atonement, by cassandra barney

we are beloved sons and daughters of our heavenly father

We do not walk alone 

when we choose to follow Christ.

healing by brian kershisnik

"And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone;
for I do always those things that please him."
John 8:29





last supper by simon dewey

"No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love. ... Just think of it: You are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious Being in the universe! You are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time!" 

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Forget Me Not."

by rose datoc dall

winter dancing by brian kershisnik

nativity, brian kerschisnik

And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit,

and said unto them: Be comforted.

And they were comforted.

Alma 17:10

  my peace I give unto you,

by steven newman

photo by g.t. barnes

"It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities, it is with the awe and the circumspection proper to them, that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal..." -C.S. Lewis

A Little Sampling of My Favorite Artists:

Cassandra Barney:

Brian Kershisnik:

Rose Datoc Dall:

Check out my post featuring LDS musicians here.

Where she at?

Who can find a virtuous woman, II

by Louise Parker (from here)

I love the proverb of the virtuous woman. The woman described is so contrary to modern culture, but so perfectly admirable. And the terms to describe her are also, in fact, quite contrary to modern culture, but again, so perfectly admirable. And a little confusing.

"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands." ...while perusing the women's clothing at Target?

"She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar." ...a far-mer's market? 

"She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens." ...and when it says meat, it really means frosted shredded wheat with almond milk, right?

Despite some confusion, and some contradictions to the occasionally less-than-praiseworthy lifestyle that I obviously lead (yes, cereal is my primary food group), there are some universal truths to a virtuous woman mentioned in these passages:

"Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come." - You can't put this sister down! She's the ultimate optimist!

"She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness." - She's super nice to everybody! She also probably hosts great dinner parties with stimulating conversation.

In a world that constantly tries to put women down, or make us think that we're too smart, not smart enough, not curvy enough, not thin enough, and just not enough, the proverb of "How to find a virtuous woman" can teach some real lessons. Read it, pray about it, and decide what kind of a woman you want to be. No, you don't have to wake up before dawn to slaughter a pig and make some bacon for your household and all of your extended relatives who live within a 10 mile radius (in fact, you will never find me doing that, ever). But there are still some beautiful lessons and some valuable virtues to be found in this proverb. And for the men: what kind of woman do you want to call "yours"?

Side note: the title to this blog also comes from the proverb! It's a good one!

Related thoughts: My aunt's blog post about the Photoshop Diet, and a post I did on the We Are Women blog, "Learning that I am an 8 Cow Wife." Enjoy!

"I can hardly believe this"

This is one of my favorite paintings by Brian Kershisnik. This piece was featured in an art exhibit at Brigham Young University last year, an exhibit all about the home and families. This piece was also on a poster for the exhibit, which I later purchased and hung in my bedroom at home. It reminds me that I am blessed with a family who loves me, and that someday, I will be able to make my own family, and that we can be together forever.

I wanted to follow up with my blog post about eternal families yesterday. For many people, an eternal family is a ways in the future. Maybe a spouse is not a member of the Church, a temple is not available in one's immediate region, or matters of worthiness hold one back. Our Heavenly Father knows us perfectly, and when we do our best to follow Him, He will give us every blessing in His own time. Until then, we must continue in hope and faith. I love the article "Hope: The Misunderstood Sister" by Larry Hiller. It has helped me to understand the concept of "hope" more than anything else. He says:

When we endure tribulation with faith and patience, what we experience is the Savior’s awareness of us and His love for us. We experience them through the ministrations of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter. We receive this witness after the trial of our faith (see Ether 12:6).

In my own life, when I patiently endure trials, the Savior, who took upon Himself all of our ills and sorrows (see Alma 7:11–12), ministers to me through the Spirit. I experience the Savior’s tender mercies. My trials may continue, but having taken upon me the yoke of Christ, I find Him sharing my yoke, making my burdens bearable, and giving me hope. I then have strength to endure. I have assurance that all will be made right, not just in eternity but also for eternity. Hope is anything but wishful. It is expectation based on experience.

When we continue in faith, we will be blessed. I know that someday I will be able to have an eternal family, and until then, I am grateful to share this glorious message as a missionary in the South, and to you, wherever you may be!