More Blessings Than Burdens- Sheri Morris, M. Ed., LMFT Intern - Nevada

For more years than I can remember my family has created a Thankful Tree as part of our Thanksgiving decor. We usually create the trunk and branches out of cardboard or construction paper and attach it to the inside of our front door. My children and I prepare an assortment of yellow, red, orange, and brown construction paper leaves and place them on the entry table next to the front door.
As family, friends, and even strangers come in and out of our home, they are asked to write one thing that they are thankful for on a leaf and attach it to our tree. This simple act has always brought a spirit of peace and joy to our family and I always feel a bit sad when it is time to take it down.
Our Thankful Tree symbolizes many things. The roots of our tree are firmly planted in testimonies of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and our trunk is strong and secure. The branches represent our growing family and even though the branches grow out from the tree, they remain healthy because they are nourished through the roots by the Christ like attributes of love, acceptance, kindness, joy, and goodness.
The leaves of our tree represent our realization for how our spiritual nourishment has benefited each one of us throughout the year. The leaves then are our expressions of gratitude for the influence of these Christ-like attributes in our lives.
The art of being grateful has long been encouraged. Thoughts of gratitude have the ability to actually change the chemistry in our brains as we replace thoughts of anxiety and despair with ones of thankfulness and peace.
Over time, our brains can develop habits of negativity, but when we purposefully shift our mental focus to gratitude, we awaken our hypothalamus and limbic cortex which control our emotional responses and our mood. When we feel gratitude, our body releases our "happy hormones" which not only enhance our mood, but these hormones are also beneficial to our heart and our digestive system.
Happy hormones halt the flood of negative hormones thus stopping the crippling effects of negative rumination cycles that keep our bodies in the unhealthy state of constant worry brought on by our overuse of fight, flight, and freeze responses. As we stop the flood of emotional responses and instead engage our prefrontal cortex, our focus and our energy can now be used to think through things more clearly and make better decisions.
With the help from a kind and loving Savior, we can lean on His power to help us as we practice the art of rewiring our brains with positive messages of gratitude. He created our brains in such a way that it is impossible to focus on both positive and negative thoughts at the same time.
Start today to “live in Thanksgiving daily” (Alma 34:38) and trust that He will quell the storm of your negative thought patterns even as He calmed the stormy sea for the early apostles.
“Gratitude to our Father in Heaven broadens our perception and clears our vision. It inspires humility and fosters empathy toward our fellowmen and all of God’s creation. Gratitude is a catalyst to all Christlike attributes! A thankful heart is the parent of all virtues” (Uchtdorf, 2014).
We receive so much just by the simple yet profound act of being grateful.
http://moreblessingsthanburdens.com/blog.html
Article written by Sheri Morris, M. Ed.,
Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy Student Intern
Quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf (2014)
Image from Pixabay

Blog For more years than I can remember my family has created a Thankful Tree as part of our Thanksgiving decor. We usually create the trunk and branches out of cardboard or construction paper and...

At times, the collective pain of our day seems to hang in the air like an impenetrable cloud of sorrow. There is so much suffering and confusion all around; it is hard to imagine a more difficult time. Yet even as we struggle, we also know that mankind is no stranger to sorrow. Each generation passes through turmoil and at times it is with sheer stubborn endurance that we individually and collectively pick ourselves up off the ground and move forward, with one foot planted securely in front of another.

During times of great trial it is through an increase of faith that we carry on. It is through faith and trust in a loving God where we find the needed fortitude to strengthen us through our storms and to withstand another day.

I have faith in God who keeps His promises. I have faith in His timing. I have faith in His love for all of mankind. I have faith that He will set things right through the power of His infinite atoning sacrifice. He is the great Creator of all things and while He allows us agency to choose our actions, He knows the beginning from the end and is therefore able to bring order amidst the chaos.

Goodness will win. It may take some time, but God and His goodness are always on our side. Enduring hardships is not an easy task. It takes a whole lot of faith mixed together with grit, patience, and a willingness to do what God asks us to do. When we make this our daily walk, faith in God will provide us with the needed momentum to move forward with HOPE for a brighter day and in the good things to come.

Those who are familiar with the Book of Mormon will remember the experiences of Alma and his people who were living under the tyranny of Amulon.

