Making Choices

"Our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, has taught: “I can’t stress too strongly that decisions determine destiny. You can’t make eternal decisions without eternal consequences.”

We were talking the other day about this very topic, how this life was given to us to make choices.

"In reality we have only two eternal choices, each with eternal consequences: choose to follow the Savior of the world and thus choose eternal life with our Heavenly Father or choose to follow the world and thus choose to separate ourselves from Heavenly Father eternally."

Trying to relate this message to the kids we likened it to Star Wars where Aniken makes choices that lead him to the dark side, while Luke choses to follow the good side.

"My dear brothers and sisters, your eternal destiny will not be the result of chance but of choice. It is never too late to begin to choose eternal life!"

The choices we make every day are so important. While every choice won't determine the outcome of our life, they each choice does take us down a path and can prove to be a great advancement or detour.

To read the whole talk click here.
Choose Eternal Life by Randall K. Bennett

Things As They Really Are

"To be “encircled about eternally in the arms of his love” (2 Nephi 1:15) will be a real and not a virtual experience." Elder Bednar

If you have boys, you might know, like I do, how much they love video games. I struggle all the time with how much I should let them play, what types of games and so forth. Not wanting to make it a fight, I try to get them to think and make the choices for themselves... with a little guidance for sure;)

Here is a great video to share with them about how they spend their time and what is really important. My boys and I had a good discussion on this subject after watching the video.

Recipe for Happiness

I am currently writing a book for Mother's about following God's plan for happiness. Finding the balance in doing with out time what we know is right and still having the time that we need for ourselves. It's a tricky balance and one that if we don't get right, can make us really unhappy, I suppose.

And in my research on what happiness is I came across this quote:

“Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God.”
― Joseph Smith Jr.

God wants us to be happy. He truly does!

"For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."
— Moses 1:39

My Walk with Christ

Imagining myself walking with my Savior is such a beautiful and peaceful thing. Of course I picture us walking barefoot on the beach talking because of the poem about the footsteps in the sand... But a beautiful grassy hillside would be heavenly also;) And while it feels like He would only be beside me for a brief moment, I feel as though I could call on Him at any moment to walk with me and He would come.

I love my Savior. I love Him with all my heart. I hope to know Him perfectly one day. To see Him face to face. To be able to hug Him. To call Him my brother, my friend and redeemer fills my heart with pure joy. I know that my redeemer lives!!

Identity, Priority, and Blessings

I came across this talk after watching a video about what matters most. (You can watch it below as well and you totally should!) Being a mom of 4, 5 and under, has it challenges... not the least being time. Time for me, time for each of my kids, time for my sweet husband, time for cleaning... And so to be reminded about what is important is vital to me and my happiness. It is easy to get taken by the current of daily pressures and not give time up to play with the kids or quietly read. But I will say this, when I remember first that I am a daughter of God, second a wife, thirdly a mother and finally ME, the nuggets of time I do end up getting are like nuggets of gold streaming with joy and miraculous inspiration. It might seem wrong by the world's standards, but it has worked wonders for my life. 

Because of the lack of time tonight I only got through the first 1/3 of the talk;) But here are a few of my favorite quotes.

Identity, Priority, and Blessings

BY ELDER RUSSELL M. NELSON

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

From a talk given at a Church Educational System Fireside at Brigham Young University on 10 September 2000.

It is important to know who you are and who you may become. It is more important than what you do, vital as your work is. You pursue an education to prepare for life’s work, but you also need to prepare for life—eternal life. I emphasize this because some people on life’s journey forget who they really are and what is really important. 

Without sure identity and priority, blessings that matter most are at the mercy of things that matter least.

Please remember: You work to sustain life; you don’t live to sustain work.

I did my best today to play with the kids and while it wasn't much it was something and I just hope I can do as much as I can each day! I mean, I really don't have that much time with them until they are too old to want to play with me anymore... sigh... gotta focus on them now, more than ever... I can have a spotless house later in life, right;)

God Bless

Wendy