Tag: Joy

A Perfect Brightness of Hope

Welcome to the pointing toward hope podcast/blog.  I am Wendy Bertagnolli, your host for today. If this is your first time joining, welcome!  I hope you can find a little bit of joy and healing as you listen and hear the stories of others who have overcome and found joy and healing in their lives.  We believe that it is through our hope and faith in Jesus Christ that we can overcome the many trials and challenges of our day. If you have a personal story to share that you feel may help others to be able to find the light again, please reach out to me.  I would love to have you on the show.

I’ll start today off by sharing a quote from President Russell M. Nelson, it reads:  

We have never needed positive spiritual momentum more than we do now, to counteract the speed with which evil and the darker signs of the times are intensifying. Positive spiritual momentum will keep us moving forward amid the fear and uncertainty created by pandemics, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and armed hostilities. Spiritual momentum can help us withstand the relentless, wicked attacks of the adversary and thwart his efforts to erode our personal spiritual foundation. 

~President Russell M. Nelson~

This was a talk he gave back in April of 2022 called spiritual momentum

Being caught in an attack by the adversary to erode our personal spiritual foundation can happen to anyone!  Even the most stalwart people can sometimes find themselves in situations where the light of Christ is not burning as brightly in their life as it once was.  

There can be so many reasons for this, grief, loss, miscarriage, lies, threats, surgery, pain, mistakes, death, betrayal, and so many more.

So How can we protect ourselves against the fiery darts of the adversary that are ever increasing in these days and times? I don’t have all the answers for sure.  But I wanted to talk today about a few habits that we can work on that will help us withstand these relentless attacks of the adversary.  Our world is certainly in the throws of darkness, rocking too and fro, knowing not which way to turn.  I pray that we can be strong and immovable when it comes to fighting the battles that will come our way.  And that we will not be moved in our desire to be a beacon of light in an ever darkening world.

And we can do that with the help of our Savior and by practicing some good solid spiritual habits. These habits will improve our abilitly to withstand all that we have been asked to face in the rough and unexpected times in our lives when we may feel less than stellar.

The first habit, and arguabley the most important, that I want to talk about comes from a talk given by Peter M. Johnson from the October 2019 General Conference.  This is one of my all time favorite talks.  I’ve mentioned it upon occasion here but it seems as though it is becoming an even more important warning as years go on.  He states:  

You are elect sons and daughters of God. You have the power to overcome the adversary. The adversary, however, is aware of who you are. He knows of your divine heritage and seeks to limit your earthly and heavenly potential by using the three Ds:

  • Deception
  • Distraction
  • Discouragement

Unfortunately, this is becoming more and more common among our Christian brothers and sisters.  Whether in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints or other churches.  Everyday, I see my friends being led away by the wiles of the adversary.  And it usually happens slowly.  I begin to see small differences in them and in their posts on social media.  Then suddenly they declare that they no longer have a testimony, and at times, exclaim that there is no God.  It breaks my heart, because I was once there.  

I remember many days defending myself and saying that I was happier than I ever remember being.  And the key word there is “remember”.  Such an important word that has great meaning. It is stressed over and over again in the Book of Mormon and the Bible. And as we know, the opposition can take something that is meant to be good, and twist it and turn it to meet his agenda.  And I believe that he has a way of seeing that we don’t remember the joy that the Gospel and our Lord Jesus Chrits bring us by exposing us to distractions.  Hitting us with discouragement.  And working in mischievous ways to deceive us.  

 In Heleman 5:12 Nephi remembers the words that his father Heleman had spoken to them saying:

And now my sons, remember, remember,that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ the Son of God, that ye must build your foundations; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea when all his hail and mighty storms shall beat upon you it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built which is a sure foundation; a foundation wheron if men build they can not fall.

And in verse 14 it says:  And they did remember his words, and therefore went forth, keeping the commandments of God….

In 2016, my husband, Joe, was baptized a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  And I remember that during the time that we were having discussions and messages given to us by the missionaries, we felt the spirit of the holy ghost regularly.  We would always be so happy after their visits and felt such peace, even though we were going through some really difficult things at the time.  

