Is He one of my 5?

Took a picture of Rick talking to Lexi and was shocked how much he looked like Blake.  I have never thought that they looked alike at all so I had to save it!

I was studying Elder Eyring's talk "Legacy of Encouragement". That is such a great title and it made me think of a couple things.  I noticed on our ward list a name that used to be in our old ward.  I knew they had stopped coming but it was a family of six.  The parents and four sweet little kids.  The husband was a returned missionary and from a very active family in my ward.  They were married in the temple and started having kids quickly.  I think Jess is only 28 and they have four kids.  So in my new ward only her name popped up on the roles with no mention of the husband or kids.  I mentioned it in our ward huddle to see if any one had any info.  The sisters said they were actually going by there that day.  The RS counselor had her as a don't contact.  The sisters attempted to visit and left a message. This was the response "Hi sisters! You left us a message earlier.  what do we need to do to make sure we don't receive any more visits?  We've asked and asked.  Appreciate your motivations but y'all don't know what you are mixed up in and we just want to protect our children from your church."  I just felt sick when I read that and just wondered how they went from having a testimony to this.  Protect their children from the church.  A church which produces nothing but good fruit.  I have just been thinking about this so much and then in my Come Follow Me it said President Nelson gave us 5 things to do to 1)personal/family prayer 2)personal/family scriptures study 3)attend the temple 4) repent daily 5) partake of the sacrament regularly.  A bishop said that when people struggle with testimony or with serious sins, they have stopped doing these things.   I just never want to lose my testimony and I see it all around me.  It does a couple things, it breaks my heart and it also makes me dig deeper and realize that I cannot rest but continue pressing forward doing those things I know bring me closer to my Savior and closer to the Spirit which testifies of all truth so I can avoid deception. 

In the study group they said there is a saying that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.  They will influence and shape who you become so it is very vital that you make sure those five represent what you  want to be.  They also asked  is one of your five Jesus?  I think that is the key.  Spending time with Jesus everyday, learning of him, letting him be your biggest influencer.  I can do better at this.  I want to do better because when I hear these stories of people leaving it just scares me.  We are up against a formidable foe and he wants our souls more than anything and that is his entire focus.   But we know through the scriptures that Satan will not support his followers in their trials.  You cannot call on him for help, he will never answer.  He is that cloud without rain.  

In inkings, Emily shared a quote which I loved

In the forest there must always be a nightingale and in the soul a faith so faithful that it comes back even after it has been slain. 

I would hope that my faith is so faithful that it can withstand the fiery darts that most assuredly do and will come into all our lives.