my brothers

My brother Gary is my best friend. He is an artist, like me! (Except we work in different varied genres, which is fun). We are both musicians. We are only 18 months apart in age, which used to cause contention, but now is a priceless gift. My brother has been there when no one else could have been. I have called him in a panic, and he has known how to calm me down. He has come to my room in the middle of the night to check my pulse for me when I thought I was having a heart attack (I know, I know. I'm paranoid). He is my best friend, and I love him.

Now that I'm on a mission, I'm blessed to have not only 1 brother, but over 100 brothers, and I call them "elders"! I'm closer to some than others, some I haven't even officially met, but I know that any of them would serve me, or anyone, in a seconds notice. (Take note: if you need someone to serve you, call the missionaries! Serving is their full-time job for 2 years!) They are faithful sons of God, who use their priesthood righteously, and I am so grateful.

There are a couple in particular who have been a support to me when I could barely support myself. These young men have been physically, as well as spiritually tested beside me, and keep holding strong. They work with me, they learn with me, sometimes they sing with me. They are my brothers-away-from-home.

In a little while, I'll return to my dear biological brother, but I'll always be grateful for the elders who took my brother's place for just a little while.

A scattered post about trials, pain, and the hope we find in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ

Get Ye Up into the High Mountain, O Zion

by Minerva Teichert, 1949

Last week baby Afton Jean Bigler passed away. It broke my heart. I'm not totally up to date on blogs, as I'm most importantly a missionary, not a blogger-- but this is one that I've tried to keep up with. I've read NoBiggie since before my mission. I remember when Kami shared her struggles with infertility. I remember the joy I felt when I found out that she was pregnant, and that the baby was doing okay! And I was shaken to the core when I logged onto blogger one day to see two new posts from Kami-- one about Afton being born, and another about Afton's death. But I know, as Kami knows, that families can be together forever. That is such a key principle of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, and it's what pulls me through the tough times-- the hope and knowledge that we can be together forever with the people who matter most to us.

It is also such a comfort to know that God has a plan for each of us, His children. Afton needed to be on this earth as long as she was, but she just has work to do elsewhere. God has a bigger plan for her than we can understand.

Seeing even a glimpse of an eternal perspective is incredible. There are so many people who just wander through life, not knowing why they are here, how to live now, and where they are going after this life. Hard times just come and go. My friends, there is more.

In times of hardship, I am reminded of the early pioneers. Because of religious persecution, they traveled hundreds of miles across the plains to establish and settle in Salt Lake City, Utah. They faced unimaginable trials because they knew that this gospel was true, and they had already found the eternal peace that such a truth provides.

A glimpse of their hardships, sacrifice, and subsequent blessings is found in the book Daughters in My Kingdom:

At the October 1856 general conference [in Salt Lake City, Utah], President Brigham Young announced that handcart pioneers were stranded hundreds of miles away. He declared: “Your faith, religion, and profession of religion, will never save one soul of you in the celestial kingdom of our God, unless you carry out just such principles as I am now teaching you. Go and bring in those people now on the plains, and attend strictly to those things which we call temporal, or temporal duties, otherwise your faith will be in vain.”

Sister [Lucy Meserve] Smith recorded in her autobiography that after President Young’s exhortation, those in attendance took action to provide relief for their brothers and sisters. Women “stripped off their petticoats [large underskirts that were part of the fashion of the day and that also provided warmth], stockings, and every thing they could spare, right there in the Tabernacle, and piled [them] into the wagons to send to the Saints in the mountains.”

They continued to gather bedding and clothing for Saints who would arrive with only a few belongings in small handcarts. Sister Smith wrote: “We did all we could, with the aid of the good brethren and sisters, to comfort the needy as they came in with handcarts late in the fall. … As our society was short of funds then, we could not do much, but the four bishops could hardly carry the bedding and other clothing we got together the first time we met. We did not cease our exertions [un]til all were made comfortable.” Sister Smith said that when the handcart companies arrived, a building in the town was “loaded with provisions for them.”

This gospel is truly the gospel of happiness. Despite the pain, sadness, and uncertainty that this life certainly brings, we have hope in our Savior, and a firm knowledge that He has already provided a way for us to repent of our sins, be clean, and return to live with our Heavenly Father again. We can endure life's trials because we understand God's plan, and that there is more to this life. We can endure life's trials because we know that we are children of our Heavenly Father, who loves us. All is well, all is well!

Gratitude!

I am grateful for my restored gospel of Jesus Christ in my life.
I am grateful to know that I am a daughter of God.

I am grateful for the chance I have to serve a mission and to share what I know to be true.

I am grateful for the knowledge that I can be together with my Heavenly Father and my family forever.
I am just so grateful to be here.

What are you grateful for?

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!