I started to go to the temple once a week because I was in a position that I could, even though our temple is 45 minutes from our home.  It usually would take half of a day.  But I could definitely feel the power that renewing my temple covenants each week brought into our lives.  

So many blessings would come right after or even during my sessions at the temple.  To the point that we could not deny it.  Do I still go once a week?  I’m sad to say that I do not make it every week. I’ve found it really difficult to get back into that habit since the pandemic.

I think it’s really easy to forget the added strength that regular attendance at the temple brings into our life.  It is meant to help sustain us in these latter days as things begin to get even harder, and as the veil gets thinner.  We need to remember and practice keeping the commandments.  The cloak of darkness gets heavier when we are distracted or deceived by the adversary.  It gets harder and harder for us to get back on track. Soon we find ourselves living and acting in ways that we never would have believed previously.

Distractions are hitting us from every angle. And things happen daily that can make us feel great discouragement. We must REMEMBER the words of our prophet and leaders if we are to make it through the mud and the muck that we face each day. We recently had another amazing General Conference.  Hearing from our prophet and leaders can be so uplifting and help us to stay the course or switch courses if needed.  It helps us to remain vigilant in these tumultuous times.

In Peter Johnson’s talk he states: 

In our day, there are many distractions, including Twitter, Facebook, virtual reality games, and much more. These technological advances are amazing, but if we are not careful, they can distract us from fulfilling our divine potential. Using them appropriately can bring forth the power of heaven and allow us to witness miracles as we seek to gather scattered Israel on both sides of the veil.

Let us be careful and not casual in our use of technology. Continually seek for ways that technology can draw us closer to the Savior and allow us to accomplish His work as we prepare for His Second Coming.

I have a dear friend that uses Facebook to share positive uplifting quotes daily.  I know it is not an easy task to do this every single day.  But she is diligent.  And in so doing, she strengthens herself as well as many others who see her posts every day.

If we look for good uplifting content in our social media time, it can be a time of upliftment and fulfillment.  But if we get caught up going down the rabbit hole of despair and discouragement it can completely change our day and at some point, if we continue this practice, it can change the trajectory of our lives.  

You may think that could never happen to you.  But, believe me when I say, it happens  so slowly that soon you don’t even realize how the adversary is essentially coaxing you into this deep abyss.  Either you find yourself depressed and discouraged over the state of things.  Or Angry and bitter.  Both of which do not come from the marvelous light of the Savior.

So how do we avoid these things?  Well, some of the ways that I have learned on my own journey, include;

  • Removing Distractions
  • Journaling
  • Sharing your light by serving others
  • Remembering your worth

Of course the main things that we can do and always should be doing to remain close to our Savior and his marvelous light are: Personal Prayer and scripture study, fasting, attending the temple, and weekly partaking of the Lord’s sacrament.  However, I’m not going to talk about those today.  However, I don’t want you to foget how important those 4 things are.  When I look back at my time away from the church and my Savior, these are some of the things that I can pinpoint that I had neglected and that, I feel, led me down the path that I was on.  So please remember to participate in those habits regularly so that Satan has no room to send thoughts and ideas into your mind.

We’ve already discussed distractions, so let’s move on to journaling.

Journaling has become such a huge part of my personal striving to be close to the Savior and to never stray again.  I find it so soothing and therapeautic to write my thoughts, hopes and dreams, on paper.  Whether it’s a gratitude journal, a prayer journal or daily thoughts, journals can really help us to learn more about ourselves and keep us growing toward a closer relationship with our Maker.  

President Henry B. Eyring in a talk that he gave in October 2007 General Conference called O remember, remember, he told a story about how he began Journaling.  I’m not going to share it all because it is long and definitely worth going to check out.  But speaking of his experience, he says this:

I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.

More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.

It is so important for us to remember certain events in our lives.  I love How President Eyring shared the question that prompted his own journaling each day.  We can each find a way that journaling can work for us.  I can not tell you how many times I have gone back through my journals to read of specific experiences.  It has helped me to remember the important and not so important moments that have helped strengthen me, and build and grow my testimony.  I highly encourage you to start today.  Even if you don’t have time to do it daily, start with once a week.  You will be amazed by how much writing of your experiences will help you to grow and keep you safe from the attempts of the adversary to sidetrack us from our spiritual journey.

