Miracles

To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. Every blessing the Lord has for you—even miracles—will follow. That is what personal revelation will do for you.

https://www.lds.org/languages/eng/content/general-conference/2018/04/revelation-for-the-church-revelation-for-our-lives

I want to review three examples of asking in faith in meaningful prayer and discuss the lessons we can learn from each one of them. As we speak of prayer, I emphasize the word ​meaningful.​ Simply saying prayers is quite a different thing from engaging in meaningful prayer. I expect that all of us already know that prayer is essential for our spiritual development and protection. But what we know is not always reflected in what we do. And even though we recognize the importance of prayer, all of us can improve the consistency and efficacy of our personal and family prayers.

https://www.lds.org/languages/eng/content/general-conference/2008/04/ask-in-faith

Concerning Rebekah’s prayer, Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: “May I now take our common ancestor, Rebekah, as a pattern for what her daughters in the Church today can do? … When Rebekah was troubled and needed divine guidance she herself took the matter up with the Lord, and he spoke to her in reply. The Lord gives revelation to women who pray to him in faith” (in Conference Report, Tahiti Area Conference 1976, 16).

https://www.lds.org/languages/eng/content/manual/old-testament-gospel-doctrine-teachers-manual/lesson-10

Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon,​​​​ and regular time committed to temple and family history work.

https://www.lds.org/languages/eng/content/general-conference/2018/04/revelation-for-the-church-revelation-for-our-lives

Trials can purify our hearts

Following His plan and becoming a builder of the kingdom require selfless sacrifice. Elder Orson F. Whitney wrote: “All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, … purifies our hearts … and makes us more tender and charitable, … and it is through … toil and tribulation, that we gain the education … which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.”​​​​ These purifying trials bring us to Christ, who can heal us and make us useful in the work of salvation.

https://www.lds.org/languages/eng/content/general-conference/2016/04/what-shall-we-do

Ether 12: 27 ​And if men come unto me I will show unto them their ​​​weakness​. I ​​​give​ unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my ​​​grace​ is sufficient for all men that ​​​humble​ themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make ​​​weak​ things become strong unto them.

Weakness can become strong through faith during trials

Psalms 34: 
17 ​​The righteous​ cry, and the ​​Lord​​ heareth, and ​​​delivereth​ them out of all their troubles.
19 ​Many ​are​ the ​​​afflictions​ of the righteous: but the ​​Lord​​ delivereth him out of them all.

Afflictions come to all

Notes from conversation after accident

Get a list of things other people could do for me

Family

Ward

Work

Get a person in each to be the contact person

Self care can be 5 minutes or 10 minutes don't make it so hard. Intentional about it and make it my own place.

Voice mail with daily report- Email to daily report

Picnic table conversation FHE about Life Changed this day and how are you feeling about ?

Some of it will get better and some won't  We can't change it. What can we change?

We will get through it because that is what families do

African Proverb says

If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

10 day media fast lessons

The prophet asked me to write what I learned from the Facebook fast that he asked the women of the church to do at General conference 

“I invite you to participate in a 10-day fast from social media and from any other media that bring negative and impure thoughts to your mind. Pray to know which influences to remove during your fast”

The first thing I learned was from my phone screen time record



Prior to the fast I was spending 3 and a half hours on my phone— WHAT??

That was uncomfortable and I could think of hundreds of things “I don’t have time to do” that could be done in that 3 and a half hours. It gave me a desire to be much more intentional and limited in my mindless time on my phone

I also learned on the app that you can set downtime to shut off your phone when you should be sleeping 💤 That has been a great reminder for me at night. I can override it for 15 minutes at a time if I really want to but it makes me far more conscious of my usage after hours and gets me to bed on time more often 

Second I didn't know my phone had a filter?? Under settings, screen time, content and privacy, and then content restrictions 



I have since gone through and done these filters on the phones of some of my children as well. Hoping to protect us from the influences of Satan we inadvertently might run into. I challenge you to do this 

The other thing I learned was that I could limit my time on Facebook using the App limits feature



I am now thinking about other areas we need to filter and be more intentional about time

There are so many things I want to accomplish and using my time more purposefully will help me accomplish the best things

Pray Always

In the last 60 days I have learned much about prayer.

From September 30, 2018 “This week dad almost fell on the stairs and it was a very painful realization that I am not big enough to do this alone. Went to the temple on Saturday and was reminded that the whole plan of happiness is based on the foreknowledge of God that I am not big enough. He always knew!! I have lived in a bubble where I was big enough to fake it most of the time but this accident has been a rude awakening that I never have been big enough the Lord has always been making up the difference 

I don’t have to do it alone. And neither do you!”

One of the only things I could pray in my desperation was “Please help”. I was so beyond any mortal language my need was beyond anything I had ever experienced before and so great I couldn’t even berabalize it. Please help meant everything I had no ability to identify

From Prayer is the souls sincere desire Hymn 145
Verse 2
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward glancing of an eye
When none but God is near.

