For What it is Worth!

I thought I would drop off a quick thought this morning.  As we were watching General Conference on Sunday, I was reminded of something that President Kimball had said several years ago.  In the words of Presidnet Monson:
"The temple is the pinnacle of our faith. We begin by teaching our children as they learn to pray to regard the temple as holy. President Kimball once urged that each child have a picture of the temple in his or her bedroom so parents can point the child's attention to the temple. Then, having seen that picture frequently in childhood days, he or she will not turn elsewhere for marriage than in the household of God."
As I was redecorating my children's rooms this summer (at 8 months pregnant I might add), this thought came to me from the deep files of my mind.  SO....I hung up a picture of the Savior, the temple, and the Prophet in each of the kid's bedrooms.  The picture below is of Sam and Daniel's bedroom!  These pictures hang in the white frames on the left hand side of the picture.  (This picture really doesn't do the CUTENESS of this room justice, anyhow):

Yesterday Sam had a homework assignment to draw a map of his room.  The baby was asleep and he couldn't go inside the room to draw the map.  So he did it from memory.  This is what he came up with:

As he helped me decipher the map, (I have no idea why I couldn't see it for myself:), he unveiled the following things:  his door, bed, crib, window, desk, closet, and THESE 3 PICTURES.  I have highlighted them for you in orange.  Notice that they are half the size of the bed, and rival the closet.  Notice also that he left a lot of other things off from the map.  I have never talked to Sam about his pictures (not good I know), but all on their own, I think they made an impression.  For what it is worth....



And This I DO KNOW!

Four months before my dad died, I sent him a voice recorder in the mail.  After many phone conversations of PLEADING, he agreed to record some thoughts.  "You can record anything Dad, but please make sure to record why you got baptized,"  I urged him.  The end product is a treasure for generations to come.  It begins with his disgusted voice saying, "Donna, is this thing on?" And ends with a heartfelt testimony.  I would like to share a portion with you....

"I always believed in Jesus the Savior.  A spark of religion was always alive in me."  He talked of sleeping outside at night and looking up into the heavens, wondering why things were created the way they were and who God was.  He found himself at Ricks college with a swarm of people wanting to convert him.  The things the missionaries taught him made sense, but he just couldn't get past the fact that the Lord would put that much faith in a 14 -year old boy, Joseph Smith, to restore the Gospel to the earth.  Finally, he knelt down in prayer.  He said, "I finally humbled myself.  I knelt in prayer and I had a firm, and undeniable answer that Jospeh Smith was a Prophet of God..."

It is with the same conviction in my heart, born of deeply imprinted personal revelation, that I KNOW there are prophets today.  I have just spent the last two days listening to General Conference and a "layer" of that testimony has been added again. 

Paul told us that the "household of God...(is) built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." (Ephesians 2:20-21)  With Elder Holland I testify that "God not only lives, but He speaks." And he speaks through Apostles and Prophets.  Why does He speak, you ask.  He speaks "that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men..." (Ephesians 4:14) He speaks, and His Prophets speak, for our STABILITY AND WELFARE.  He loves us, so He speaks. 

In an ever gloomy world, these men speak and radiate the peace of personal preparation.  I don't need someone to tell me how bad it is going to get or how bad it really is.  I think we can all see the writing on the wall.  I need someone to tell me that we will be okay, when we stand with and hearken to a Prophet's voice, we will be okay! 

We Thank Thee Oh God For a Prophet

To guide us in these Latter Days.

We thank Thee for sending the Gospel

To Lighten our minds with It's rays.

We Thank Thee for every blessing bestowed by Thy Bounteous Hand.

We feel it a pleasure to serve Thee and love to obey Thy command.  

May my children always know that I KNOW.  Joseph Smith was a Prophet, he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ in a Sacred Grove.  Today, Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet, called of, and directed by the same God.  A God who loves us, so he speaks!