The third practice that I encourage you to take on is serving others more diligently.  Listen to those little promptings from the spirit that whisper someone’s name and don’t wait.  Immediately text or call them.  Make up a little care package or take them a treat or dinner.  In my experience both when being served and while serving others, I have seen lives change. I think it was Marjorie Pay Hinckley that said “Never suppress a generous thought”.  All of those good and positive thoughts come from the marvelous light of our Savior.  And it is for their benefit as well as our own.  We can strengthen our own testimonies as well as help others by reaching out in service and taking every opportunity to help someone in need.  Even if they are not in need, everyone loves to be remembered and thought of.  You can literally make someone’s day brighter by just remembering them and letting them know it!

One experience that I had happened fairly recently.  I had a thought come to mind to reach out to a friend that I hadn’t talked to for a few weeks.  She responded telling me how she had been ill for several days.  I immediately offered to help which she denied saying she was fine.  But I didn’t relent.  I said,”I’m bringing you lunch, what sounds good?” She replied that she hadn’t eaten anything in a day and half and that she really was hungry. I took her order and immediately went and picked it up and dropped it at her door.  She was ill, so I didn’t dare expose myself, but I texted her and let her know it was at her front door.  A few hours later she texted and told me how much that had meant to her and how good the food had tasted and she had enjoyed every last bite.  

I remember feeling so blessed that I had been prompted to reach out.  The food tasted so good to her, but the feeling that I had for having blessed her that day, I think was better than any food could taste.

We were meant to be here for one another.  The Lord did not put us in this life to be alone.  Remember the great commandment Love one another as I have loved you! If you will look outside of yourself and help someone in need, I promise you that you will be strengthened, uplifted and better able to fight off the adversary.

And finally Remember your worth! 

In D&C section 82:10, we read:  Remember! The worth of Souls is great in the sight of God.

There’s that word again.  Oh how the Lord wants us to remember who we are!  How divine and infinite we are in His sight. 

In Sister Tamara W. Runia’s talk this past conference she said:, “Your worth is constant; it never changes. It was given to you by God, and there’s nothing you or anyone else can do to change it. Obedience brings blessings; that is true. But worth isn’t one of them. Your worth is always “great in the sight of God,” no matter where your decisions have taken you.”

In today’s world the adversary would have us believe that our worth is tied to certain things like successes or the perfect job, or by the shape of our bodies, or how many followers we have.  He wants us to believe that all those perfect photos that we see on social media are real life.  And if we don’t have that kind of life then we have no worth. He deceives us by spreading the lie that our worth is conditional, based upon what we do or believe. He covers our eyes with shiny distracting objects and lures us away into temptation.

Dont’ you believe it!

In the book of Mormon a father has a dream or vision where he sees mists of darkness leading people away from the word of God left wandering in unfamiliar paths.  I think of this story so often.  Because it seems that this vision is taking place at a rapid pace.

In 1 Nephi 12:17 And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.

The Lord has said over and over that He loves us and that he will never forsake us!

In Hebrews 13:5 we read:  for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

You are worth fighting for, my friends! Don’t believe the lies that Satan spreads.  We are daughters and sons of the King!  No one can take that away from us! In the darkest night and on our worst day, He still loves us! When we mess up and make mistakes, He still loves us.  When we are struggling and fighting trials, He still loves us. And when we have good days and major wins, He cheers for us and still loves us! 

Please don’t let Satan’s deceptions, discouragement, distractions, and lies cheat you out of your eternal destiny!  Oh Remember, please remember how precious you are in His sight! Hold your head high and keep pressing forward.  Look to the perfect brightness of hope that He promised us! I can testify that He is our anchor when things get rough, that we can look to Him for refuge in our difficult times.  He loves us so much and wants us to return to Him!  I know the Savior loves you my friends, and I do too! And I pray that you will believe Him!

