{calling down the powers of heaven}

For quiet a few years now Aysia has suffered from leg pains. I have often been told that they are growing pains. But, I started noticing a trend in her pains. Atleast two to three days before a storm comes she has pain. Well, guess what in two days from today there is supposed to be a storm. I heard it is a good one. Aysia had been complaining about her leg and wanted to get her shoes off so I figured she would have pain because of her shoes. This is about the second time she has worn these pair of shoes so I am not sure if the pain has come tonight because of her shoes or because of the storm. If a storm never comes on thursday then we will blame it on the shoes. Never the less...the has had a lot of pain for two year atleast now. I have to squeeze her legs in the night to help relieve the pain, and often end up giving her tylenol to help. Usually I am so tired that it is hard for me to stay up and squeeze them and I am usually half asleep so I am not thinking clearly. But tonight I was still away folding the laundry when she violently started kicking her leg and waking up, crying so hard that it hurt so bad. I feel so bad for her having to go through this. My immediate response is to get the heating pad, get the tylenol and water. And squeeze. I did all three. She kicked the heat pad off, the tylenol was just given to her so it will take at least 10-20 minutes for it to even kick in and help. And squeezing her leg just wasn't cutting it. So I asked her would you like to say a prayer and ask Heavenly Father to help the pain go away? She said through her tears, yes. So I said a prayer that the pain would go away and that aysia would go to sleep and be comfortable and happy. 20 seconds later, her eyebrows relaxed. Her body relaxed. Her leg relaxed and she was out.

How complicated do we make faith? That is all it took. I said to her, Aysia if you ask Heavenly Father to help you. You have to believe that he will help you. And that is when she went to sleep. When it is the right time to ask for the right things. If the Lord doesn't have other plans for us. He will help us. I am so grateful to have prayer and to be able to draw upon those powers. There is an all knowing Heavenly Father who loves us as His Children. I was reminded that Faith is simple.

Sometimes we have to exercise our simple faith in really really hard things. But that is where having faith in Heavenly Fathers plan kicks in. I think this is the hardest thing for us Humans to do. We want to have control of our lives and maybe we think that by putting our complete trust in His plan and timing we won't have control of things. He knows the outcome! We don't.

Of course we have our agency, but there is a part of me that says that he already knows how we will choose. That is how well our Father knows us.

I hope my Aysia will remember this night and remember that Heavenly Father knows her. And he loves her very very much.

Till the next time.

Brookie

{one of my favorites}

We call our young people to join the ranks. As young David challenged …

To the young men of the Church I would like to issue a “call to battle.”

Moroni, the chief commander of the Nephite armies (see Alma 46:11), “rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

“And he fastened on his headplate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land, …

“And … Moroni … went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part, and crying with a loud voice, saying:

“Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.” (Alma 46:12–13, 19–20.)

In this day, we again issue the call to you, our beloved young men of the Aaronic Priesthood. You are the band of Christians. This is a rallying call. Come forth; the battle is imminent. Never has it been so important to enlist in the Lord’s cause.

Fight the Powers of Evil

The standard for you has been raised. The trump has sounded clear and terrible. The battle lines have been drawn. Lucifer’s army is marshalled in ranks of evil and satanic forces. Their battle cry is fearful. Their cause is destruction, sin, death, and hell. They have only one cause, and all the powers of evil on earth and in hell are combining against the band of Christians.

But the Lord has sent forth the greatest and mightiest leaders of all time, and he counsels us, “Let my army become very great, and let it be sanctified before me, that it may become fair as the sun, and clear as the moon, and that her banners may be terrible unto all nations.” (D&C 105:31.)

Christ Is Our Leader

This is a time of choice—“Choose ye this day, whom ye will serve.” (Alma 30:8.) Christ is at our head. Our commander-in-chief is the President of this church. The Lord has called his generals and captains from among the good and holy men of the kingdom; they are men of sound understanding and of truth and soberness, men of integrity and loyalty, men who will fight for the cause of the Master. These men are filled with justice and mercy. They are filled with light, and they trust in the Lord their God and know he will deliver us.

We call you, our young people, to join the ranks. As young David challenged, “Is there not a cause?” (1 Sam. 17:29.)Oh, my beloved youth, there is a cause, and it is glorious beyond description. We are waging war for the souls of the children of men. Our message is peace, charity, purity, and obedience. Our generation is expected to go forth as the children of light in meekness and humility with the power of God. At our leaders’ direction, we must penetrate every nation, visit every clime, and sound in every ear, remembering that no unhallowed hand can stop the Lord’s work from progressing.

