Elder Uchtdorf

General Women's Meeting; President Uchtdorf

~Heavenly Father is not waiting to love you until you overcome your weaknesses and bad habits--he loves you today.
~It is good to remember that you are always a child of God.
~Being a daughter of eternal parents is not a distinction you earned or you will ever lose.
~You will always and forever remain a daughter of God.
~Your divine origin alone does not guarantee your divine inheritance.
~I think God knows something--we don't. He not only knows what is best for you he also anxiously wants you to choose what is best for you.
~By choosing Heavenly Father's path you lay a divine foundation for your personal progress. That will bless you throughout your life.
~In reality Heavenly Father is constantly reigning blessings upon us. It is our ...like an umbrella block these blessing from us. It is the commandments that help us to close the umbrella. The commandments of God are not just a list of good ideas.
~The creator of the seas, and stars is reaching out to you this day.
~To qualify for these glorious blessings you must humble yourself exercise faith, seek Him in word and deed...,and resolutely stand as a witness of God in all times in all things and in all places.
~When we treat Gods commandments to check off..., we miss the heart of discipleship, we miss the growth from joyfully living. Walking the path of discipleship doesn't need to be a bitter experience. It is sweet. It is not a burden. It lifts our spirits. It inspires us with faith, hope, and charity. It lifts our spirits with light during times of darkness. It gives us divine power and lasting joy. Whether you are 8 or 108 there is one thing I hope you truly understand and know. You are loved. You are dear to your heavenly parents. He is mindful of you. He knows you. Yes, God loves you this very day and always.
~He knows of your sufferings.
~He loves you not for who you are this very day , but also for the person of glory and light you have the potential to become. he wants you to achieve your destiny.
~I testify the way to accomplish this--is to place selfish desires and unworthy ambitions on the alter of sacrifice. Trust in the saving power of Jesus Christ--in other words--live the gospel to the fullest.

I love how Elder Uchtdorf has a way of allowing us to know that it is okay that we are not perfect now. Heavenly Father is not asking for perfection, but He is asking to COME, to PARTAKE, to TRUST. I see my weaknesses, but I know that God still love me. He is reaching out to me today. He loves me for who I am now, but also for who I can become. He is stretching His hand out in anticipation of helping me to become who knows I can become. I love the knowledge that Elder Uchtdorf proclaimed when he said, "Heavenly Father is not waiting to love you until you overcome your weaknesses and bad habits--he loves you today".

I want to become all that God would have me to become. I want to BE HIS. I have the desire within me. I know that I must continue to be faithful. I must not allow myself to be overwhelmed with what I lack, but I must rather continue to push forward with faith. I must seek Him through my struggles, and allow Him to help me overcome my weaknesses.

Alma 8 & 9

ALMA SPEEDILY RETURNS

Alma 8

Alma has gone to the city of Ammoniah to preach the Gospel. When he first arrives, the people are so wicked that they "reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of the city" (Alma 8: 13). As Alma was journeying to another city to continue his ministry, an angel came and commanded him to return to the city of Ammoniah. It impresses me that the scriptures say that Alma "speedily" returned (Alma 8:18).

I think of my own life, and I wonder if I am as quick as Alma when it comes to listening to the Lord. I know that my heart is pure, and that I desire to do good continually; however, I know there have been times when I have intended on following through with a prompting, and then I have later forgotten. The word "speedily" reminds me that if I immediately, quickly, instantly, right now... follow through with a prompting, then I will be following Alma's example. This scripture is a lesson to me to put the promptings I receive as first priority in my life.

Alma 9

In Alma's prophesying to the people he shares a thought that touches my heart. I feel that it is almost a formula for our lives. He states, "Therefore, prepare ye the way of the Lord, for the time is at hand that all men shall reap a reward of their works, according to that which they have been--if they have been righteous they shall reap the salvation of their souls, according to the power and deliverance of Jesus Christ; and if they have been evil they shall reap the damnation of their souls, according to the power and captivation of the devil" (Alma 9: 28).