And it came to pass that so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God.
And Amulon commanded them that they should stop their cries; and he put guards over them to watch them, that whosoever should be found calling upon God should be put to death.

And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts.
And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bo***ge.

And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bo***ge; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bo***ge. And he said unto Alma: Thou shalt go before this people, and I will go with thee and deliver this people out of bo***ge.

God is aware of us all and as we exercise our faith and draw near unto Him through our thoughts, our deeds, and our prayers He then will draw near unto us with peace and assurance. When we turn our will over to Him, He has promised that He will respond. We may not understand how He will respond, nor do we understand His timing, but we can rest assured that His plan is rooted in His love for us.

Trusting in God takes a tremendous amount of spiritual effort and faith. There are going to be days when our very best efforts are only the size of a mustard seed. Holding our hearts tenderly in His hands, His tears join with ours and become living water for our seed of faith to grow.

We exercise faith in Him each time that we pray. With faith we know that He sees our tears, knows our longings, and answers our prayers. With faith we watch and wait as God’s miracles unfold in our lives. With faith we accept His wisdom.

​There will be days when we will feel Him carrying us, but because of faith there will also be days when, with God by our side, we will carry others. In this manner, we will become both a receiver and a giver of His great light and kindle the flame of faith in the lives of others.

Article written by Sheri Morris, MEd, MA, LMFT-I
Image by Pethra from Pixabay http://moreblessingsthanburdens.com/blog/god-is-aware-of-us-all

God Is Aware of Us All At times, the collective pain of our day seems to hang in the air like an impenetrable cloud of sorrow. There is so much suffering and confusion all around; it is hard to imagine a more difficult...

Please help my friend and her sweet family!!! Kim Gleason Davis

Please help my friend and her sweet family!!! Kim Gleason Davis
I have been putting off writing this post... My good husband, Jay Davis, had a brain tumor 6 years ago and it grew back. He has been fighting so valiantly that I could not see how bad it really was. The brain tumor was compounded with covid two weeks ago. He has been in the ICU for the past week. We are going to say goodbye this morning...
My brother came and gave me and all of our children Priesthood blessings last night. It was holy! Jay and I married because we had the same goal: to raise up a family to the Lord. We will continue to do that; now from both sides of the veil. We know the God in whom we have trusted and we will continue to put our trust in Him. "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." (2 Nephi 25:26). I rejoice in the glorious promise of hope and life through Jesus Christ!!
If you want to contribute to medical/funeral funds we have a venmo

So often in life we feel stuck. We move one cautious step forward only to find ourselves being pushed two steps back. Quiet moments of reflection give us the needed insight to keep moving along even when it seems as though our progress is in vain.

Small consistent steps move us forward even during those times when our journey is on an upward slope.

The secret is knowing that God is our guide. We dutifully keep pushing forward because we have put all of our trust in Him. We know that His path is the only way to truth and light.

Others may seem to progress faster. Their lives seem to be easier and more fun. This is the great facade that the adversary uses to distract us.

The adversary is very aware that even our smallest efforts bring us closer to God and he hates that. He throws obstacles at us to hedge up our way. Jealousy, fear, pain, boredom, and exhaustion are just a few of his weapons of war. Sickness and sadness are other weapons that seem to counter our progress.

Although these obstacles feel heavy, if we turn to our Savior we need not ever be alone. Man may disappoint us, but God never will if we turn to Him with full purpose of heart and trust in His plan for us.

As we strive along, it is important to remember that life is not a race to the finish line. During a race, the goal is to run in such a way that you pass up those who are in front of you. While this style of race may win medals, the path to heaven is not paved with man made acquisitions.

Purposeful progress comes from tried and tested dedication to God. Not only must we keep moving forward, but we must also lift and help others along the way. Holding on to the rod of iron keeps us on the covenant path. Yet, there is so much more that God expects from us. As we hold onto the rod of iron, we must also hold on to each other.

He has called us to be His ministers. Holding on to God’s word without putting action to His word is not true progress. It is like walking along a horizontal path without any upward slope. Moving upward takes effort and a willingness to develop our spiritual muscles. Ministering is Godliness in action

When we help someone who is struggling, we are living by the covenants that we have made to mourn with those who mourn.

