Spiritual Sunday: Called

Today in my scripture study, I came across a very interesting exchange in Luke 1:26-38. 

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed artthou among women.
 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throneof his father David:
 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Gabriel's first statement:

• Thou art highly favored of the Lord.
• The Lord is with thee.
• Thou art blessed among women.

Mary's first response to the angel:

• I think it is best described as gawking and totally unsure how to respond. To be fair, it seems seeing an angel is actually pretty shocking, given other experiences recorded in scripture. So she waits instead of reacting.

Gabriel's second statement:

• Do not be afraid.
• You have found favor with the Lord.
• You will conceive and bare a son named Jesus.
• He shall be great.
• He will be the son of the Highest.
• He shall be King and have the throne of King David.
• He shall rule over the House of Jacob forever.
• His kingdom shall never end.

Mary's second response to the angel is very telling:

• I don't understand how this will happen. I am a virgin. 

I don't think her response is doubtful or skeptical. It sounds like she is trying to understand.

Gabriel's third and final statement:

• You will conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost and the power of God.
• Your child will be the Son of God.
• Your cousin Elisabeth is six months pregnant. You know she is old and has been barren her whole life.
• With God, nothing is impossible.

Mary's final statement:

• Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
• Be it unto me as thou has said.

She accepts with faith the will of the Lord and proclaims her willingness to be a vessel for the Lord's work.

The angel used the example of her cousin's unexpected and unannounced pregnancy to show Mary that all things are possible. Elisabeth is also there to give comfort and strength to Mary as she embarks on this very difficult responsibility that few will understand or even accept. 

To me, Mary emulates a Christ-like pattern in her responses to this interaction with Gabriel.

1) She listens to the messenger of the Lord.

2) She asks clarifying questions to understand.

3) She proclaims her willingness to accept and then acts.

What are your thoughts about this interaction in Luke? What lessons do you take from it? 

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spiritual Sunday: The Blessings of Keeping the Commandments

I delivered this talk in Sacrament Meeting in my ward today. I spent a long time thinking and praying about this topic and was surprised and amazed at the experiences that I felt God wanted me to share. They aren't your typical examples, but they felt very real, as if God were witnessing to me that they were blessings He had bestowed on me. 

The Blessings of Keeping the Commandments

Blessings come from keeping God’s commandments. It’s a simple thought that is rooted in the scriptures and in the words of our modern day prophet and apostles. It is also a thought that brings me a lot of joy.

The first scripture my husband and I teach our children to memorize is from 2 Nephi 2:25, 

“Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy.” 

So the purpose of this mortal experience isn’t just to be tried, but is also for us to experience joy. I believe that one of the primary blessings of keeping God’s commandments is receiving joy. Our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson said the following at the Priesthood session of the October 2015 General Conference:

“God’s commandments are not given to frustrate us or to become obstacles to our happiness. Just the opposite is true. He who created us and who loves us perfectly knows just how we need to live our lives in order to obtain the greatest happiness possible. He has provided us with guidelines which, if we follow them, will see us safely through this often treacherous mortal journey”.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks gave a devotional at BYU on September 10, 1974 as the University president where he said, 

“Commandments are a blessing, my brothers and sisters, because our Father in heaven has given them to us in order to help us grow and develop the qualities we must have if we are to obtain eternal life and dwell with him. By keeping his commandments, we qualify for his blessings.”

The Lord himself has said, on more than one occasion:

“There is a law irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated” (D&C 130:20–21).

“I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” (D&C 82:10).

Part of our progression in this life depends on the lessons we learn and the experiences we have. Heavenly Father is offering all his blessings and help, but those blessings are contingent upon our keeping his commandments. God tells us, “Look, if you keep my commandments, I HAVE to bless you. I cannot deny you the blessings that are yours when you do what I say. This is the law in Heaven—it is as unbreakable as a law of physics.

Now I want to talk about the blessings we receive when we keep the commandments. When we partook of the Sacrament today, we were promised that when we keep the commandments, we will always have His spirit to be with us. That’s an amazing gift.

My mother is a woman who has always kept the commandments. She is a quiet woman, secure in her faith and testimony of Jesus Christ. Because of her manner, she is very in-tune with the Spirit. On more than one occasion I have been guided and helped by her promptings and wisdom. When I was a teenager, my youngest sister started complaining about her foot hurting. She was known to exaggerate quite a lot and my sisters and I didn’t believe anything was wrong with her. My mother, however, felt differently. She had a prompting that something was very seriously wrong. She took my sister to the doctor and insisted that they run every test they could think of. It turns out her prompting was correct and my sister had a serious staph infection in her foot and had to be hospitalized for several days. I believe the Spirit prompted my mother, which saved my sister’s life.