It is time for Zion to put on her beautiful garments as a contrast to the evil army, which is clothed in dark, evil, and loathsome attire. We will become fair as the sun and clear as the moon. Purge and purify your lives. Live every commandment. Cease to be idle. Learn to work. Live the Word of Wisdom. Do not ensnare yourselves in the lusts of the flesh. Discipline your lives. Avoid compromises in music, dance, and dress. Seek to become pure in heart and to be obedient in all things. Remove every particle of rebellion (which comes from Satan) from your souls. Honor your fathers and mothers.

Learn of the Lord and his strategy for his army. Study the scriptures daily. Read the Book of Mormon with a prayerful heart. Pray in secret and with your families. Learn to have absolute and complete trust in the Lord.

Swell the Ranks of God

When we do this, Satan cannot prevail. Let us swell the ranks of God. Let us go out after those who have not enlisted, those who may be deceived, those who are in the wilderness spiritually—those who may have wounded spirits and who are being enticed by the evil one. Let us here resolve that every particle of energy and every possible method shall be devised to swell our ranks with multitudes of soldiers who are not presently involved in our cause, those who need a cause greater than they have.

Let us go in search of them. Let us start with the Primary and challenge every Primary president to activate boys and girls this year. Let us challenge every deacons, teachers, and priests quorum to activate at least one quorum member this year. Let us ordain additional priests to the office of elder, and let the sisters likewise try to influence the ranks of the Young Women.

Brethren, this strategy will swell the ranks of the Aaronic Priesthood with over one quarter of a million modern soldiers of God, and within three years we will have 50,000 missionaries. “Is there not a cause?”

We need young men who can stand the heat of the refiner’s fire. It will require self-mastery, discipline, and control of our appetites. It will require sacrifice. When an athlete decides to compete, he promises to obey certain rules and disciplines. When you join the Lord’s army, there are disciplines and sacrifices. Always remember that the rewards and blessings come to those who participate.

Come, my beloved young brothers and sisters, let us rise and shine forth as fair as the sun and clear as the moon. Let the Lord’s army become very great; then let us move forward with a power never known in the history of the world. We will carry the title of liberty and the gospel of Jesus Christ with great honor. The band of Christians will swell and become the mighty army of God, and this day the Lord will deliver the enemy into our hands. We will win, and the victory will be sweet. We will hold to the iron rod, and we will partake of the fruit of the tree of life.

Listen. Can you hear it off in the distance? The trumpet is sounding. Can you hear the clarion call? Can you hear the pounding steps of the marching armies of God? They are coming. Rise up, give a battle shout, and join their ranks.

We declare with Joseph Smith: “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” (History of the Church, 4:540.)

{ah ha moment}

I just had one of those ah ha moments as Oprah Winfrey would call it.

I was reading another ladies blog, I have no idea who she is but I stubbled onto hers I feel as if it isn't by chance because I of what I just had witnessed to me: She said as she was preparing to talk to her ward about Christ and Obedience she had a remembering of

when we were in the Great Council and witnessed our Father in Heaven place his hands on the head of Christ, anointing him to be the Savior of all mankind...

I don't know why I had never thought of this before. But when I read it, I knew it to be true. That I was there.

We have all been witnessess of settings aparts and blessings. But this the ultimate anointing. What a sacred moment that that was.

Knowing this now gives me greater courage to stick to the plan that has been placed before me.

I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit in my life that testifies to me sacred truths and brings sacred rememberances of who I am, who I belong to, what my main main purpose here on this earth is and what my ultimate goal is.

I know that the Gift of the Holy Ghost is real. It is important to write down the things that are testified to you through the spirit. I have been so blessed to have this gift with me.

{wonder}

I think a lot, I would say daily I think about what the second coming will be like. I don't know if anyone else thinks about it. But how could we not. The signs are all around us that the Lord is Hastening His work. Even though life seems normal and the same we have to know that eventually its not going to be the same.

I love the scriptures in Alma 5. Basically the whole thing. But the part where Alma testifies in verses 16-22. I can actually see myself there.

V 19: can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands? I say unto you,

can you look up...

v14: Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this might change in your hearts?

I think of how it says in the scriptures that all wicked will be burned at His coming. I was thinking of this I was picturing a great fire and people burning and maybe that is what it will be or maybe it will be, because the Light of Christ is so bright, just like Joseph said "“His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun.

I think if we are going to be able to endure even a particle of His light we must do His work so we can have his light in us. I don't know if this makes any sense. But light takes on light, darkness to darkness. The light chases away the dark. So if there is darkness in us what will happen at His coming. I am so sad that in these mortal bodies it is so hard to not have some kind of darkness in us. I do believe my greatest darkness is Pride. And that is the worst darkness. I am glad that I recognize this because I want to try hard to correct it. Pride is an awful thing. And it then says in

Alma 5:28, Are ye stripped of Pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God. Behold ye must prepare quickly; for the kingdom of heaven is soon at hand, and such an one hath not eternal life.

