Yes, I know Christmas is over, but my tree is still up and there are still piles of wrapping paper in my living room and a few more Christmas thoughts I wanted to record before I bid the season good-bye. So here is #1 of my two remaining post-Christmas posts.

And actually, this post has ended up being very short.

The word “receive” may, on the surface, seem a bit antithetical to the spirit of Christmas, but to me, it’s at the heart of it all.

I had spent quite a bit of a time writing a post about this topic, but I couldn’t get it to gel. I realized my friend already did such a beautiful job in her post that I want to link to her essay, “Just Receive.”

I will just say this: There are few things that have made Christmas more meaningful than what the Spirit taught me last year about receiving. My friend’s essay stirs those feelings again in my heart. I am grateful for her simple New Year’s resolution, which is one of mine as well:

At the end of this holiday season and the start of a new year, I am determined to keep listening to that voice in my heart that tells me to receive.

And now, tonight, as I reflect more on my friend’s post, the Spirit whispers to me that even the illness that hit me as Christmas came to a close (and has kept me home from three family parties (and counting?)) is itself a gift.

I pray for eyes to see more of what our generous, gentle, loving, patient, all-knowing Father is desirous to give me each day.

If I will but receive.

What is God inviting you to see and receive in your life?

For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift. -Doctrine and Covenants 88:33

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Reflecting on our role as parents can help us understand more about the love of our Heavenly Father. This video, “Earthly Father, Heavenly Father” captures some reflections from a father about our belief in a Heavenly Father.

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Not long ago I emailed my father with a question having to do with a project I was attempting at my house.  The next morning he was at my door to help get it fixed in spite of the two hour drive to and from. It was a strong reminder to me that my father loves me and is waiting for me to ask for what I need so he can be of service to me.

It was also a powerful metaphor for the Father in Heaven we all share; He who wants nothing more than to bless us with His love, His guidance, His forgiveness and all the tender mercies He has in store for us–if we but ask.  There have been many times in my life when my Heavenly Father has blessed me with what I needed and often times, what I have wanted.  These events are particularly close to my heart because they were blessings that showed me how much my Heavenly Father is aware of me as His daughter, of my particular joys and sorrows, and how much He loves me, as He does each one of us.

One example in particular stands out more than the rest.  I had suffered a disappointment that I learned of in a sudden and seemingly unfair manner. I felt heart-broken and I spent much of the day crying. After my husband and children were asleep that night, I was still weeping over my lost opportunity, one that I felt was denied me because of a large and challenging responsibility under which I daily labored. Ironically, the lost opportunity was one I felt would have relieved my burden to a small extent. It seemed particularly unfair that something that might have brought me relief was withheld from me because of that very same burden.

Thoroughly miserable, I got on my knees and expressed to my Father in Heaven all my woes. Feeling I had nothing to lose, I spoke not only of my lost opportunity, but also dared to ask for a blessing I had dared not ask before because I was so afraid the answer would be an unbearable “no”; was there a way for my large and heavy burden to be lessened or relieved in some way?

There are no words to fully describe my joy when the answer came back to me: Yes! It was so loud and clear, it felt almost as if my Heavenly Father was as happy I had asked as I was to be granted my request. My heart was bursting with elation such that I felt as if it would break out of my chest. I also felt an incredible lightness, both in lack of weight and in brightness. It were as if my entire being was filled with a light that threatened to pull me up into the sky like a basket bobbing after a hot air balloon.

The hows and the whys were questions to be addressed as the days progressed. The onerous burden was indeed eased in very specific ways and, some time later, the same lovely opportunity I had so wanted came my way.  Oh, how loved I felt!  And by someone whose love I had felt so strongly, my being could not hold it all.

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I was recently making a loaf of simple sandwich bread for our lunches. Often, I mix the bread in a bread maker, and then shape and bake the loaf in the oven. I just like it better that way.  As I put the pan into the bread maker, I went over all the ingredients in my head to make sure I had everything: water, honey, brown sugar, salt, flour, and…yeast! I had forgotten the yeast!

