Family history is a subject that interests people from all walks of life.  Learning about those who came before us tells us much about who we are.  When we record our own history, it can be just as useful and interesting to our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as our ancestor’s histories are to us.  

Long ago, people wrote letters, recorded events in bibles and journals and kept scrapbooks to keep track of their personal histories.  These days, we have so many more options.  Blogging, the practice of keeping a personal record via an online web log, has become very popular and today’s version of scrap-booking is a way to preserve photographs using archival quality products as well as fun, artistic elements.  I have enjoyed both of these activities, as well as journal writing.  However, there is another way I keep my personal history that I find fun, informative and valuable. 

I received my first charm bracelet when I was about twelve years old.  It was a Christmas gift from “Santa Claus” and the gift included a sterling silver charm of Old St. Nick himself.  There was also a ballerina, a charm to represent my avid interest in ballet and the lessons I was taking.  The following summer, my family took a trip to Mexico and I added a charm of a Mexican sombrero to commemorate the fun time we had together. 

 I have continued to add to the bracelet over the past thirty plus years and love reflecting on the memories each charm represents.  There are charms that signify accomplishments, special events, vacations, hobbies and special memories.  One of the charms was a gift from my sister when I acted as Maid of Honor at her wedding reception.  A tiny handcart commemorates my pioneer ancestors.  For many years I wanted to learn to play the violin and when I finally did, I purchased a charm, a wee violin, to remind me of that accomplishment.

 The charms that represent the most meaningful events for me are the temple, commemorating my temple marriage to my husband, and the charms that represent my three children:  a baby shoe, a high chair and a rabbit.  I often explain the meaning of each charm to my children and look forward to adding more “history charms” to this bracelet as life unfolds.  It is a beautiful and tangible history that I hope my descendants will enjoy for generations to come.

In the end, it isn’t important how we record our personal history—it’s simply important that we do it.  Oral record keeping can be distorted and forgotten over time, whereas a written history, along with photographs and other artifacts (such as my charm bracelet) keep the story straight for all who choose to learn from what we have written.  How grateful I am for the scriptures, the Bible and the Book of Mormon in particular, both the result of people choosing to write down what they knew of Christ.  Without these cherished records, we would not know of Jesus Christ and His teachings.  When we choose to write what we know of Christ, we are recording the most valuable information our descendants could possibly have.  

I know that Christ lives.  I know that He is my Savior and my Redeemer.  I know that He knows me and that He loves me and that His gospel and His church  are true. 

The post A Mormon Woman Finds Charm In Family History appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

As a woman with a family and home to take care of, I often feel overwhelmed.  As a Mormon woman who has the words of the prophets, both ancient and modern day, to guide her through a confusing world, I am uplifted.  This is why I so look forward to General Conference every six months.

General Conference is not only an opportunity for my family to “attend” church in our pajamas while listening to the words of the General Authorities of the church from my living room (via the T.V. or computer), it is also a time when these voices fill my home with their spirit, strength, and power.  It is a time when I can count on hearing talk after talk that speak to my soul and at least one or two that will feel as if the speaker is directing his comments to me personally.  I always hear something that helps me with the current trial or challenge I am going through, the answer to a question, a puzzle . . . a prayer.

There were many talks that stood out to me in the most recent session of General Conference that was held this past weekend.  However, one in particular, the talk of President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a counselor in the Presidency of the church, was, to me, a tender mercy.

President Uchtdorf’s talk, “Of Things that Matter Most,” focused on the truth that, in nature, things must slow down in times of stress.  For example, the rings of a tree are thinner during times of drought, indicating less energy went into the thickening of the tree as opposed to the essentials, such as, feeding the branches and leaves and preserving the roots.  Another example he gave that demonstrates how we, as human beings, do better to slow down at times was that of the speed bump in a parking lot.  We must slow down to preserve the cars balance and the safety of those within.  If we go too fast over a speed bump, we can veer off course.

As a woman who has many challenges in her life, many of them common to most as well as many of them that are not, I often tend to fall into the trap of believing that I must keep up the pace and proceed as if all is normal when they just aren’t.  It is very difficult to have differences in your household that prevent you from enjoying the same lifestyle as those around you.  It sometimes makes me want things that I can’t have at this time in my life.  Even worse, I often feel like a slacker, a flake, a whiner and someone who is looked down on because I can’t keep up with my neighbors, friends, and family members who don’t deal with the same burdens I bear.  I struggle to find a balance between doing all that I am merely capable of in any given day and all that I feel I must be crossing off my “to do” list.   So often, the gap between the two is immense.

However, after listening to the words of a servant of the Lord, I felt the spirit confirm to me the truthfulness of President Uchtdorf’s message:  when we put our time, energy, focus and attention into those things that are most important—the varied needs of everyone in my household (including myself) as well as my relationships with my husband, children, my Heavenly Father, and my Savior–the incomparable blessings of the Atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ will take care of the rest.

The post A Mormon Woman Finds Peace in the Words of the Prophets appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell gave a talk years ago entitled “Be of Good Cheer.” One might ask, in this day and age, “How does one go about being of good cheer? How is it possible?” This talk gave me much to think about.

