Mormon Musings

"God will take you as you are at this very moment and begin to work with you. All you need is a willing heart, a desire to believe, and trust in the Lord." —Dieter F. Uchtdorf, " It Works Wonderfully! "

"We are not and never need be alone. We can press forward in our daily lives with heavenly help." —David A. Bednar, " Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease "

Help from the Lord generally comes in increments. He can immediately cure serious illnesses or disabilities or even allow the dead to be raised. But the general pattern is that improvement comes in sequential steps. That plan gives us an opportunity to discover what the Lord expects us to learn. It requires our patience to recognize His timetable. It provides growth from our efforts and trust in Him and the opportunity to express gratitude for the help given. Often we have difficulty mastering lessons the Lord wants us to learn when things are going too well in our lives. When there is suffering or pain, we ask ourselves a lot of questions. Some of them ought to be: What does the Lord want me to learn from this experience? What do I need to do? What do I need to change? Whom do I need to serve? Or what characteristic must I improve? Pondering and prayer will help us understand what we are to learn from the challenges we are asked to overcome.

"We should decide now, in the light of the morning, how we will act when the darkness of night and when the storms of temptation arrive." —Howard W. Hunter, " Chapter 19: Our Commitment to God "

"The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater" J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

I have frequently thought upon the preparation that is necessary. Suppose the word should come, “Return and build up the center Stake of Zion,” are we ready for it? No. I have often alluded to our mechanics. We have not a mechanic that would know how to lay the first stone for the foundation of the wall around the New Jerusalem, to say nothing about the temples of our God. Are you prepared for the day of vengeance to come, when the Lord will consume the wicked by the brightness of his coming? No. Then do not be too anxious for the Lord to hasten his work. Let our anxiety be centered upon, this one thing, the sanctification of our own hearts, the purifying of our own affections, the preparing of ourselves for the approach of the events that are hastening upon us. This should be our concern, this should be our study, this should be our daily prayer, and not to be in a hurry to see the overthrow of the wicked. Be careful; for if they were all to be overthrown at once, how many would ther

​ What reason concludes are impassable mountains, revelation shows to be rolling hills over which we can pass if we press forward. Sitting and staring at the slopes can make them into stern Sierras.  Elder Neal A. Maxwell (Wherefore, Ye Must Press Forward, p. 43.).