Without yeast, a loaf of bread bakes up into a hard brick and is unedible.  It never rises, it doesn’t get soft and tender, and it belongs nowhere but the trash. I’ve forgotten to add yeast a few times to my bread, and was always frustrated and disappointed that I wasted my time and the good ingredients on something that no one would enjoy.

As I rushed to the fridge to pull out and measure the yeast, I realized a parallel. It’s the same with prayer.  Prayer is the yeast of my day.  It is good to pray over meals, it is wonderful to pray in the evening to take time and express thanks to God for the blessings of that day.  But it is essential to start my day with prayer.  Without it, I feel off.  I wonder how many opportunities I might be missing because I didn’t take a few minutes to ask for guidance through prayer in the morning.  I wonder how many of my good ingredients — my willingness to serve, my talents, my hope to be better — might go unused or less used because I didn’t tell the Lord in the morning how willing I was to help Him that specific day.  I know that when I begin my day taking some time to have a good conversation with my Heavenly Father, my day has the ability to rise in a way it doesn’t when I don’t pray.

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I have a testimony that I am a daughter of God – that God is my Heavenly Father. I know that Heavenly Father is distinctly aware of me. I know that He loves me. I know that he cares for me.

This knowledge has always been with me – at one level or another. Throughout my life, I’ve been blessed with a great father. He has always been aware of my needs and willing to do everything that he can to help me. However, there is one aspect of our relationship that lacks, and it is our faith. I know that my father respects my religion, but I also know that he doesn’t believe it. Nor does he understand how it has motivated many of the choices I’ve made in life.

As I have gotten older, I have found that I need to rely on my Heavenly Father for this kind of confirmation. I haven’t always felt comfortable explaining that my reasoning for certain decisions have been based in the way that the Spirit has guided me. Again, I don’t fault my father for this. I understand where he is coming from – as he does not have this kind of faith, but these experiences have caused me to gain a special relationship with my Father in Heaven. I have realized that I can go to Him like a Father, and that he will always understand me. I know that He understands my worries, my faith, and my problems.

At one point in my adolescence, I was having a really hard time with my faith. I was not always making the best choices, and I was questioning everything that I had always believed in. However, I was still going to church and going through the motions required.

Around this time, I received a special calling – as a young women (assistant) camp director. When I received this calling, all of the love for my fellow young women and all of the wonderful experiences I had at camp flooded my memory. I distinctly understood that Heavenly Father knew me personally. He loved me, and He didn’t want me to doubt in Him or in the Gospel. I know now that Heavenly Father offered his troubled daughter help – through a special calling. This experience taught me that my Heavenly Father knows me and loves me.

As I’ve gotten older, I have had many other similar experiences. I have found that during times of trial or adversity, Heavenly Father has ways of letting me know, specifically, that He loves me and that He is aware of my needs, worries, and desires. I also have felt that He wants to see me happy.

I know that Heavenly Father is a perfect Father, and that He loves all of His children with a perfect love. I know that the delights in blessing us with His best blessings, and I have often been a grateful recipient of these blessings. I know that Heavenly Father is deeply interested in our causes, and that His entire existence – His entire work and glory – is based on our happiness – on our immortality and eternal life.
I’m so grateful to have this knowledge. The love that I feel from my Heavenly Father causes me to desire righteousness and increased faith. It inspires me to be loving to Him and to my spiritual brothers and sisters. The love that I feel from my Heavenly Father fills me with a sense of peace. I know that I have a Father in Heaven, and I know that He loves me.

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I pray because it changes me.  It smoothes out my rough edges, encourages me to be more gentle, helps me be more aware.

I pray because I long for the few minutes of peace and quiet I carve out of the day to speak with my Father, and I find great joy and comfort when I feel He hears me.

I pray because I need the guidance I receive from the conversations I have with God.  I pray because I know that when I listen to and follow the promptings I get during prayer, my life is better.

I pray because I want my children and family to be protected and safe, and I know that when I ask the Lord to watch over them each day, He does.

I pray because life is hard, and sometimes when I pray for it to be easier, burdens are lifted.  Sometimes when I pray for the hard times to go away, they don’t, but through prayer I am made stronger to face those challenges.

I pray because I need help, and God is waiting to help me the very second I ask for it.  I pray because I need and want blessings from above, and God is waiting to give me those blessings just as soon as I am humble enough to ask.