Obligatory service is offensive to God. He wants us to truly see each other and do as He would do. Ministering takes effort and God likes effort.

Every minute that is spent in heartfelt ministering to others is never wasted. Spiritual adrenalin fills our veins when we completely and intentionally live our lives as the Savior did.

Some parts of the journey can not be broached without the additional strength that comes from this spiritual adrenalin. We turn our hearts to Him when we bless the lives of others and in turn He provides us with all that we need to finish the journey.

Heaven will be so much sweeter when it is filled with those who we have helped along the way. As we embrace our fellowmen, we will confess that it was them who actually were doing the ministering because they provided the opportunity that brought us closer to God.

Love and gratitude are the great equalizers. There is no room in God’s plan for judging others, there is only room for loving service and then gratitude to God for allowing us the opportunity to be ever closer to His light and glory.

Article written by Sheri Morris, M. Ed.,
Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy Student Intern
Image by Hermann Schmider from Pixabay http://moreblessingsthanburdens.com/blog/godliness-in-action

Godliness in Action So often in life we feel stuck. We move one cautious step forward only to find ourselves being pushed two steps back. Quiet moments of reflection give us the needed insight to keep moving along even...

A Father's Faith

Fathers are so special with a very special love.
They watch us and protect us.
They guide us and direct us
Back to our home above.

This song always reminds me of my father. His example of searching the scriptures and living the gospel has impacted my entire life. I have known that I was a child of God every single day of my life and I attribute that knowledge to how important the gospel was to my father. My father would often be found reading the scriptures and writing in his journal. He encouraged us to gain our own testimonies and to walk in righteousness.

Right before he died, he told me that he wanted me to know that he believed every single word that Joseph Smith ever uttered. I thought to myself that of course Joseph Smith’s words were true and I was confused as to why he would want to tell me something that I had no doubt about. My father somehow knew that a strong wave of discontent among certain people with Joseph Smith was coming. He lived his life close to the Holy Ghost and He always knew what to prepare us for.

As many began to question Joseph Smith’s words and standing as a prophet, I clung with firmness to my father’s words. Joseph’s own words came to my mind as I held fast to my testimony of this great man.

"I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation” (Joseph Smith History 1:25).
Like Joseph, I also knew because I had been taught by my father. I believed his words and then took his counsel to learn for myself that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God.
If my father gave his children nothing else but a testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, I would be content, but he gave us so much more. His love for learning and for his family were integral parts of who he was.

Shortly after he passed away, I was reading my scriptures when I heard the spirit say to me, “your father sees what you are doing and he is pleased, your Heavenly Father also sees what you are doing and He is also pleased”.

That was the way it was with my father. He somehow was always able to connect our learning back to our Heavenly Father and to our home above.

http://moreblessingsthanburdens.com/blog/a-fathers-faith

A Father's Faith Fathers are so special with a very special love. They watch us and protect us. They guide us and direct us Back to our home above. This song always reminds me of my father. His example of searching...

It is such a miracle that one of my sons served his mission in a land that was once behind the Iron Curtain. I hope that on this Memorial Day you are able to ponder on God's love for all who have sacrificed thier lives for the cause of freedom.

No sparrow falls without Him knowing
He knows all heartaches and all pain
He gently waits as you strive to find Him
He never forgets your name

The way of life is full of sorrows
The horrors you endured are hard to explain
With Godly power, He can lift your burdens
If you but choose to trust Him again

Come home He calls with tender voice
Your work was not in vain
He saw your sacrifices and your sorrows
As you fought to protect the weak and the lame

You laid down your life on behalf of your loved ones
The Savior did the same
No greater love has a man than this
Oh my child, you are home again

​Article written by Sheri Morris, M. Ed., Candidate for Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy
Image: Roger Val Sederholm (1922 - 1944) T SGT 97, AAF Bomb GP WWII
Find a Grave website
http://moreblessingsthanburdens.com/blog/no-greater-love

No Greater Love No sparrow falls without Him knowing He knows all heartaches and all pain He gently waits as you strive to find Him He never forgets your name The way of life is full of sorrows The horrors you...