That’s it for today, my friends!  Please like and share and if you feel moved, please give the podcast a positive review.  It really helps us to be found among all the other content out there!  Have a great week!

A Little More Joy

Welcome! My Friends, to the Pointing Toward Hope Podcast/Blog!  I am Wendy Bertagnolli and I am your host for today’s podcast!  If this is your first time here, I’m so glad that you found us and hope you will stay a while. Go listen to past podcasts and feel the love that we share here.  I know that over the years we have done something that will touch your heart.  I talk a lot about finding hope and overcoming trials.  And we have had many guests that have shared their personal story of how the Savior has helped them to get through really difficult things in their lives.  There are so many that I could suggest that you go listen to but they all have a special place in my heart.  It’s kind of like trying to pick your favorite child.  There is just no way you can do that.  They are all so special.  And I am so grateful for all of the guests that we’ve had over the years.  

I wanted to just take a second and send out a request for more guests to come and be on the show.  You don’t have to live near me, we have the ability to do the show over the phone.  So if you have a phone, that’s all you need!  And part of our growth in trials, I have learned, comes by sharing what we’ve been through and how we’ve overcome.  And by doing that we help others to know that they are not alone. So please if you have ever thought about reaching out, please do, I would love to have you share your experiences.

I have been thinking a lot about what different topics we could share and I keep coming back to the same place!  And the Lord has whispered to me that it really doesn’t matter the topic.  Everyone!  Everyone has a story of something they have been through.  In fact I was listening to a song earlier today on my way home from the temple and I had to put it on repeat because it just really hit me hardl.  It is called “It wasn’t for nothing” by the band Jaren.  And it just reminded me of all that I have done with my trials over the years.  I have shed tears, I have wondered why me, I have searched and prayed for relief that sometimes took months or years to come.  And yet now that I can look back.  I see how many lives have been touched, even for just a small moment, by what I’ve been through and what I’ve overcome. There is a part in the song that says:

Someone will need to know, 

your story down the road, 

so you can look at them and say

it wasn’t for nothing,  the pain and the waiting, 

God heard when you called Him 

Just know that He’s using the hurt and the heartache 

for higher becoming, 

so you can look back and say, 

It wasn’t for nothing!

That just brings tears to my eyes because I know there have been so many times when I have tried to pray away the things that I’ve been through.  And yet I know that there is a higher purpose for it.  And I have become a new person because of the way that I have had to learn to live with my own diagnosis.   It hasn’t been easy and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.  But I really have learned and grown and been able to help others through some really difficult times.  Just by sharing what I’ve been through.  And some of the things that I have learned because of it.  I praise God everyday for where I am now.  And I truly could not have gotten to this place without going through the hills and valleys over the past 10 years. Phew I did not expect that today!  It’s quite emotional when I look back at all that has transpired over the past 10 years.  

This is kind of a bit of reminiscing on my part today. I was sitting in the Celestial room of the temple today after my session and just feeling so full of the spirit.  I always like to say a little prayer and pop open the scriptures.  Bible or Book of Mormon, it doesn’t really matter I just grab one that is available.  Today it was the Book of Mormon and I popped it open to Alma Chapter 27, which just happens to be one of my favorite chapters.  I know, I know, I say that just about every episode.  And it’s true.  I have more than one favorite chapter.  But chapters 26-29 of Alma really are some of my most favorites and I have marked them up and notated so much that when I go back to read them it’s almost just as much fun to read over how these chapters have affected me over the years. My little notes in the sidebars and the dates that I read them on, really help me to see the growth that I’ve had.  And how God has answered my prayers.  

There is one notation that I made in Chapter 26 verse 3.  Apparently, it was in 2019 that I was first having the promptings that I should do a podcast/blog.  I read verse 3 and then in the sidebar I noted that this was an answer to my prayer.  That God was calling me to be an instrument in his hands to bring about His great work.  At the beginning of the verse Ammon is speaking and it says: Behold I answer for you.  And for me it was like the Lord was right there with me saying this is what I want for you.  Ammon goes on to say:

The Lamanites were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work!

It wasn’t for nothing!  Being in that dark abyss of depression.  Because now I could help others to find the marvelous light of God! 