This life is our test. We decide our destiny by the choices we make today and tomorrow. As we choose to turn our lives towards God, we are on the pathway to eternal life; however, if we choose to turn our lives towards Satan, we will reap our rewards of damnation. 

Alma 7

ETERNAL LIFE
FAITH VERSES FEAR

Alma 7:15-16

 15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism.

 16 And whosoever doeth this, and keepeth the commandments of God from thenceforth, the same will remember that I say unto him, yea, he will remember that I have said unto him, he shall have eternal life, according to the testimony of the Holy Spirit, which testifieth in me.

I think these scriptures illustrate the importance of where our heart is--there will our treasure be also. When we set our hearts on the things of our Heavenly Father, then we will be blessed. In these scriptures, we are promised eternal life. Keeping His commandments gives us safety. It keeps us on the pathway to His Kingdom. As we covenant through baptism that we are His, we witness to our Heavenly Father the desires of our hearts.

I also like in the beginning of verse 15 how it says that we should "fear not". I think many things that beset me are because of my lack of faith, or rather my fear.

Here is an excerpt from a talk I wrote that I feel illustrates this point:

In order to have the courage to follow these scriptural accounts of standing alone, we must have faith in the Lord, and not be fearful of the outcome. The second part of our scripture states, “be not afraid”. When we are fearful, we allow the world to get in the way of our ultimate goal and our faith is weakened. I think I am just beginning to understand the process of fear and faith. A few weeks ago, I had an experience while at Roaring Springs, with my kids, that has broadened my understanding. 

The day my children and I decided to go was the day the management at Roaring Springs planted decoys to test their lifeguards. While we were in the Lazy River, one of those "testings" occurred. All of a sudden, a panicked lifeguard was pointing, running, and blowing on her whistle. As I turned to see what she was pointing at, I could see a lifeless toddler on the bottom of the pool. My brain went on autopilot, and I gripped tighter to Jacob as I began running towards the child's body. I'm not sure why I didn't let go of Jacob, so that I could better help the child. Jacob was on a tube, and completely fine, but my mind didn't register that I needed both of my hands to better assist the drowning child. Instead, I tried frantically to lift the body with my one remaining hand. I felt alone as onlookers watched my struggle. When the lifeguard finally arrived, she quickly pulled the child the rest of the way out of the water. It was then that I realized the child was only a mannequin—a decoy in an effort to train the lifeguard. I walked away from the lifeguard and the limp mannequin, crying silently. I was grateful to have been wearing my sunglasses. I was hoping that they were shielding my children from my grief. I kept chiding myself for being upset--all the while, grateful that it WAS a mannequin and not a real child. I think this experience was simply too close to home for me.

When I was seventeen, my brother drowned. When he died, I found myself afraid to participate in water activities. My father told me that I couldn’t allow fear to control my actions. He taught me the importance of being faithful and not fearful. He taught me that it was a choice. This experience at Roaring Springs took me back eighteen years to the time when my brother was pulled out of a river, and as I walked around the Lazy River at Roaring Springs, all of those fears came rushing back.

I have a little guy who has had to deal with many fears. I have prayed and pondered of ways to help him. We have spent many hours facing his fears—fears of riding a bike, fears of swimming, fears of sleeping in his own bed. For the last three years, fears have been a constant struggle for my little man. There were times when I thought we would never overcome; however, this year has been a major breakthrough for us with many of his fears. This last week we went to a family reunion in Lake Powell, and my brother-in-law—having no idea of Jacob’s struggles—complimented Bryan and I for teaching Jacob courage. He said, “You and Bryan have done an amazing job with Jacob. He’s not afraid of anything.” I had to laugh. Out loud. And then I felt a surge of gratitude for the Lord’s hand in helping us overcome. 

As Jacob has struggled with fears, I have never related his fears to me; however, after my experience at Roaring Springs, I now think his struggle has partly been for me and I’m learning powerful lessons on fear. There are two lessons I’m beginning to understand. First, I believe fear works against faith. It pulls me away from my Heavenly Father. I may not understand everything in my life, there may be uncertainties, and most definitely there will be bad things that happen--I cannot prevent that. Fearing the bad will not stop the bad from coming.