My father joined the church in his mid-20s as a widower with three young daughters. He had to make big changes in his life but he made them without hesitation. Over the years, his decision to be baptized and his firm commitment to keep the commandments has been a source of great blessings for our family. I’m so blessed to have parents who kept the commandments. It has comforted me so much to know I can rely up on them.

On a more personal note, I would like to share a few experiences with two specific commandments.

 “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him” (D&C 59:5).

When we truly love God, our entire lives are put into perspective. We firmly orient ourselves on the Lord’s side, aware of our eternal destiny as daughters and sons of Heavenly Parents. We can count on the God’s protection, comfort, and love, knowing that all things will work for our good.

In December of 2010, I was about 13 weeks pregnant and our family was so excited about the new baby. Unfortunately, almost as this new life was beginning, it ended. We were so sad, but the many tender mercies from God kept us aloft, sure in the knowledge that things were going to be okay. We could endure the loss because we could see the many miracles He orchestrated on our behalf during that time.

I love God because I know He loves me. And every time I open my heart to Him, He floods my life with reminders of how much He loves me.

Jesus Christ taught his beloved friend and disciple, Peter, that to love God, we must love one another and feed His sheep.

Several years ago, during my senior year at BYU, I taught seminary at a Special needs high school across from the BYU Law School. All of my students were profoundly disabled. One student in particular had many behaviors and mannerisms that were very repulsive to me. In order to teach the gospel to profoundly disabled people, you have to develop a pure and Christ-like love for them, otherwise the classroom becomes a disaster. I grappled with my feelings of revulsion for this student. I was unable to develop love for this student, until I reached out to Heavenly Father for help. It worked and has worked over and over again when I have struggled with forgiving someone or learning to like someone. When I ask Heavenly Father to help me develop love for someone, my heart just about explodes as he expands my capacity to love and serve.

I have personally witnessed and experienced the heartache that shatters lives and families when people break the commandments. I have also seen the blessings of God when we keep the commandments. The reality of Heavenly Father’s blessings cannot be denied.  I testify to you that God isn’t remotely removed from the details of our lives. He is there-watching over us. When we keep God’s commandments, our lives and opportunities are expanded exponentially. I hardly have the words to describe how blessed I feel in my life when I keep God’s commandments. This is the promise God makes with all of us when we keep His Commandments. I know this is true. This is my witness.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spiritual Sunday: His Grace Series

My church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has a channel (and app) called the Mormon Channel. One of the series they have is called "His Grace"

One of the audio segments shares the story of two brothers, Iraqi War vets who suffered from PTSD and drug addiction. In their story, they share how they were able to find peace and strength through their suffering, through Jesus Christ.

Life After War

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spiritual Sunday: Feasting on the Scriptures

In January, I decided to establish some meaningful habits in my life. In particular, I wanted to exercise daily, read my scriptures daily, and study Swedish. For the most part, I have managed to consistently do these three things on a daily basis. It is changing my life and makes me feel happy and accomplished when I complete these tasks each day.

For my scripture study, I am doing a few things. First, I try to study my scriptures before my kids get up for school. It doesn't always work out and I study later in the day. But I concentrate better in the early morning without interruptions. Second, I have two specific reading assignments I do each day. I read a few verses in the New Testament and then I study Isaiah, using the BYU Religious Studies textbook by Victor Ludlow, Isaiah: Prophet, Seer, and Poet. Third, I mark verses and important words with some scripture markers. Fourth, I use sticky notes to make notes in my scriptures. Fifth, I write thoughts and commentary about my Isaiah study on lined notebook paper that I keep in a simply three-ring binder.

I usually enjoy studying my scriptures, but I'm reaping some new benefits with my more consistent and regular study. In the past when I studied I would get caught up in trying to study it all at once. Now that I have a schedule, I set a timer for 30 minutes and just relax into my study. I know I will pick it up again tomorrow and that my study builds on the daily practice.

By choosing to focus on just a small section at a time, I am getting so much more out of my study. I have a tendency to read very fast. So focusing on a few verses at a time forces me to slow down, re-read, ponder, and really digest what I'm reading. The story of the Savior in the gospels is coming alive for me in a way it never has before. I feel like I am there, experiencing and watching the Savior in his ministry. It's real and powerful in a way that I never knew before. I can feel my testimony of Jesus Christ growing and expanding. I plan to continue studying in just this way and working my way through all the standard works: The New Testament, The Old Testament, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price.

