Continued Blessings

This was a quote given in our Sunday School lesson today.  We sure have felt the love and support of our ward family.  It has been just incredible.  We have felt joy, hope, and our faith strengthened from the prayers and fasting.  Then in Sunday School the Relief Society president asked for all of those that would like to join in fasting for him again this coming Sunday.  Just overwhelming to be the recipient of so much combined faith.  I know we are feeling it.  There is no other reason that we are both feeling so much peace. Our sacrament talks were on adversity and the reasons for it and how to navigate them for our good.  They were such great talks. A scripture from Alma 48 was read where Moroni is preparing his people for war.  He is fortifying their strongholds to withstand an attack.  He brought out that if we are not going through a trial or affliction currently we should be preparing ourselves for the day that we will because we all will.  I have been worried because we are not as financially prepared as we should be.  We need a six month reserve that is separate from retirement money and we do not have that.  I feel guilt because I used money to put in the pool that would have come in handy during this uncertainty.  I had said in my prayer that morning that my ark was not ready and if He might hold off the rain a bit longer.  I thought that scripture about being prepared was directly related to my prayer that morning. This has been a wake up call that I do need to be a better steward of what the Lord has blessed me with 

I also felt comforted by the talk referenced in Come follow me  "Grateful in any Circumstances" by Elder Uchtdorf.   Such a great reminder to live in thanksgiving daily no matter what we are asked to go through.  We all shouted for joy when we accepted the plan and we knew that it would be a challenge and that we would face hard times, but I think that we knew that we would need these experiences to refine us and help us grow more like our Savior.  Rick loves Ether and the lessons learned from the Jaredites.  When they were crossing the great deep, smooth sailing did not get them very far.  It was the fierce winds that blew that got them to the promised land.  I am grateful for this knowledge and so very grateful for a Heavenly Father that hears my prayers and quiets my fears and for a Savior that allows me to yoke myself to him and he will carry my burden along so mine will be light.  I know this and I have felt this!