With the Help of the Lord

Dear Sisters,

I want to share a precious letter written by my Great-Great Grandpa, Edward Hunter Snow, that I found in the LDS Family Search records. (Which is such an incredible resource by the way!)  The document is a handwritten letter accepting his mission call in 1886.  

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In case you can’t read his lovely penmanship, I’ll quote the part that really touched me,

“…though my health is poor, and my finances low, I will to the best of my ability, with the help of the Lord, fill the mission allotted to me honorably.”

I am strengthened by the powerful example of faith my ancestors possessed.  I love this humble response, and have read it over several times in the last week as I have approached new challenges and opportunities in my life.  I hope someday my children and grand-children will be inspired by my example of faith and willingness to serve.  I’m not there yet, but I’m grateful I can lean on the faith of my fathers while I strengthen my own.

As we approach challenges, change, or new opportunities to serve, I hope we can ponder Edward’s humble response, even admitting to our weaknesses, but trusting that “with the help of the Lord” we will be able to do all that is required.

Sincerely,

Lydia

Turn Around and Face God

Dear Sisters,

Happy Sabbath!  I haven’t forgotten about you!  Life just got a little busy and eventful on this end.   I’ve been taking a couple classes to keep my teaching certificate current.

Maybe it’s because things have been so busy around here, that I have been simplifying things in my mind.  It hit me recently how simple the gospel really is.  Here are some simple truths I pulled out of my reading in Alma chapter 9.  (This is when Alma left the judgment seat to do missionary work and returned the second time to cry repentance to the wicked people of Ammonihah who threw him out last time.)

• Don’t harden your heart or have a “stiff neck”.
• Keep the commandments and you will prosper.
• Disobey the commandments and the Lord can’t be with you.  You loose the light of the gospel and potential blessings.
• We are “highly favored” and have the fullness of the gospel.  The Lord will hold us accountable for it.
• We need to “remember” our ancestors and our past and how we got here. (Doubt your doubts before your doubt your faith.)
• The Lord is merciful if you call on him.  Repent and he will forgive.

I think the phrase “stiff-necked” is fascinating.  I especially think it is interesting when you know that the original word for repentance in ancient Hebrew is “shuv” which means to turn around and go a different direction.  Eventually, repentance became “teshuvah” which means “to turn around and face God” or “to turn to God.”

A stiff-necked person is unwilling or unable to turn their head to face God.  Their neck is stiff.  They WILL NOT repent and turn to the Lord.  I think in our day it takes an interesting form.  We rely on the arm of flesh often.  Our neck is set with our head looking down to earth for all our needs.  We won’t or can’t look up to God because our neck is set in place.

I have so enjoyed visiting with many of you as we have gone around on our Presidency Popsicle visits over the last couple weeks.  We still have a few of you to visit, so don’t think we’ve forgotten you, and if we have, remind us because we want to see you. J  Anyway, occasionally we have visited a sister or two that is upset with the church or offended about something.  It is usually clear that they are not “prospering”.  Their heart has become hard and their neck is stiff, and they are unhappy.  It breaks my own heart.  I wish I could always have the right words to say, that might soften their hearts.  I would just encourage each of you to keep the commandments and make sure you are regularly repenting.  If your heart is hard, allow the Lord to heal it.  Sacrament meeting is a wonderful setting for this process to take place!

We would do well to take a moment to ponder on the state of our “neck”. (As funny as that sounds. J)  If we find that it is stiff, we can always repent or “turn around and face God”.  I testify that our lives will be richly blessed and we will prosper if we do.

Sincerely,

Lydia 

PS.  Happy Independence Day!  

​I hope you have a happy, safe day celebrating our blessed country and the freedoms we enjoy!

Women of Faith

Dear Sisters,

My older sister just sent me a picture that I hadn’t seen in years.  The shocked, fearful expression on my little baby face made me laugh out loud when I saw it.

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On a more serious note, this got me thinking about fear.  We are facing troubled times in the world.  My heart goes out to the poor people in Belgium, who recently experienced the terrible terrorist attacks.  I have been encouraging my children to pray for them, and I think Brigham must have heard me pray that they would comforted, because last night during his bedtime prayers, I heard him pray “that the people in Belgimum will be comfortable.” J He probably doesn’t understand what is taking place, but I am grateful he wants to follow my example. 