When we face our fears with faith, God is near. He has offered us that promise. We must be believing. In D&C it states, "Search diligently, pray always, and be believing and all things will work together for your good." That is what faith is all about--it is believing that no matter what happens it is for our good. That doesn’t mean that bad things won’t happen—it just means that whatever happens will be for our good.

The second lesson I am learning, is that living by faith, not fear is something I need to choose daily. When my faith is strong, I feel confident. I am able to face the difficulties of each new day. In these moments, I am seeking the Lord, I am praying, and I am making Him a part of my life. It is in these moments that I am full of faith. And then there are times when I allow my problems to overwhelm me. I feel anxious, and worried—I forget to seek the source of my strength—(my Heavenly Father)—and I react poorly to the situations in my life. I am beginning to think that these are moments of fear.

It seems to me to be contradicting when I know that the Gospel is true (Gregory Clark, “Some Lessons on Faith and Fear, BYU Devotional, May 6, 2008), and yet I have to continually remind myself to choose faith rather than fear. Let me illustrate with a story from the Bible.

On a boat, in a stormy sea—Jesus was awakened by his apostles:

“Master, carest thou not that we perish?” (Mark 4:38).

The Lord calmed the storm, and then asked them, “Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?”(Mark 4:40).

The disciples had sat at the Savior’s feet. They had witnessed the Savior’s power. The Savior was on the boat with them, and they knew that the Savior’s mission on earth was not yet complete; however, at that moment—it was difficult to see past the raging storm. It was explained in a BYU devotional that, “their memories of His works and His words and their hope in the future reality of His promises were not, at that moment, nearly so real to them as the storm…at that moment, the only things they had perfect knowledge of were the intensity of the storm, the fragility of their boat, the depth of the water, and their distance from the shore. At that moment their mortal senses were filled with fear: They could see and hear and feel the threat of their circumstances” (Gregory Clark, “Some Lessons on Faith and Fear, BYU Devotional, May 6, 2008).

The BYU devotional further explains that we know the gospel of the Restoration is true, but what we don’t know is how or when our trials will be resolved. The Lord has promised us that He will be with us, but at times—living in the day to day moments—it is easy to be uncertain (Gregory Clark, “Some Lessons on Faith and Fear, BYU Devotional, May 6, 2008).

Every day we have choices where we can choose to be fearful of the outcome, or we can choose to have faith. Let me illustrate with a personal story. A few years ago I backed into a dear friend’s brand new car. I found myself consumed with thoughts of expenses. Expenses of higher insurance rates and of fixing her car—even a little bump can cost several hundreds of dollars, or even thousands. One evening I was lamenting my concerns to my husband when he said, “Carrie, where is your faith?” I have to be honest—previous to his comment—I had never considered it a matter of faith; however, as soon as it was suggested, I knew I had not been faithful. Immediately, I repented, and I chose to have faith that it would all work out.

When President Hinckley spoke at his wife’s funeral he said, “It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out. Don’t worry. I say that to myself every morning. It will all work out. . . . Put your trust in God, and move forward with faith and confidence in the future. The Lord will not forsake us. He will not forsake us. . . . If we will put our trust in Him, if we will pray to Him, if we will live worthy of His blessings, He will hear our prayers” [Gordon B. Hinckley, quoted in Latter-day Counsel, “Excerpts from Addresses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, ”Ensign, October 2000, 73; see also “Put Your Trust in God, “Ensign, February 2006, 63].

17 And now my beloved brethren, do you believe these things? Behold, I say unto you, yea, I know that ye believe them; and the way that I know that ye believe them is by the manifestation of the Spirit which is in me. And now because your faith is strong concerning that, yea, concerning the things which I have spoken, great is my joy.

I love that Alma says that his "joy" is full through sharing the Gospel. I feel the power of my testimony burn within my own heart. I know this Gospel is true. I feel it as I speak of Christ. I feel it as I search the scriptures. I feel it as I fulfill my calling. I feel it as I mother my children. I know my direction in this life, because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I truly hope that someday my testimony will help others see what I feel, and experience the same joy I experience.

