Lord’s answer to the Prophet Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail brings solace to the heart: ‘My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;” 1                   It is the peace the Savior brings into our lives that we need to seek.   He is the true source of true peace.   The small moment can certainly seem long, when it comes to personal tragedies, the...