Now, I know I haven’t been the most consistent with my podcasting.  Especially this last couple of years.  They’ve been pretty difficult.  However, I know that myself and the guests we’ve had on the show have changed and touched lives.  And hopefully brought people a little bit of joy in an otherwise dreary time.

On another day in 2021 I found verse 7 (chapter 26) and exclaimed it my new favorite!  Apparently, I was having some difficult days at the time and I made a note after reading:

7 But behold they are in the hands of the Lord of the harvest, and they are His: and He will raise them up at the last day.

8 Blessed be the name of our God: let us sing to His praise, yea let us give thanks to his holy name for He doth work righteousness forever.

And the note that I made that day: My new favorite! My new protection Scripture. I am in the hands of the Lord of the harvest and I am his and He will raise me up at the last day!  

And if you are wondering what a protection scripture is, it’s one that you can turn to whenever you are feeling like you need that lift or the Lord’s help in your life.  A little protection against whatever it is that you are facing during that particular time.

What a blessing this book has been in my life.  I have just received so many answers to heartfelt pleas and I want that for everyone that is going through hard things.

Speaking of going through hard things.  Are you all feeling as rough as me right now with the world in such tumultuous times?  If there was ever a time when we need to feel peace and protection and joy, it is now.  Maybe that is why I was brought to these chapters today.  When I prayed today for help in preparing my podcast the talk from Elder Kearon of the 12 apostles from the last general conference, “Welcome to the church of Joy!”, immediately came into my mind.  So I grabbed my Liahona magazine and rapidly started highlighting and underlining every time he mentioned the word “joy”. I counted 22 times!  And I’m sure I probably missed a few.  I think he really wanted to drive home the point that we are in this life together and that church is a place where we should feel the joy and comradery of those with us and around us.  But that’s not how it’s always been for me or always is for that matter.  And I’m sure that you could say the same.  

In fact in verse 15 of Chapter 26 I mentioned in the side bar that this is the way that people with mental illness feel. It reads:

Yea they were encircled about with everlasting darkness and destruction;  But don’t we all feel like that at some point in our lives?  Maybe some of you are like me and are feeling that everlasting darkness in our world today.  To that I say let’s finish reading that scripture, it goes on to say:

But behold he has brought them into his everlasting light, yea into everlasting salvation: and they are encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love;

There was a time in my life that I definitely did not feel like I belonged to the church of Joy!

In fact I literally dreaded going to church. It was during a difficult time in my previous marriage.  I felt really alone and when I went to meetings I would sit alone and no one would sit by me.  I always felt like leaving and sometimes I did.  This went on for many years.  Until finally, I couldn’t take it anymore and I left the church of Joy.  Who wants to go to a church where there is no joy to be felt?  Have you ever felt that way?  Are you feeling that way now?  

Elder Kearon says in his talk “ Is the spirit of collective rejoicing what you find? Is this what you bring?  Maybe you think this doesn’t have much to do with you, or perhaps you are simply used to how things have always been done.

Well that sentence really hit me:  Is this what you bring?  Looking back I know it’s not what I brought.  I brought my anger and my whoa-is-me attitude.  I purposely sat by myself in the back row just daring anyone to sit by me.  I’m sure I had a scowl on my face and didn’t look particularly inviting to sit by.  Has that ever been you?  If so, maybe it’s time to try to see church in a different light. To ask yourself, what can I bring to church, not what can the church bring to me? 

Elder Kearon put it this way:  We do not gather on the Sabbath simply to attend sacrament meeting and check it off the list.  We come together to worship.  There is a significant difference between the two.  To attend means to be present at.  But to worship is to intentionally praise and adore our God in a way that transforms us.

Over the years, as I was away from the church in my own dark night of the soul, I found myself missing the friendship and comradery that happens inside those walls.  I began to long for that to be a part of my life again.  I wasn’t quite ready to enter those doors again.  But the stirrings of  joy in rejoicing and praise of our Savior had begun to spring up.  It would almost always surprise me, since I wasn’t attending church.  And didn’t know at the time, if I ever would again. 