Alma 5

TESTIMONY

In this chapter Alma is testifying to the people, and proclaiming the word of God. At one point he says, "Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself? Behold, I testify unto you that I do know that these things whereof I have spoken are true. And how do ye suppose that I know of their surety? Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me" (Alma 5: 45-46). Testimony is built upon hard work. We cannot suppose that we will simply know without giving our hearts to prayer, and studying the word of God. We must seek Him to know Him. He waits for us to come, but we must still choose to do so. And if we do, we are promised a testimony and spiritual protection. At the end of the chapter Alma compares us to sheep. He says, "For what shepherd is there among you having many sheep doth not watch over them, that the wolves enter not and devour his flock? And behold, if a wolf enter his flock doth he not drive him out? Yea, and at the last, if he can, he will destroy him. And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be destroyed" (Alma 5:59-60). The Lord desires to protect us, but because we are given our agency, we must choose if we will allow Him to do so. Our protection from spiritual wolves can only be through our Lord. As we seek Him, our testimonies will grow, and we will be brought unto his fold, and no ravenous wolf can or will destroy our testimony, because we will have chosen to turn our hearts, and fortify our testimony in Him.   

Integrity #3 Personal Progress

Examples of Integrity in the Scriptures:

I was touched that Joseph knew that by defying Potipher's wife, he would be punished. However, he cared more about what God thought than what others thought. He suffered in prison for years before he was released. It would be difficult to not be bitter when in choosing the right--bad things happened. It is important to remember that we may not always see blessings immediately, but if we endure our trials with faith, then all things will work together for our good.

I liked how Esther chose to stand up for her people even when it could mean death. She too, chose to care more about doing the right, rather than caring about herself. She put the Gospel principles first in her life. It would be easy to be quiet. There are times in my life when I want to be quiet, but in order to be like Esther, I must stand for the right even when difficult.

Again, Daniel prayed even when it could mean death. The Lord blessed him, and saved him from the Lion's den; however, the Lord doesn't always save. Abinidi also did what was right, and he did perish. There are times when we must be willing to trust in the Lord's purposes no matter the cost.

Job never spoke against God even when he lost everything. He held to his FAITH in all things. I love the example of Job, because hard things happen to all of us in this life, and there is always the temptation that it is easier to simply give up. In Job's hardest moments he said, "God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live" (Job 27:6-7).

I like how Paul returned to God when he was called unto repentance. He testified to King Agrippa of his vision. Not only was he despised of the Jews (because of his persecution towards them prior to his conversion), but he spoke against his fellow brethren and then was despised of them as well. Paul was so persuasive that King Agrippa was almost persuaded. He testified no matter what the result. Even if it meant death.

Doctrine and Covenants 124:15 says, "...blessed is my servant Hyrum Smith; for I, the Lord, love him because of the integrity of his heart, and because he loveth that which is right before me, saith the Lord." I think this is the key--loving what is right before God above all other things!

Joseph Smith History 1: 21-24: Joseph testified of his vision, and in response to his testimony, he was persecuted by all the sects of religion. An obscure boy caused the ridicule of elite men, which caused Joseph much sorrow. Despite his sorrow, he would not waiver from his testimony. He knew he had seen a vision, and no persecution could make it otherwise. Much like Paul could not deny his vision--Joseph could not.

I love how Joseph said, "Who am I that I can withstand God?" He knew that no matter what the world believed to be right, he could not deny what he knew to be right.