I think I have some work to do...

loves

{question}

the question is...

What manner of men(woman) ought ye be?

think about it. Then tell me in a couple of days

love brookie

lull and pacify

In 2 Nephi 28:21 it says this:

And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

I have been thinking....again! Sometimes I wonder why I think so much, but that means if I am wondering then that means I am thinking you get the picture. I guess that is why we were given brains is to think. So awhile ago while I was preparing to speak to the ym/yw of my ward I came across a scripture that struck me so deeply that I have not ever forgotten it and I feel its warnings often in my life. I would like to apply it to others lives and see how they are doing wrong but that is prideful. 2 Nephi 28:21 applies to me and the people in my home.

Would you suppose that the people that are being spoken about in the verse are people who are struggling deeply with addictions of Word of Wisdom, or failing marriages, or addictions to pornography. Or have chosen to fight against the word of God. Or cheat, steal and lie.

No. Well maybe to some extent it does.

I believe the verse is a warning to those who are living there lives, going to church, have good kids, who try and every once and a while read their scriptures, and have family home evenings. But this family sounds like they are doing everything right. They are doing what is right. I am this family. We try to read scriptures together, we do have family home evening and we try and teach the gospel in our home. But, there is something about myself and my husband that erks me.

It is facebook.

I want to start a clock to see the amount of time that is spent in my home and work on facebook, not just that, TV, blogs, forums, shopping, gaming. I would be there is atleast between all of us including the kids 4-6 hours a day spent. As us adults 2-3 could be clocked.

I ask myself when I go to just to check what others might be up to, is there something better I should be doing with my time. Did I even spend 4-5 minutes on my knees asking our father in Heaven for the strength I needed for the day to be a mother. Or prayed for my kids well being and happiness, or prayed that I can be a servant to him this day, that I will be someone he could count on to listen to the spirit and be guided to those who might need me. No, I do not. And even if He was trying to get through to me, my mind is being lulled and pacified to the enticings of...facebook. Leaving no quiet thoughts to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Did I open my scriptures? Did I receive the guidance from the scriptures that I KNOW are so detrimental to or spiritual health in these Last Days. I do know and believe that we need that now! But, I am checking who just played Mafia Wars, or are you smarter then your friends quiz. Oh and the Farmville, someone just send me some chickens!

How in trouble am I. If I don't stop this course of actions I will find myself saying All is well in Zion, for Zion prospereth. No, it does not. For a chain of addiction to just checking the facebook is being wrapped around my legs. Time is running short and my kids are growing. I am so interested in my shows that I don't often read stories to my kids. I say maybe tomorrow. I should be ashamed.

It says in the beginning of the chapter ..... And others he will pacify. I am the others.

Its funny, the day that I chose not to facebook, guess what happened I was intune and was able to be guided to someone who desperately needed me. If I would of wasted my time on facebook the opportunity would have been gone. I could not be trusted by the Lord.

I am from this point forward to do the right things first. TO only spend a limited amount of time on Facebook, I really do enjoy it. and a lot of my clients contact me through it so I can't get rid of it all together or I would. But just because I have it for my business. I can't let that be an excuse.

Brooke.....use your time wisely. You are on the Lords time!

love ya!

Lord I would Follow Thee

This is a topic Travis and I often butt heads on. I have come to the conclusion that someday he will realized that I am right ;D wink wink. And maybe I am not right but I do want to share my thoughts on why I think I am right. We all know the story of the Good Samaritan right? There was a man that was beaten, robbed, bruised and left for dead on the side of a road. One man passed by and did nothing to help he went on his way, then another did the same and did nothing. But the third, the samaritan found and him he took care of him bandaged him, clothed him and found a place that would take care of him and help him back to health. Ok, who told this parable? Jesus Christ. The words of the Hymn "Lord I would follow thee" are some of my most favorite. Savior, may I learn to love thee, Walk the path that thou hast shown, Pause to help and lift another, Finding strength beyond my own. Savior, may I learn to love thee- Lord, I would follow thee. So there is a lady here in town who is struggling quite bad financially, emotionally and especially spiritually. She smokes, a lot. I heard that one of her kids said that they don't have very much food at home. My first thought was oh no that is so sad and I picture myself stocking her cupboards full of groceries and everyone is happy. I am happy the people are grateful and happy. And then I see her someday coming to church and living a life that she thought she could never had. That is my lala land. Usually it is never this way. Although they are grateful. , usually. But, I would love to leave my imaginary happiness in tact and believe that something like this is possible and that as we are serving others and showing the true love of Christ. I call it planting seeds. :D As I suggest to Travis the people that we should help and the possibilities of helping someone that I think can't right now help them selves, who think they might be falling into a pit of dispair. He says well I don't really see it that way, because if they can spend all that money on buying cigarettes, then they should be buying food for their family. I see His point. But then, this is the time to put of the natural man and remember that we are all Children of our Heavenly Father, The Good the Bad and the Ugly. We make this promise at baptism: And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens,

that they may be light; 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

This is another one of those do we Believe Christ moments?