I would see a woman from my local church at the pool in our neighborhood and I knew that she knew that I was a member who didn’t attend.  I secretly wished that she would come up and talk to me. But I would avoid making eye contact.  How silly is that?  Have you ever done something like that?

When I eventually did find my way back to church, it was such a different experience.  The people in my church were always happy and excited to see us (my husband came with me even though he was not yet a member).  They would invite us to sit with them and were always smiling and happy.  It truly was contagious and made us want to be there.  There was one particular couple that always made space for us on their bench and we felt so safe and loved with them.  They were an older couple without children and we always just felt so safe with them.

In fact they have since moved away and whenever they come back to visit, they make it a point to always stop by and visit us.  We feel so loved by them and it truly is a joyful time when we see each other.

Another time that I remember feeling so much joy was when I seen a woman that I went to church with several years before at a grocery store.  It had been many years and I seen her from far away.  Have you ever had that feeling of “I know that person, but I just can’t place her?”  That’s how it was until she came running up to me and gave me a huge hug.  I remember having actual tears of joy come to my eyes, I was so happy to see her again.  That’s how being at church and in the presence of others whom we know and love should feel for us.  And that’s how we should make others feel when we see them as well.  I want to be more of that type of person.  

Oftentimes we are running late when we arrive at our destinations.  Or when we are at church we might be running off right after our meetings to get to other classes.  We don’t slow down and notice those around us who may need the simple lift of a smile and a hello!  Connection with others is so important in our spiritual and emotional development.

Imagine our world if we greeted eachother with joy and excitement every time we met! It would be beautiful if we could be free from contention and malice in our society.  Even with differing opinions, backgrounds, political leanings, and whatnot, we can all be a little more kind.  A little more understanding and a little more respectful.  

I like what Elder Kearon says about the original plan of our loving Father in Heaven.

He writes: Because of the loving plan of our Heavenly Father for each of His children, and because of the redeeming life and mission of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, we can—and should—be the most joyful people on earth! Even as the storms of life in an often-troubled world pound upon us, we can cultivate a growing and abiding sense of joy and inner peace because of our hope in Christ and our understanding of our own place in the beautiful plan of happiness.

And I must state that this is not something that just happens just inside our church walls.  It is happening every minute of everyday as we work to better ourselves from the inside out.  And much of that inside joy and beauty comes from the way that we treat and respect others. There are so many ways that we can connect with others or stay connected.

With technology so readily available to us to just pick up the phone or send a quick text. The Lord is making it easier and easier for us to make and keep connections.

For many of my good friends, we like to go on “walk and talks”.  We spend an hour outdoors in the sunshine enjoying being in one another’s presence.  It looks like just what it sounds like.  We walk and chat and in so doing we lift and buoy eachother up amidst the struggles and busy-ness of the day.

I have had several friends whom I’ve walked with for years and some have moved away.  We try our best to stay in touch and continue to bring joy into eachothers lives. One such friend, that I deeply admire, moved more recently.  And it was hard.  We’d become so close!  So we decided that a good way to stay in touch was to continue our walk and talks from afar.  We had our first one a few weeks ago and it worked out so well.  We both went out in our respective neighborhoods, put in our earbuds and chatted on the phone while we walked. It was divine.  When I heard her voice a huge smile spread across my face and I could feel her smiling through the phone.  I know that for both of us, it was a much needed reprieve from the day to day worries and craziness of life.

What I really want to say is that I know our lives were ment to be spent on so much more than scrolling our phones and being consumed with life.  Our Savior wants us to have joy.  He wants us to bring joy to others.  And we are all a part of His grand plan of Happiness.

Just to sum things up. I want to share another scripture.  In this passage Ammon is speaking of the conversion of many of their Lamanites brothers and sisters.This is also in Chapter 27 of Alma vese 27 and it reads: 

And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of God. And they were also distinguished for their zeal towards God and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things, and they were firm in the faith of Christ, enven unto the end.

I want that for myself!  I want that for each of you.  And again in verse 30 it states:

And thus they were a zealous and beloved people, a highly favored people of the Lord! 