I had a similar experience as I was taking notes during the General Women’s Conference, and my girls kept moving my hand so they could copy what I wrote word for word.  At first I was going to get after them and tell them to take their own notes, and then I felt humbled by how they were watching me so closely and trying to be like me.  It was a powerful reminder for me that we must make sure we are teaching our little ones and giving them a good example of faith to follow, and they will not fear, because “their mother’s knew it,” just as the Son’s of Helaman said of their mothers. 

Be women of faith, not fear.  

“Fear and faith cannot coexist in our hearts at the same time.” 

(Elder Andersen)

These beautiful scriptures found in D&C 50:40-42 seem especially applicable:

 40 Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth.

 41 Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me;

 42 And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost.

We cannot carry our load alone, so let us put our faith and trust in our beloved Savior, who has paid the price and overcome all things, and we will not be lost.  I have faith in His ability to rescue us, and I know HE LIVES!!!

Sincerely,

Lydia

Deepen Your Roots

Dear Sisters,

Here I am again. J  I’m trying to get back on schedule.

I was inspired by the excellent talks and lessons today!  I learned a lot about what it means to “fear God”—how it is more of a reverence than being scared.  I learned that being valiant means not only believing in Christ, but actuallyBelieving Christ and how he has told us he is might to save—that his atonement actually applies to us.

Sis. Whetton taught a great lesson about adversity.  Our discussion on the need for adversity reminded me of a recent conference talk called “Spiritual Whirlwinds”.  Elder Anderson encouraged us to deepen our roots so that we stand firm through the “whirlwinds,” emphasizing that the world may change its stance on important things, but the church stands firm.  I loved his analogy about how the young trees need the wind, so that they will know how to deepen their roots and be prepared for stronger winds to come.  We need trials and adversity so that we can grow and be stronger.

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On another note…

As always, the Church’s mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, not to elect politicians. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is neutral in matters of party politics.  Additionally, we are encouraged to be responsible citizens and stay informed about political matters.  

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I have felt a prompting to encourage you to stay politically informed, especially with up-coming elections.  I believe we are in the last days, and I feel strongly that we need to get on our knees and pray for this great nation.  We need to pray for the leaders, and that God will bless and guide us.  We especially need to pray that people will choose righteous leaders to guide our country.  I am sometimes haunted by the scriptures in Mosiah 29:26-27 that read:

 26 Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people.

 27 And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land.

Research candidates and make sure their values and plans for our country align with your own.  Deepen your roots and stand firm while you face whirlwinds of adversity.

 5 Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.

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I am praying for you!  Happy Valentines Day!  (I promise you are loved!) Have a wonderful week!!!

Sincerely,

Lydia

Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear

Dear Sisters,

We were encouraged to create a plan for missionary work in our families during the 5^th Sunday lesson today, taught by the Elders.  I am amazed how much potential we have within our ward boundaries.  We have many neighbors who need to hear about the gospel.  I hope you will consider their message and set a realistic goal as a family to take advantage of and find opportunities to share the gospel.  I know great blessings will follow!

“The message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is unlike anything else you will share with others. In the information age, it is the most valuable information in all the world. There is no question about its worth. It is a pearl of great price (see Matthew 13:46).

I promise you that if you will respond to the invitation to share your beliefs and feelings about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, a spirit of love and a spirit of courage will be your constant companion, for “perfect love casteth out fear” (1 John 4:18).”              

--Elder L. Tom Perry

I can’t help but think that magnifying our callings as a home or visiting teacher is one of the best ways to be a missionary.  Showing a less active member that you genuinely care about them can do a lot to strengthen faith and deepen their interest in the gospel.  We have an outstanding home teacher who comes faithfully and consistently, and he has gone out of his way to help us or pick up on anything we might need.  Our testimonies are firm and we aren’t having any big problems, but his faithful example has already strengthened our faith.  I hope you will try to be that kind of visiting teacher, and strengthen the faith of the sisters you visit.  “Warm those cold hearts” as Sister Snow put it. 

I love you sisters, and the thought of you good women warms my heart!

Sincerely,

Lydia

Here is a link to “Seven Simple Suggestions for Sharing the Gospel” that I thought were great:

https://www.lds.org/topics/missionary-work/seven-simple-suggestions-for-sharing-the-gospel?lang=eng#seven-simple-01