As I type this tonight I am officially what I call "being all prayed out". This is when the stress is so great that when I pray, I cry and I don't want to cry because I have to be strong. I am completely confident that God knows my heart even if my prayers can't form into words.
I did say my morning prayer first thing this morning and that has carried me through the day.
I truly have felt the influence and strength from the prayers of others on both sides of the veil today and for this I am profoundly grateful. Since Mother's Day, I have sensed that something was amiss and even at one point said out loud - please do not take my beautiful husband.
So when Jim had a heart attack this morning the spiritual adrenalin went into autopilot. Thankfully modern medicine was available to our family and Jim now gets to add a stent to the plethura of cool gadgets which keep him functioning.
It has been a whirlwind morning, a loooooong afternoon, and an emotionally exhausting evening.
I truly am grateful to my Heavenly Father and the tremendous strength that is afforded us because of our Savior's infinite atonement. My heart rejoices that Jim is doing as well as he is.
I often think back to that cold winter day in 1990, when Jim fell 33 feet off of a sky rise. His boss called me to break the news. He told me not to worry because "Jim is tough as nails".
That man had no idea how often those words would run through my mind over the years. Jim is tough as nails!
Ok - stop - dang it -here come the tears. I can't say more because this dang lump in my throat is starting to throb. The kids and I have also learned how to be tough as nails. Some days are just harder than others.

Evan's homecoming talk is today at 10:30 am. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdB5212B30dwh-TRoCQy0sA/featured
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1002 Burkholder Blvd - YouTube
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1002 Burkholder Blvd - YouTube This is the YouTube channel for Sacrament and other meetings held in the building at 1002 Burkholder Blvd, Henderson NV. 89015. This is not an official chann...

John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

He allowed himself to be brought low because of His great love for us. He led by example and didn’t take the easy way out. He chose to experience everything to strengthen each of our relational bond with Him. He then, through complete obedience to the Father, rose above all things, that He could pave a way for us if we will follow Him. He truly is mighty to save. It is up to us to follow.

Valentine's Day is around the corner and because of this, February has traditionally become a month to think about LOVE. We often exchange gifts of flowers, candy and other small items as reminders of our love to each other. As we consider this wonderful blessing of love, let's not ever forget who loved us first.

Doctrine and Covenants 46:26 And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God.
Everything that God blesses us with is because of His love for us. He truly is our loving Father and our Redeemer. He has already chosen us. What we must do is to also choose Him. We need to do this every single moment of every single day. Our actions and words indicate our choices. We may stumble at times but He has even provided help with that as well. This is the gift of daily repentance. This gift reminds us that He is always available with His hands reaching out to us. We must never give up hope because He truly loved us first and He continues to love us every single moment of every single day.
Doctrine and Covenants 50:41 Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me.
We are His because of the great gift of His infinite atonement.
We are His because of the great gift of His resurrection.
We are His!!!
There is no one else who has done more for us. These marvelous and miraculous gifts were His alone to give and His motivation for doing them was His love for each of us. So, grasp His hand and make room for Him in your heart today and every single day hereafter.
http://moreblessingsthanburdens.com/blog/he-loved-us-first
Article written by Sheri Morris, M. Ed.,
Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy Student Intern
Picture by Greg Olsen

Each new year brings with it a varying degree of unknowns.
These unknowns are part of our unique experiences and can at times bring us great joy and also great sorrow. This ebb and flow of life is a natural part of the process as it gives us the opportunity to develop a greater depth of knowledge through our experiences.
Even with this ebb and flow, there have been certain things that have been predictable and unchanging throughout my life. We each have experienced these constants and we in a large part have scheduled our lives around them.
The year 2020 changed all of that.
Things which have been predictable for generations are no longer that way. The anticipation that the changes in our society would only be temporary were replaced with the words “a new normal”. This new normal was not a choice, it was sprung upon us with no warning and no idea as to how to emotionally process the many changes in our lives.
Our trust in certain institutions and patterns of living have come into question and we are left watching and waiting for a sense of normalcy to ensue amidst the commotion.

Questions flood our mind and we wonder what plans to make and what goals to set. Do we even make plans? Will they be canceled? We wonder how to move forward amidst the ever changing rules and restrictions.

And so we enter 2021 with some hesitation and perhaps a bit of trepidation.

Yet one of the greatest blessings during all of this is knowing that despite the uncertainty, God is and always will be in charge.