I loved this idea that prayer is so much more than words. We pray in all ways we ask for help. Our tears are a prayer. God hears so much more than just our words

At first I thought my prayer “please help” was some how inferior to the more eloquent and specific questions and verbal prayers. My sincerity and my need were so beyond any former prayers. My humility that God in his infinite wisdom and concern for me knew better than I what I truly need. As I thought about this new place of prayer I realized that maybe my “please help”  is the best prayer I have ever offered

I loved this verse for I learned so much about prayer through these two words “please help”
Verse 8
O thou by whom we come to God,
The Life, the Truth, the Way!
The path of prayer thyself hast trod;
Lord, teach us how to pray.

I know that this scripture is true
Alma 33: 8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.

No matter my ability to verbalize, He hears and answers

Let the Holy Spirit Guide

I taught RS Sunday (my favorite calling) and loved the lesson it was on His Spirit to Be with You By President Henry B. Eyring

My favorite quote was “ I know those things by the only way any of us can know them. The Holy Ghost has spoken to my mind and heart that they are true--not just once but often. “

I know the Book of Mormon is true because the Holy Ghost has spoken to my heart that it is true.

I have thought often about the amazing blessing and gift that is the testimony and conversion that only comes from the Spirit.

I love the song "Let the Holy Spirit Guide" Hymn number 143

Meddlesomeness and Mottos

Our watchword should be “Never stop growing and serving.” Camilla Kimball

So my mother in law has told me for many years that she is still a teenager in a old lady body. This has been a funny thing to me when I was a teenager assuming that her and I were so different. That the years are magic and make you into something totally different. She was wise and smart and knew all the right answers. She was solid and so sure of the choices she had made and was successful in all the ways I hoped to be.

Well now I am older than the age of my sweet mother in law when she first introduced me to this idea. And I have to admit as always she was absolutely right. Age has done so much the opposite of the surety and solidness I thought would magically be gained. I spend many of my prayers just telling the Lord how much I don't know. How much I don't understand. The problems of the word have become more real in my age, I have enough experience to know that the ideals and perfect hopes of my younger days do not always (usually) happen in the way I thought they would and that my expectations often just lead to disappointment and lack of gratitude for what is.

This new experience of having my children need me less and my hands and heart less full as my younger days has led to some soul searching and new purpose seeking. 

A dear friend sent me this amazing talk from Camilla Kimball with this perfect quote to describe my experience "When a mother’s children are reared, or if she is childless, the years after forty or fifty may begin to look bleak. Her real life’s work may seem done, when in reality it has only changed. The active woman cannot hold her hands, so she looks about for something to take up her leisure time. What should it be? Charity? General meddlesomeness? Shall she become a burden or shall she embark upon a new adventure? Happy the woman who has the foresight to see that through forty years of experience, she has matured the ability to commence a grand and useful second half of her life."

This is Camilla's advice to me at this stage of my life "In addition, there are many opportunities for service to others. The world is full of lonely, troubled people who need a helping hand, who need a listening ear or a friendly visit or a comforting letter. Our watchword should be “Never stop growing and serving.”

Lasting love and hugs from your Mom

A Lasting Hug from your Mama Wendy

My love for quilting started as a young woman. I had an amazing beehive leader who made it one of her goals to teach 12-13 year olds homemaking skills. She helped me make my first and several other quilts including one for Angie’s wedding in 1993, long after I was not her beehive anymore

My second experience was for my wedding. Grandma Rebecca made us several quilts. My favorite was a light blue that she had hand quilted. Something about cuddling up with her blanket as I was a newly married bride just learning to be a wife comforted and blessed me with strength and renewed dedication to be strong like Grandma Rebecca. It made me think of my blessings of having a husband and her valiant example of motherhood alone after the death of her husband. The gift of a quilt is so symbolic of warmth, comfort and wrapping your self in a quilt handmade by someone who loves you feels like a big hug just when you need it

Grandma Rebecca’s quilts comforted and surrounded each of my babies. One in particular was given to Joseph for his baby blessing and lived to celebrate the name and blessing of all eight of my children. It lives today to bless Grandma Rebecca’s great grand babies

So beyond the idea of comfort, protection, and warmth. I think having a homemade quilt has historically been a way for mothers to bless their children and families. Quilting has symbols and meaning behind the patterns as well as artistic and creative outlet for the women of the past. 

Quilting bee's were our method of gathering and women's connection and advice seeking. Around the quilts of the past we discussed and learned from those older than us wisdom was passed from mother to daughter.

Fathers are able to give Priesthood blessings to their children. But I feel like a quilt is the mother equivalent, nurturing, protection,and love are all bound together in the threads of the fabric and the creativity and hand work is a symbol of the love and never ending work that your mother puts into your whole life.