Elder Maxwell says:

Jesus has given that same instruction [to “be of good cheer”] to others before, when the stressful circumstances in which they found themselves were anything but cheerful. For instance, he told the original Twelve to be of good cheer when, on the surface, there was nothing to be cheerful about….[H]ow could Jesus expect the Twelve to be of good cheer? Because, the Savior said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33; emphasis his.)

With such discouraging, depressing, despairing events soon to transpire, Jesus Christ gave instruction to his apostles that must have seemed impossible as they moved through those events. They likely did not understand His final phrase, “I have overcome the world.”

Elder Maxwell continues:

Because Christ had overcome the world, the Atonement was about to be accomplished! Death would be irrevocably defeated! Satan would have failed to stop the unfolding plan of salvation! All mankind would be given—through the grace of God—immortality! Additionally, for those who would earn it, there would be the richness of eternal life! These were among the resplendent realities and the fundamental facts which justified the Twelve’s being of good cheer—not their grim, temporary circumstances! The precious perspectives of the gospel give to us this gospel gladness!”

Ah! Now we see. And gradually the Twelve saw, too.

It isn’t always easy to consistently be of good cheer. There are days when temptations and trials and afflictions threaten to get the best of us—days when we feel we have been given more than we can bear. And yet:

Thus we see, brothers and sisters, how we are justified in being of good cheer for ultimate reasons—reasons to be distinguished, however, from proximate circumstances. If, for instance, our attitude towards life depends upon the praise of men, the level of interest rates, the outcome of a particular election or athletic contest—we are too much at the mercy of men and circumstance. Nor should our gratitude for the gift of mortal life depend upon the manner in which we die, for surely none of us will rush eagerly forward to tell Jesus how we died!

Instead, Jesus calls upon us to have a deliberate trust in God’s unfolding purposes, not only for all humankind but for us individually. And we are to be of good cheer in the unfolding process.

Keeping an eternal perspective is absolutely essential in getting through this mortal life, intact and with good cheer, learning the lessons that our Heavenly Father would have us learn. Life isn’t always easy, but it isn’t always hard, either, and those respites can give us a breathing space to stop and remember our blessings and our knowledge and to remind ourselves of eternity. The things of eternity are far more important than the things of this world. It is just that right now we are in the midst of the things of this world and so it requires effort and focus to remember that this is not all that there is.

Elder Maxwell’s talk is encouraging and instructive. It gives me hope and reminds me to do my part—and to be of good cheer in the process.

——–

Do you have a quote or scripture that inspires you? Please send us an email at ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com’ — Share an inspirational quote and include your thoughts about why it is meaningful to you.

For more Words that Inspire Us, please click here.

The post Words that Inspire Us: “Be of Good Cheer” appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

In the New Testament, Jesus says that if we only have as much faith as the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains.

I love gardening, and was thinking about faith when I planted some carrots recently. Have you seen a carrot seed before? They are tiny. If you have some carrot seeds in your palm and even a light breeze blows, you might lose some if you’re not careful. It’s hard to pick up just one or two seeds by pinching your fingers together; they’re that small.

When I was poking little holes in the dirt in my backyard, and trying my best to put just two or three seeds in each hole, I thought about what these seeds would be by the end of the summer. From these teeny seeds to beautiful, substantial roots in just months. It’s a miracle, really. Each time I plant seeds in my garden, I worry a bit. I go outside each day to water, and feel hope mixed with anxiety. Will the seeds sprout? Will enough seeds turn to plants that bear a decent harvest? What could I do to help them along?

Then, between a handful of days to two weeks, I can usually count on going outside to visit my garden, and seeing little leaves trying to push their way through the dirt, making their way to the son. Yeah! They did it! Each time I see it is exciting. It never gets old, it never loses the excitement.

Some months, it’s easier for me to feel faithful, hopeful. The connection between my Heavenly Father and me seems clear and continuous. Other seasons, exercising faith doesn’t feel natural. It’s more work, and can even be discouraging. I have to remind myself why I pray, why it’s important to nurture my testimony, why I should read my scriptures. Sometimes I just long for a testimony much larger than the one I carry at the time. I want to feel closer to my Savior, know more about His words and teachings than I do. It’s then that I remind myself about the seed analogy – all I need right now is as much faith as a small seed, and to nurture that seed. It will grow.

——-
For more First Person essays, please click here.

The post First Person: Faith appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Our individual experiences may not always be unique, but they are always authentic. God will even take into account our perceptions of, as well as our responses to, our trials. For those of us who do not, for instance, find claustrophobia a challenge, it is difficult to measure the terror that comes to those for whom it is such a challenge. Thus, a friend may seem to struggle unnecessarily long before finally prevailing with regard to a particular principle of the gospel. But for that individual, the struggle was real enough! We need, particularly, to understand with kindness those who are asked to go out to do battle again on a familiar field–on the very battleground where they have already suffered defeat several times. Yet some of our most difficult victories will occur on new terrain–like Joseph’s in Egypt–when we do not have the equivalent of a “home court” advantage.

We must remember that, while the Lord reminded the Prophet Joseph Smith that he had not yet suffered as Job, only the Lord can compare crosses!”