I pray because I am so very blessed, and I want my Heavenly Father to know that I recognize His hand in everything around me – my family, our health, our abundant spaghetti squash plants, the peaceful breeze, my children’s laughter.

Why do you pray?

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There are certain things that I do that make me feel close to the Lord.

George Washington Carver said, “I like to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us, if only we will tune in.”

I’m inclined to agree with Mr. Carver, for I see evidence of God’s love as I wander in the mountains,

watch the sun rise or admire flowers growing around me.

Martin Luther said, “God writes the gospel not in the bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.”

I feel a confirmation from the Spirit that our Savior, Jesus Christ, created the earth for us. These same feelings are the ones that help me know that He lives.

I feel peace in my soul when I am in the quiet of nature, away from the sounds of town. Out here is where I know, God loves me.

He loves you, too.

Please share a time when you felt close to God while enjoying the beauties of nature.

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As members of the LDS church, we believe in paying a 10% tithing on any increase we receive. For example, if we make $10 then we give $1 to the church. The money is used for all sorts of things – the building and maintenance of temples and churches, missionary work, educating church members and more.

People often wonder why we would do something like this.

We believe that the Lord has commanded to give back part of what he has given us. In return, we are blessed in many ways. By paying our tithing we are able to show the Lord our faith, love, and devotion to Him. We are also showing our gratitude for the things that we have and we are showing Him that we trust Him to help us. In return, it seems that we are blessed to have the things that we need.

I have had experiences where I have seen blessings of paying tithing in my own life.

Money is tight in our house and my boys desperately needed a dresser. They had been using bins under their beds, but it just wasn’t working. I really wanted to go and buy a dresser but I couldn’t bring myself to spend money that we didn’t have. I collected the money that I needed to pay for tithing one Sunday morning and put it with my scriptures. I checked my email and there was a message from our Relief Society President ~ a member of my ward had a dresser that they didn’t need. I was able to get my boys a dresser for their room and I truly believe that it is because I was paying my tithing.

When we lived in our old house, I had a salon. In our current home, I have no room for a salon but I still give people haircuts for extra money. I have noticed that when I pay my tithing, I seem to have people call for a haircut more often and I am able to earn money that is needed for groceries and other things around the house. I believe that this is a way the Lord is blessing me and my family for our obedience to this law.

On the LDS church’s website you can read stories of other women from all over the world who have gained a testimony of tithing. An example of a story from that article includes the following:

Josefa Margarida dos Santos Fontes of Brazil shares, “When I was baptized in 2001, I began paying tithing every month. Then just eight months later, my husband passed away. I became a widow with two small children at home and one son on a mission. Although my financial problems were serious, I never stopped paying tithing. I have been blessed with more and more work, which has enabled me to earn more money. But even more important, because I pay my tithing I always feel at peace with the Lord.

“Today my small house seems big and comfortable. I feel calm with my two little children. I will never stop paying tithing because I know the Lord has blessed me not only with physical and spiritual health but also with wisdom and peace.”

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Read more about tithing here.

Read others’ experiences with and thoughts about tithing here.

You can read thoughts from other Mormon women about tithing in the comments on this post.

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Quando estava no colegial (high school) eu tinha uma amiga na sala de aula que é mórmon. Estudamos juntas por 2 anos e um dia ela me convidou para um baile na Igreja, pois sabia que eu adoro dançar. Frequentei o Seminário, mas não me formei pois não era batizada ainda. Aos 19 anos decidi me batizar e logo no mesmo dia fui entrevistada para ser Secretária na Organização das Moças na Ala. Quase 3 anos após meu batismo, estava me arrumando para a Conferência da Ala quando convidei meu pai para ir à Igreja (pois ele já conhecia um pouco vendo os missionários almoçarem em casa e eu ensinando português para eles e eles inglês para mim). Na hora ele recusou, então fui embora quando poucos metros de casa ouvi o Espírito dizer: “Volta, senta e espera!”. No mesmo instante olhei para trás não vi ninguém, então voltei para casa e quando cheguei encontrei meus pais arrumados para irem à Igreja, mas quando iriam me avisar eu já havia ido embora. Rimos um pouco naquele momento e fomos os três, meus pais e eu, para a Igreja. Nessa época eu namorava meu ex-marido, com quem tenho um filho chamado Gustavo de 4 anos; ele foi quem meu pai escolheu para batizá-lo e poucos meses depois, meu pai batizou minha mãe.