This constant will never change.
His will is made known to us through His living prophets and we anxiously turn to them for guidance as we navigate through the uncharted path that has been put upon us.
In the October 2020 General Conference, President Nelson provided a path for each of us and invited us to embrace a new normal of our own. That new normal is not what the world dictates, but instead it is a spiritual new normal of turning our hearts, minds, and souls increasingly to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Then again in the December 2020 Christmas devotional, President Nelson declared that “there is nothing more important we can do this Christmas than to rivet our focus on the Savior and on the gift of what His life really means to each of us,” It is because of the Savior’s sacrifices for us we can hope for better things to come.
President Nelson poured out a blessing to each of us “May you and your families be blessed with peace, with an increased ability to hear the voice of the Lord, and receive revelation with an enhanced capacity to feel how much our Father and His Son love you, care for you, and are ready to guide all who seek after Them.”

Our prophet blessed us with an increased ability to receive revelation! We are being called upon over and over again to seek the Savior and to hear Him.
The Savior’s love for us is unchanging.
So during this time of New Year’s reflection let us more diligently wait on the Lord and seek to hear His guidance. As we do this, we are better able to face the uncertainties with dignity and quiet repose.
It is all about how much we truly trust God to guide us.

Pray for a year full of increased faith and miracles to all mankind
Pray to know how to plan for each day.
Pray to know what God is saying to us individually.
Seek to understand our role as the events leading up to the second coming unfold.
Seek and receive revelation one step at a time.
Be grateful and recognize that good things are still happening all around us.

The most wonderful of these are that children are still being born, marriages are taking place, and people all over the world are receiving saving ordinances.
We strengthen each other as we read about the many other good things that are taking place for each of us even amidst the storm.

In a 2015 general conference address, Elder Kim Clark taught that “life may get hard, confusing, painful, and discouraging but he explained that the Savior has the power to “cut through the confusion, pain and darkness”
He further explained that “glorious spiritual power will infuse healing love and comfort into the repentant, wounded soul; dispel darkness with the light of truth; and cast out discouragement with hope in Christ”.

So during this New Year of 2021, let us make a resolution to increasingly place our trust in the Savior by placing our burdens at His feet. Let us embrace the guidance of President Nelson and turn our hearts, minds, and souls increasingly to our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. As we do this with diligence and faith, we will truly become disciples of the Savior and we will recognize the Lord, Jesus Christ as He works great miracles in our lives. ​

Article written by Sheri Morris, M. Ed.,
Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy Student Intern
Picture found in the Public Domain - Pixabay
http://moreblessingsthanburdens.com/blog/ebb-and-flow

"We are blessed to live and serve in a most remarkable season of the dispensation of the fulness of times. I testify that no unhallowed hand and no pandemic can keep the Lord’s holy work from progressing" (Bednar, 2021). https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/david-a-bednar/world-shall-stand/

“As Long as the World Shall Stand” | David A. Bednar | BYU Speeches David A. Bednar draws parallels between miracles in 1846 and in 2020. Covenants made in the temple are worth sacrifice and provide strength.

Your response has been wonderful. Thank you for your help! Please look for an email in the next day or two to all of you who have reached out to me.
Sheri