-Neal A. Maxwell, “Taking up the Cross,” Fireside, 4 January 1976 (emphasis in original) (http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=6139&x=71&y=9)

I love this reminder to be more gentle–not just with others, but also with myself. It’s so easy to be hard on other people when they just don’t seem to “get it” with regard to a certain gospel principle or practice, so it is important to remember that we can never know the full scope of the personal challenges they face. I am really grateful that it is not my job to make those comparisons and judgments–I will gladly leave that to the Lord!

As hard as we are on other people, I think often we are the most critical of ourselves. Honest self-evaluation, with the Lord’s help, is a key piece of repentance and growth, but that self-appraisal should not come at the expense of our own sense of worth and identity as beloved daughters of God–loved beyond measure even in our imperfect state.

Elder Maxwell’s imagery of the battlefield reminds me of another passage I love, from C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity:

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible.

I know I don’t always recognize the progress I’m making, so I really like this perspective on how the little things I do can add up to big gospel victories. And in the frustratingly common times I fall short, I’m grateful for repentance, and how the Atonement helps me hold the ground I might otherwise have lost.

——-

Do you have quotes or talks that have had an influence in your life? Please email us at ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com’ or simply use the comment box below. Read more quotes from others by clicking here.

The post Words that Inspire Us: From Melanie appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

We’re creating a new section on Christ.org–one of our More Good Foundation websites–that will include a composite of personal stories regarding the ways in which the Savior has intervened in our daily lives, and helped us to overcome, realize His hand, submit to His will, live on, receive understanding, see purpose, or find joy in the journey.

We’d like to extend an invitation to you to write and submit your own account of any way in which you have felt the personal impact of the Savior’s atoning love, grace, and influence in your life as you’ve moved forward in your journey of life, or as you’ve faced a particular life challenge. It doesn’t matter if the story revolves around a small moment, one event, or a long struggle. Selected accounts will be published on Christ.org.

If you’re interested, please fill out this form with your story. Stories should be approximately 350-1200 words. While we can post some stories anonymously, we’d also like to receive those from guests who would like to include a photo and first name, with their post, to keep the site inviting, real, and personal for our visitors.

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The Church’s broadcast event page has more information about audio and video stream options. The broadcast streams will be available in over 30 different languages!

The post First Presidency Christmas Devotional appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

I Believe in Obedience and Sacrifice, by SilverRain

Be of Good Cheer and the Atonement, by Tink

The post Women Share Their Thoughts about the Atonement of Jesus Christ appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdWKGEF5vTo&feature=related]

Do you have a video you have made or have seen that you would like us to share? Email us the link at ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com’

For more ideas about how you can share your voice online, see the recent Ensign article by Elder Ballard.

The post Charity Angel’s video testimony appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Our individual experiences may not always be unique, but they are always authentic. God will even take into account our perceptions of, as well as our responses to, our trials. For those of us who do not, for instance, find claustrophobia a challenge, it is difficult to measure the terror that comes to those for whom it is such a challenge. Thus, a friend may seem to struggle unnecessarily long before finally prevailing with regard to a particular principle of the gospel. But for that individual, the struggle was real enough! We need, particularly, to understand with kindness those who are asked to go out to do battle again on a familiar field–on the very battleground where they have already suffered defeat several times. Yet some of our most difficult victories will occur on new terrain–like Joseph’s in Egypt–when we do not have the equivalent of a “home court” advantage.

We must remember that, while the Lord reminded the Prophet Joseph Smith that he had not yet suffered as Job, only the Lord can compare crosses!”

-Neal A. Maxwell, “Taking up the Cross,” Fireside, 4 January 1976 (emphasis in original) (http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=6139&x=71&y=9)

I love this reminder to be more gentle–not just with others, but also with myself. It’s so easy to be hard on other people when they just don’t seem to “get it” with regard to a certain gospel principle or practice, so it is important to remember that we can never know the full scope of the personal challenges they face. I am really grateful that it is not my job to make those comparisons and judgments–I will gladly leave that to the Lord!

As hard as we are on other people, I think often we are the most critical of ourselves. Honest self-evaluation, with the Lord’s help, is a key piece of repentance and growth, but that self-appraisal should not come at the expense of our own sense of worth and identity as beloved daughters of God–loved beyond measure even in our imperfect state.

Elder Maxwell’s imagery of the battlefield reminds me of another passage I love, from C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity:

Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance. The smallest good act today is the capture of a strategic point from which, a few months later, you may be able to go on to victories you never dreamed of. An apparently trivial indulgence in lust or anger today is the loss of a ridge or railway line or bridgehead from which the enemy may launch an attack otherwise impossible.

I know I don’t always recognize the progress I’m making, so I really like this perspective on how the little things I do can add up to big gospel victories. And in the frustratingly common times I fall short, I’m grateful for repentance, and how the Atonement helps me hold the ground I might otherwise have lost.

——-

Do you have quotes or talks that have had an influence in your life? Please email us at ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com’ or simply use the comment box below. Read more quotes from others by clicking here.

The post Words that Inspire Us — from Melanie appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.