Each and every one of us have had those “moments” in our lives—those moments of decision.  In a world where holiness is mocked, I have often reflected on the “how” of standing. And as I have pondered, my thoughts keep returning to “obedience”. The “how” of standing happens when we choose to be obedient. When we choose to read our scriptures and apply them to our lives, when we choose to follow the FOR THE STRENGTH OF YOUTH…ultimately when we choose to keep the commandments despite the difficulties, and no matter the consequences. If I may I would like to illustrate with a personal experience from my own life. When I was in Junior High, I was asked to speak out against a young man who I had witnessed breaking the rules. I wasn’t alone in my decision to take a stand. Five of my girlfriends joined me as we met with the principal, and conveyed the experience. To our surprise, our testimonies against this young man were the cause of his expulsion from school. In an effort to protect us from social ridicule, our principal gave us an alibi. He placed us all in detention, and we were told to say that we had been caught sloughing, so as to hide from our peers our reason for not being in class. I remember feeling that I had made the right choice to speak out; however, I didn't feel at peace with the alibi given to me by the principal. In fact, as I started relaying the alibi to my peers—no one believed me. I had never sloughed before, and because of the way I conducted myself on a regular basis—no one seemed to believe our story. That night, with a heavy heart, I explained my situation to my father, and he counseled me to do a hard thing. He told me that it was right to take a stand, but just because I had done one right—didn't make it okay to cover it up with a wrong. Lying was still lying. He counseled me to pray about my decision, but he felt that I should be honest with my peers, and stand behind my original decision to take a stand. Telling the truth not only perjured myself, but all of the other girls who had also taken a stand—our alibi would no longer be an alibi. The next morning I apologized to each of them, and explained what I was about to do. Some of them begged me to change my mind, but I could not be swayed—I was resolute in my determination to do what was right. The months that followed were difficult ones for me. My family received phone calls in the middle of the night with threats, and profanity. I was talked about openly—even so I could hear the conversations in hallways and in the locker room. My peers would turn their back on me in the hall, and at times I felt as if I had some sort of disease. Ultimately, I felt very much alone. Even my best friend was angry with me. However, despite the challenges--the peace that I felt made it worth the trial. I knew that I had made the right choice, and I truly felt that Heavenly Father was with me. This experience solidified my heart and sealed my testimony of the power of obedience. I became something more. My classmates knew it—I knew it. After the anger and frustration had worn off, my peers treated me with a new level of respect. More important than their respect—however, was my new determination to be obedient—always—no matter the cost. Mosiah 2:41 states, “And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness” (Mosiah 2: 41). When we choose to keep the commandments, when we choose to stand on the Lord’s side, when we choose to stand in Holy Places—we are blessed and we set ourselves on the pathway of becoming all that our Father intended of us. We are molding and shaping our lives. Sister Dalton said, "Take a few minutes to envision where you want to be in one year or two or five. Then take action to prepare yourselves. People don't just run a marathon when they decide to do it. They must train daily, slowly building stamina and endurance to run the 26.2-mile distance. So it is with life. It is daily diligence…that will help you reach your goals. Your daily decisions will influence generations" (Elaine S. Dalton, "Press Forward and Be Steadfast," Ensign, May 2003, p.105).

Alma 5

Come Unto Christ and Be Perfected in HIM

I few days ago I posted all of the questions from Alma 5. I believe they are questions that I need to be constantly reviewing. It humbles me as I read these questions, because I realize how imperfect I am; however, I also realize the love of my Savior.

I like in Alma 5:34 it reads, "Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely."

We have been taught that the fruit of the tree of life is the love of God, or in other words--eternal life. It is essential for us to continually seek after our Savior. As we come unto him, we are cleansed and purified. I keep telling my kids that we are not meant to be perfect here on this earth. There is no possible way for that to happen. We must do our best, and endure, and then we must allow Christ to make up the difference. The real test is if we can endure. We mustn't set our hearts on perfection, because none of us are going to be perfect; however, as we set our hearts on Christ, and enduring to the end--our perfection will come through Him.

I love in Moroni it says, "Come unto Christ and be perfected in Him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."

We are not perfect through our own merits, but we are perfected by God's grace and through Christ. As we turn our hearts to Christ, we can be purified in Him, and His grace is sufficient for us all.

As I read through these questions, I can see my own imperfections. This doesn't daunt me or discourage me. It causes me to renew my heart. It causes me to seek Christ more diligently. It gives me direction as to better myself in Christ. I am grateful for scriptures. I know that as I read them, I become more of what my Heavenly Father intended for me to become. The scriptures cause me to renew my heart in Christ on a daily basis, and they lead me in my enduring.