Meu amor e testemunho pelo Evangelho me ajudaram para servir em uma “mini mission” pois não pude servir missão de tempo integral por motivo de saúde. Hoje, mesmo usando cadeira de rodas, sou fiél aos convênios do Templo, o local mais especial que pude estar.

Amo Jesus Cristo; amo nosso Pai Celestial e sei que o que passo aqui nesta Terra não é para me entristecer, mas sim ser grata por ser a Filha de um Rei.

I am happy, ´cause I am child of God!

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When I was in high school, I had a friend in my class who was Mormon. We studied together for 2 years and one day she invited me to a Church dance because she knew that I love to dance. I went to seminary [youth scripture study class for those 14 and up), but I didn’t graduate because I wasn’t baptized yet. At the age of 19, I decided to get baptized and later that same day I was interviewed to become the ward Young Women’s secretary. About 3 years after my baptism, I was getting ready for Ward Conference when I invited my father to go to church with me (he was already somewhat familiar with the church since he had seen the missionaries having lunch with us at home and had seen me teaching them Portuguese and them teaching me English). He initially said no, so I left, but had not gotten more than a few meters from the house, when I heard the Spirit say, “Turn around, sit and wait” I looked behind me and saw no one, so I returned home and when I arrived, I found my parents getting ready to go to church. They had come to tell me they’d changed their minds, but I had already left. We laughed about that a little and went, the three of us, my parents and I, to church. At the time, I was dating the man who is now my ex-husband, with whom I have a four year old son, Gustavo. It was he who my father chose to baptize him a few months later. And then my father baptized my mother.

My love and testimony of the gospel help me to serve a mini mission because I was unable to serve a full-time mission for health reasons. Today, I use a wheel chair and I am faithful to my temple covenants, the most special place that could exist anywhere.

I love Jesus Christ; I love Heavenly Father and I know that what I go through in this life isn’t supposed to make me sad, but instead to be grateful to be the daughter of a King.

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Sister Pinnock’s favorite calling, prior to being a full-time missionary, was her calling to be the Laurel President as a young woman in her ward. [Laurels are young women ages 16-18 who have not yet graduated from high school.] Because of the added responsibility for the care of each of the girls in her class, she felt the love of the Lord as she reached out to each young woman so they would all feel included.

When asked why she wanted to serve a mission Sister Pinnock responded, “While in London for study abroad, I was able to share the gospel for the very first time. I received so much joy from doing that. I also had had so many friends who came home from their missions a better person. They knew the gospel better, became stronger as individuals, and learned to serve others better.

“I have felt the same joy I felt in London while sharing my testimony on my mission. Even if the people I meet don’t accept the message, I feel strengthened by sharing my convictions with others. I also feel Heavenly Father’s love stronger than ever before. I know and have felt His love for all people.”

Sister Pinnock shared an experience on her mission where she learned that God was aware of her and her struggles:

“My first week on my mission I felt like I didn’t know anything. I felt that there was a lot expected of me. It broke my heart that something so dear to my heart, the gospel of Jesus Christ, was being rejected. Doors were being slammed in my face. It was hard, and heart breaking. I felt discouraged. I learned for the first time that I had to solely rely on the Lord. Previously, I had always relied on others like family members or friends in times of need. But through prayer, I found out how much I needed Heavenly Father and the Savior, and that missionary work cannot be done without Them. That night after feeling so discouraged, I turned out the lights in our apartment, my companion was already asleep and I cried and expressed everything that was in my heart to Heavenly Father. I prayed to know that I was called on my mission and how I was going to get through it.

“The next day, I was doing my personal scripture study and felt directed to read in Alma 8:15: ‘Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you.’

“It made me realize that despite others rejecting the message, it doesn’t matter because I still have a testimony and that testimony came directly from my Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost. He will guide me and lead me through this mission.

“I learned that it is not just my name on my name tag. I am a representative of Jesus Christ.”

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