What a joyous way to live! I had to look up the word zeal because you know I’m a words person.  And in the side bar I noted that it means: devoted, diligent, dedicated, fervent, passionate and eager! Doesn’t having a friend like that just sound awesome?

What if we all tried to live our lives in this way?  I imagine that!   Our homes, workplaces, churches, even grocery stores would be places of the utmost joy.

Is it realistic to be filled with joy always? Of course not, but we can definitely make more of an effort to fill our cups and the cups of others with a little more hope, a little more kindness, a little more respect and a lot more joy!

That’s it for today, friends! As I mentioned earlier, if you have ever thought about sharing your story with others so that you can join me in proclaiming that you are never, ever, alone in your trials and challenges.  Please reach out and we will set up a time to get you on the show.  Remember to like and share. Have a great week everyone!

When In Doubt, Turn to the Lord

And I have been waiting 2 years to interview this special guest today.  It was 2 years ago almost to the day that I started this podcast and when I started it, I was particularly focused on the mental health part of it, because that is just such a huge part of my life and my mission, I believe, to help people who may be struggling or know or love someone who is.  And so I had wanted to have the perspective of my biggest supporter to give his side of the story and had planned to do so back then but he just wasn’t ready at that point because having someone you love go through something like we did is really quite traumatic and it just wasn’t the right time.  

Fast forward a couple of years, as you may have guessed the person that I am talking about is my husband, Joe.  And instead of talking about being the supporter, I asked him if he would share his side of that, but also his conversion story of how he came to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is indeed the restored gospel of Jesus Christ on the Earth today.  And he agreed.  So this podcast is a tad bit longer than most but I think it will be worth your time.  And we had so much fun putting it together and reminiscing that we decided together that we would love to share other couple’s stories of  conversion if there is anyone who would like to share.  The good news of the gospel needs to be felt and shared more in today’s world and we would love to be a part of making that happen.  If anyone is interested, please contact us.  We would love to have you share your story with the world. 

Go here to listen to the interview and Joe’s conversion story.

Tomorrow the Lord will Work Wonders

Hello friends and welcome.  I hope you all enjoyed your labor day weekend.  I got to spend mine in Houston with my son, my daughter in law and 2 grandsons. Which is why there wasn’t a podcast last week.  Family is everything and I’m so glad that I have opportunities to spend quality time with mine.  It was such a good time and I’m so grateful for it.

Since I returned, I have had a lot on my mind when thinking about what to share.  And here I go again, getting all vulnerable, in a little bit, lol.  But, what are our trials for if we can’t share them and help someone else grow from what we have learned and experienced?  I believe the quote so much that says, “someday this trial that you are overcoming will be the thing that helps someone else make it through theirs.” 

It’s so true, we look to others and their resilience and draw strength from that.  I hope you felt that strength in the last few episodes with Catherine, Sarah and Nicole.  I hope to have many more examples of people who are overcoming or enduring the struggle in weeks to come.  I have a few in the queue that I’m super excited about.

Now let’s get on with this episode.  I have been overcome lately with feelings of sadness over friends that are leaving the fold.  And while everyone is on their own journey and has to come to their own understanding of where they belong and to whom they belong, I know from experience that the road can be long and weary at times.  How do I know?  Because I’ve been there.  And I’ve come back.  And the feeling of joy and love and just pure overwhelm at the Savior’s care for me, the one that left the fold, is something difficult to explain.  I just feel so beyond grateful, that I have been given second and third and fourth chances.  As we are all given.  

But that is only a portion of the sadness that I feel.  The other portion comes from the hurt and betrayal, and just plain hardness of the path that some have been asked to walk.  My heart breaks in a thousand pieces as I hear story after story of people who are hurting and struggling and feeling lost and alone.  I just want to reach through the screen and grab and hold them and tell them they are so loved and so cared for.  And though I can’t do that, the Lord can.  And He will, if you will reach out and ask Him.  It just takes that first step.  And He will welcome you with open arms.  He may not be able to take your pain away.  But He will walk this road with you.  In fact, He’s been known to carry a few at times.  I know He’s carried me many times.

In Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s talk “Tomorrow the Lord will do Wonders Among You”  He says, “If we give our heart to God, if we love the Lord Jesus Christ, if we do the best we can to live the gospel, then tomorrow and every other day is ultimately going to be magnificent, even if we don’t always recognize it as such, Why? Because our Heavenly Father wants it to be. He wants to bless us!  A rewarding, abundant, and eternal life is the very object of his merciful plan for His children”  it is a plan predicated on truth “that all things work together for good to them that love God”.  So keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow and forever. “

And from the scripture in Isaiah 40:20-28, 31  They that wait upon Him shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles…. For the Lord God will hold their right hand saying unto them Fear not; I will help thee.

I know that was a lot from his talk and I encourage you to go read the rest. I will link it!  It’s so good.  

I know that I can’t possibly know or feel what any of you are experiencing at this time in your lives.  But what I can do is share my experiences with you. Sometimes I feel that my trials pale in comparison to some.  But that doesn’t diminish them or invalidate them.  And it’s the same for you.  And that’s why I continue to share.

I talked a few podcasts back about a personal struggle that I am going through, another facet of mental illness, that I wasn’t ready to share yet.  But since this is the anniversary of my recovery from Bipolar, 7 years today since I spent those awful nights in the psychiatric unit! I thought it would be fitting to talk about another recovery that I am in the midst of.  

As I’ve talked about before, I am pretty good at masking my illnesses.  I have had a lot of practice.  I’ve been doing it for nearly 40 years.  So a lot of people who hear what I’m about to tell you, may be surprised and even unbelieving.  And that’s ok. It’s my journey to walk.  I only hope that what I share can be of some benefit to those who need to hear it.

So here goes, I have recently been in recovery for an eating disorder.  BED or Binge Eating Disorder to be exact. I won’t go into the details unless someone comes to me directly because I think that can be triggering to those that suffer with similar disorders.  But what I can tell you is that something like this is usually bigger than you.  And while you may try to overcome it on your own like I have for many years.  There comes a time when you have to step outside of your selfishness and ask for help. I have been going through a 12 step recovery program similar to AA called Eating Disorders Anonymous. And I think what I want people to know the most is that working through these steps has been one of the most enlightening and fulfilling things that I have done in my life. 

I have had to take serious inventory of myself and my life and begin to put things back in order.  The serenity prayer:  “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference”,  has become a new mantra for me. I struggle everyday as I am finally working through this.  And while it is not easy, it has been very liberating.  And it has given me the opportunity to grow in so many other ways.  

I have learned what it really means to forgive.  Not only to forgive myself, but to forgive others.  I have learned what it means to fully and completely surrender myself to God.  I have thought for a long time that I was doing that.  But the truth is, that surrendering is an ongoing process.  One that we all should be working at every single day.  I have learned that there is more to life than food, which if you suffer with an eating disorder you will understand what I mean by that.  It tends to consume your thoughts constantly.  And now that I am overcoming it, I am seeing so many parts of my life improve.  My friendships, my relationships, my time to explore new talents.  To serve more willingly. And to love more quickly.  

I don’t want this to be the “poor me” podcast. What I want to do is to shine a light on the fact that we never ever know what someone may be experiencing behind closed doors.  I’ve come to understand that everyone has something hard that they are dealing with.  And even though they may be good at carrying it, doesn’t mean it’s not heavy.   

So as I end today’s episode I just want to say: 

We need to be quicker to love.  Faster to reach out with love.  More willing to spend some time listening and being a shoulder for others.  We are all in this life together and sometimes we treat it as if we are on our own little island.  There are angels all around us cheering us on.  Both here and on the other side of the veil.  I’ve come to know that even more these past several months. If you are struggling with anything in your life, please reach out to those around you.  Realize that those little coincidences that happen, are not coincidences at all!  They are tender mercies from the Lord.  We would do well to take what he has so lovingly given us and do what we can to improve our situation.  It’s never easy. Never!  But it is possible.  He sees you, He loves you and He will be there for you.  And so will I!

I love you guys so much and appreciate you taking the time to listen to all my ramblings.  That’s it for today!  I hope you all have an absolutely fantastic week!