President Monson Conference Talk; Love the Essence of the Gospel

Love at Home

I was touched by this talk today, and has caused me to reflect on my own relationships. When President Hinckley was alive, he use to admonish us to "try a little harder to do a little better". I think this is one of those principles in which I can try to do better. It's interesting that I read this talk when for the last little while I have been trying to increase this principle in my life. I have set goals to immediately express love to my children as they wake up, come home from school, and as they go to bed. I have prayed for more patience as Jacob and I work on Learning Technics and homework.

There were several thoughts to this talk that I want to remember:

A poem that President Monson quoted:
I have wept in the night
For the shortness of sight
That to sombody's need made me blind
But I never have yet
Felt a tinge of regret
For being a little too kind.

Dale Carnegie, a well-known American author and lecturer, believed that each person has within himself or herself the "power to increase the sum total of the world's happiness...by giving a few words of sincere appreciation to someone who is lonely or discouraged." Said he, "Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime." 

I also loved how President said that the "greatest opportunities to demonstrate our love will be within the walls of our own homes. Love should be the very heart of family life, and yet sometimes it is not. There can be too much impatience, too much arguing, too many fights, too many tears. Lamented President Gordon B. Hinckley: "Why is it that the ones we love most become so frequently the targets of our harsh words? Why is it that we sometimes speak as if with daggers that cut to the quick? (end quote) The answers to these questions may be different for each of us, and yet the bottom line is that the reasons do not matter. If we keep the commandments to love one another, we must treat each other with kindness and respect.

President Monson then added, "Of course there will be times when discipline needs to be metered out. Let us remember, however, the counsel found in the Doctrine and Covenants--namely, that when it is necessary for us to reprove another, we afterwards show forth an increase of love. (D&C 121:43)

I feel blessed that quite often love and peace reside in our home; however, this isn't because it comes easily. I truly have been praying for patience every day for the last 15 years. I say I have to work on it, and to be honest--I do. I'm not perfect at it yet. There are those times when I am not as patient as I want to be, and I have then taken the counsel found in the Doctrine and Covenants. This gives me hope. It also gives me hope that as I seek to show kindness and love in my home, and I pray for that help, I can feel promptings guiding me as to how to handle situations in our family life. Sometimes I am too prideful to listen, and I am then always upset afterwards, but in the moments I do listen, peace resides. 

I know that Heavenly Father can help us in this area. He wants there to be love all around us. It is, as President Monson said, "the essence of the Gospel". 

Alma 3

Eternal Happiness or Eternal Misery

In Alma 3, a group of Nephites choose to follow a man named Amlici. Amlici lead this people into believing that he should be their king, and when the majority of the people were against this notion, he led the people who wanted him to be king into open rebellion against the rest of the Nephites, and essentially against God. In verse 19 it reads, "Now I would that ye should see that they brought upon themselves the curse (a curse was placed upon the Lamanites when they placed themselves against God); and even so doth every man that is cursed bring upon himself his own condemnation." This scripture reminds me of our choices in this life. When we choose the wrong, we separate ourselves from the blessings our Heavenly Father has in store for us. We choose to walk a path that will only bring us misery and sorrow. We choose the way contrary to eternal life. This chapter further explains this notion in verses 26 and 27 when it says, "And in one year were thousands and tens of thousands of souls sent to the eternal world, that they might reap their rewards according to their works, whether they were good or whether they were bad, to reap eternal happiness or eternal misery, according to the spirit which they listed to obey, whether it be a good spirit or a bad spirit. For every man receiveth wages of him whom he listeth to obey, and this according to the words of the spirit of prophecy; therefore let it be according to the truth." The beautiful gift of agency is ours. We choose our destiny in this life. We choose whether or not we will have eternal happiness or eternal misery. Sometimes in the midst of our trials it is difficult to see things from an eternal perspective. It is my prayer that as for me and my family, we will continue on the pathway of eternal happiness.