If we did do we do what is logical, and make them learn their lesson. And why do we even think that is in our control, we are teaching people a lesson by not showing our love for them? I think we teach more lessons by loving them.

Savior may I learn to love thee. In everyway I believe that as we help those who least deserve it. We ARE doing the Lord work. We ARE on the Lord errand.

Back to the Samaritan. One sunday in Sacrament meeting Trav gave a talk on the Samaritan but he put it in the view of someone who is "spiritually beat up" He made the statement. Helping spiritually is what we must do when it comes to keeping the Second greatest commandment.

Love thy Neighbor as thyself.

So, in my defense this is a time when someone is lying by the road, spiritually beaten down. It is time to take action. Whether or not, I am on the Lords errand. I may not go and stock her cupboards full of groceries. But I am good at making casseroles.

I hope that she can feel the love that I have for her and she will have a seed planted in her heart that someday she will act on and it can grow.

Charity is the True love of Christ.

Savior, may I learn to love thee, Walk the path that thou hast shown, Pause to help and lift another, Finding strength beyond my own. Savior, may I learn to love thee- Lord, I would follow thee. Who am I to judge another When I walk imperfectly? In the quiet heart is hidden Sorrow that the eye can't see. Who am I to judge another? Lord, I would follow thee. I would be my brother's keeper; I would learn the healer's art. To the wounded and the weary I would show a gentle heart. I would be my brother's keeper- Lord, I would follow thee. Savior, may I love my brother As I know thou lovest me, Find in thee my strength, my beacon, For thy servant I would be. Savior, may I love my brother- Lord, I would follow thee. Text: Susan Evans McCloud

{babbling}

So I know that I have neglecting this blog! I just thought at one time that I should delete it.

But, I have for sometime wanted to just use one as a journal. I am a pretty guarded person and I don't like to show how I feel. I have a million thoughts always running through my head. So I never know how to channel them into "clearly thinking" there I go not making any sense. I usually don't make any sense and ofter have to explain myself. I guess that is the fun of a blog that is my own. It means if I don't make any sense to anyone else then they don't have to read it.

So here goes my babbling.

This morning I had an experience where I was over come with the spirit. Caught up with it.

I decided to write things down as I think of them. I would like to believe as I think of spiritual things they are little glimpses of what Heavenly Father wants me to learn and gain a testimony on. I need to write them down just to sort out my own thoughts. So I thought this morning of what it means to Believe in Christ and to Believe Christ.

Is there a difference? After writing much why I do think there is a difference. I had a vision that humbled me to the point of weeping.

Maybe it is to sacred to share.

But, I can say this. I felt to incredible amount of how much Christ loves me.

I am so so imperfect.

After how much He loves me. Why do I not do more to profess his name? I renew covenants everyweek. But I take the bread like it is just bread. And I drink the water like it is JUST water.

No, this is so wrong.

There is a picture by Greg Olson of Christ breaking the bread for his Disciples. His hands are so humble and caring as he tares it. His eyes look as if He has the weight of the World on him....which he did.

He knew that he must carry out what any of us would think impossible.

He loves us that much.

The weight of the eternities, every human soul, every sin, sorrow, illness, ailment, grief, death, pain, aches, yearnings. Of EVERY person in EVERY life time, of all of Gods children, HIS brothers and sisters.

They were heaped on His shoulders. I wish I could of been in that room when he broke the bread and said "Take, eat; this is my body."

Then they drank the water, and he said "This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." In the footnotes of Matthew 26: 26 it says this is in remembrance of my body which I give a ransom for you.

Then they went out to the Mount of Olives.......

Oh the burdens he was carrying at that moment.

I need to be more humble. I need to remember the covenants and promises that were made on my day of baptism.

Like Nephi says. Oh wretched man I am. I feel so undeserving of His love. And his still offers it to me.

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me I tremble to know that for me he was crucified That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me Oh, it is wonderful Wonderful to me I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine That he should extend his great love unto such as I Sufficient to own, to redeem and to justify

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me Oh, it is wonderful Wonderful to me
I think of his hands, pierced and bleeding to pay my debt Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget? No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet