Sunday musings...
Sundays are my favorite day. This week has been no exception. It's beenkind of a tough week, but as I went to Sacrament meeting and felt the deep compassion my Savior Jesus Christ has for me, my wounds really do feel like they are healed.
I think to the talk that President Gordon B. Hinckley gave at this last General Conference. How he spoke of Brigham Young holding conference at the same time of year 150 years ago when handcarts were stranded or struggling on the plains. Hundreds of faithful Latter-day Saints were freezing to death and dying of starvation. President Young received word that these handcart companies were still on the plains and in dyer straits, and he immediately called for all the men and women to gather provisions together, tons of flour, several teams of strong horses, warm clothing and blankets.
Keep in mind these Saints had fairly recently arrived in the Valley themselves and were not exactly rolling in dough so to speak. They struggled. Many didn't have even roofs on their homes, and certainly some only owned 1 or2 blankets, but they gave freely. They loved these immigrant brothers and sisters they had yet to meet. They loved them as WE should be loving our Heavenly Fathers children all over the world.
Many are in terrible circumstances.
Many are dying of starvation.
Many are freezing to death.
Are we still answering the Lord's call to help them?
The following excerpt is from President Hinckley's talk last week...
The Faith to Move Mountains
"I will tell you all," said he, "that your faith, religion, and profession of religion, will never save one soul of you in the celestial kingdom of our God, unless you carry out just such principles as I am now teaching you. Go and bring in those people now on the plains, and attend strictly to those things which we call temporal, or temporal duties, otherwise your faith will be in vain; the preaching you have heard will be in vain to you, and you will sink to hell, unless you attend to the things we tell you" (Deseret News, Oct. 15, 1856, 252).
Immediately horses and mules and strong wagons were offered. Flour in abundance was forthcoming. Warm clothing and bedding were quickly assembled. Within a day or two the loaded wagons were moving eastward through the snow.
When the rescuers reached the beleaguered Saints, they were like angels from heaven. People wept tears of gratitude. The handcart people were transferred into wagons so they could travel more quickly to the Salt Lake community.
Some two hundred died, but a thousand were saved."
Are we doing all we can to reach out to those in need, around the world, in our communities, in our neighborhoods. in our own homes? Are we smiling, sometimes even when we feel like crying? Are we trying to be positive and not give in to the negative atmosphere that pervades the world? Are we replacing negative thoughts with kind, good, positive, uplifting, happy thoughts? We can you know... we must... it's a tough one for me to overcome the 'poor me' syndrome any time anything minor happens.
As I worked on a special pattern for my book, I was suddenly overwhelmed with a vision of a little girl who would be wearing that garment soon. I am knitting it in bright pink. =) I thought of her mommy gently dressing this tiny girl, and I had to smile as I thought back to when I had my first baby. He was 7 weeks early and only 4 1/2 lbs, and so skinny, birdlike, and precious.
He is going to be 26 in a few weeks here. =) What a great man he has become too.
I have a few photos to share tonight. Let me find them. Pretty sunset type ones...
Have a wonderful evening!! And a great day tomorrow.
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