https://moreblessingsthanburdens.com/blog.html

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More Blessings Than Burdens- Sheri Morris, MFT Student Intern
I want to dedicate my Christmas post this year to the many Missionary Mommas who are praying for their sons and daughters to find joy as they serve as missionarires during such challenging times.
I often read wonderful posts about missionaries who are using their talents to spread the gospel in ways that they never would have imagined prior to the restrictions created by the pandemic.
Some missionaries create beautiful murals, others share musical talents, and others create videos that are both clever and uplifting.
I also read posts about missionaries who have been blessed with different but equally amazing talents and yet struggle to know how they can use these unique spiritual gifts in meaningful ways. They have such a great desire to serve the Lord with all of their hearts.
These missionaries want to be up and serving, but are limited in what they are authorized to do because of the many restrictions placed upon us all.
This can leave our missionaries feeling discouraged and depressed as they spend their days stuck inside due to quarentines and calls to self isolate.
Although these scenarios are disheartening, there is still much reason to rejoice and to celebrate our missionaries. These valiant servants are accomplishing much more than any of us realize.
In a recent email to my own missionary, I applauded him because of his continuous good cheer despite the obstacles.
He and all other missionaries are setting a new precedent in missionary work. That precedent is pure stubborness. Mommas do you remember our stubborn toddlers? Well here they are now with all of the strong willed ways from their youth. Didn't we wonder why this generation of children seemed to be so much more independent and stubborn than previous generations? Well now we know why!
Regardless of what the adversary sends their way, these missionaries are facing this the adversity by willfully staying the course even if that course is limited to the walls of a tiny apartment.
They are showing the world that they refuse to give up. With determination and tenacity, they are digging in their heels and serving the Lord with unwavering faith despite the overwhelming odds against them.
What more reason is there to rejoice than to see our missionaries standing their ground and continuing the work of ministering in the Lord’s vineyard.
They have joined the battalion to gather Israel and they are refusing to retreat!
The world can’t help but take notice of their efforts as they proclaim in their unique and God given ways that they will continue the work "until the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done".
Only the Savior has the right to declare when that time will be, not a pandemic.
As we continue to encourage these missionaries, they will know that we feel love and joy because of them.
This truly is the work that this generation has been called to do and our missionaries continue to be a light to the world.
Perhaps our missionaries are like John the Baptist who cried in the wilderness "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God".
What does it mean to make straight in the desert a highway for our God?
Isn’t the desert barren with little chance for a blossom? What highway is John referring to? Isn’t it a straight path that no longer has things on it to hedge up the way?
We know from our study of the New Testament that John's calling was not an easy one, yet he served with purpose and diligence.
Perhaps our missionaries are like the shepherds who patiently tended their umblemished lambs soon to be sacrificed in the temple. These faithful shepherds were the first to hear of the Savior's birth when their solitude was suddenly interrupted by a chorus of heavenly angels proclaiming that the long awaited Messiah had been born.
Our missionaries patiently dedicate their time and talents to the Savior by tending the flock that the Lord has called them to watch over even while they are in solitude. As they do this, they are setting examples of living up to their privileges and as Joseph Smith Jr. taught, "angels will not be restrained from being their associates.”
Or maybe our missionaries are like the wisemen of old who journeyed on an unknown path with just a star to guide them. The wisemen's testimony for the long awaited Messiah spurred them to action. They knew that this babe would grow and fulfill the promises made to mankind.
Our missionaries now serve this very same Messiah. They too are on a journey in unknown paths and with the star of their faith to guide them, they are spurred into action.
As they share their testimonies and love for the Savior, they bring others closer to His light.
President Nelson in the April 2020 General Conference proclaimed, “We are just building up to the climax of this last dispensation—when the Savior’s Second Coming becomes a reality.”
These missionaries are a part of this work as they prepare the world for the day when “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord”.
The journey of mortality is not supposed to be without challenges, but we can turn to the Savior for His guidance and tender care.
Please do not let your hearts break because the world is not what we may have anticipated it to be. Instead plant in your hearts the knowledge that this current situation is exactly what the Savior has anticipated it to be all along.
He has been and continues to prepare each of us for this very time and that is all that matters.
So tell your missionaries to keep up their good work and that the Lord is blessing them in countless ways even if "some days it doesn't seem so" (Holland). It is all about perspective.
Encourage them to send you emails about how they see the hand of the Lord in their lives even in the smallest of details and then share those experiences with others regardless of how great or small they seem because they are all great in the eyes of the Lord. This will help our missionaries to see the light in their lives more clearly.
We fortify each other through personal testimonies of God’s light.
"There is no darkness so dense, so menacing, or so difficult that it cannot be overcome by light" —Elder Vern P. Stanfill
The light of Christ overcomes all darkness. We can help our missionaries to not only recognize His blessings, but to also give gratitude for them. Their stories become a sacred part of our family lore.
The light of faith from these beautiful testimonies will guide each of us on our journey to the Savior even as the light from the star of Bethlehem guided the wisemen to the Savior.
While wise men may still seek Him, it is a far greater gift to see His hand in the details of our lives and we do this every time we acknowledge and give thanks for His miraculous power.
Merry Christmas!!!
Article written by Sheri Morris, M. Ed., Master of Arts in Marriage & Family Therapy - Student Internhttp://moreblessingsthanburdens.com/blog/a-tennessee-christmas