My Isaiah study is so exciting to me.  Reading the textbook linked above has been so helpful. Victor Ludlow provides historical and social context for the time period. Studying this way appeals to me on a intellectual, historical, and spiritual level, combining all the things I love and enjoy. I can't believe how much I am learning and digesting. Studying Isaiah is deeply satisfying in so many ways.

The best part about this scripture study is how I feel inside. I feel my testimony growing. I feel my heart and mind drawing closer to God. I feel myself craving to read the scriptures. I feel the influence of the Holy Spirit more in my life. I am getting better at recognizing small promptings. I feel like I am orienting myself more toward righteousness and God.

How does your life change when you implement scripture study consistently? What have you experienced spiritually?

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spiritual Sunday: Letting Go

Wow! It has been an incredibly busy time of year. I feel like I need to duplicate myself ten times over to adequately tackle all of the things on my to-do list. There are times when I feel enormously inadequate as I strive to fulfill my responsibilities as a mother, a wife, and in my church callings. I know many of you carry heavy burdens in your own lives and may feel inadequate as I often do. In times like these I feel tremendously comforted by the Savior’s words in Matthew 11:28-30 where He says, 

 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

Elder Richard G. Scott shared his powerful testimony of the Atonement in his October 2013 General Conference address, “Personal Strength Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ”. He said, “Because your Father in Heaven loves you profoundly, the Atonement of Jesus Christ makes that strength possible. Isn’t it wonderful? Many of you have felt the burden of poor choices, and each of you can feel the elevating power of the Lord’s forgiveness, mercy, and strength. I have felt it, and I testify that it is available to each one of you.” 

  Let us drop burdens that we do not need to shoulder. If we are heavy laden with burdens of sin, this is the time to cast them off with the help of the Savior’s Atonement. Let us shed those burdens that take us away from our families and diminish our capabilities to live up to our privileges. Let us open our hearts and allow the Savior to help us carry our loads. I know that Savior loves us and desires to help and bless us.

The Savior has promised us that He will help us carry our loads. In the case of sin, He has promised to remove that burden when we repent. When we struggle with sorrows and pains, He also promises to lighten our loads, to strengthen our shoulders, and give us comfort.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 

Spiritual Sunday: On the Atonement

Saturday afternoon I attended a training session with members of the General Auxiliary Presidencies for the women's organizations in the church. Usually when I think of training, I imagine that specific instructions will be given to leaders that they then pass down the line. Except, that somehow these training meetings never really go like that--at least not the ones I have attended.

This session then was like the others in talking more of matters of the Spirit and heart, than about specific things to do in our callings. Which is presumably meant for us to then utilize the power and authority of our callings and find out what we need to do for our specific areas and wards.

Sister Linda S. Reeves spoke powerfully of the atonement of Jesus Christ. She said that we really need to understand the atonement, to believe in it, and to utilize the atonement in our own lives.

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of time to expound on that and what I felt. Here are a few scriptures I found about the atonement.

28 And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it is a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the Lord your God. (Leviticus 23:28)

9 For it is expedient that an atonement should be made; for according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all arefallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement which it is expedient should be made. (Alma 34:9)

There are many more, but I am out of time today. Do you have a favorite scripture about the atonement?

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spiritual Sunday: Serving

My stomach knotted with worry as the name of a woman came to my mind. I knew I had to call her and ask if we could meet. Would she accept my call and allow me to visit her? Nervously, I dialed the number and spoke with Molly. She hesitantly agreed to allow me to visit and we scheduled an appointment.

The day came for our meeting arrived. What would I say? Would she understand my desire to see her? Would she take offense if I said the wrong thing? My questions began to take on the cadence of a prayer as I asked for help from Heavenly Father in speaking to Molly. 

Molly greeted me shyly with a smile when she answered my knock. We spoke of happy things as she shared with me some of her successes. We both relaxed into our conversation as I turned it to ask how she was really doing. 

Tentatively she began sharing her struggles, her feelings of darkness and despair, and her fears for the future. My heart ached as I listened to her very real challenges. But I also felt a great swelling of love and compassion for her--it was love and compassion that was more divine and true. Without much effort, words of reassurance, kindness, compassion and love spilled out of my mouth. We spoke for a long time. 

When I left Molly, I felt filled with light. The words I shared with her did not come from me, but from God. Somehow, in that moment, He had allowed me to transmit thoughts and ideas to her. My poor friend had felt so isolated and separated from God but in some small measure that day, was able to feel God's love. I felt awed to be a part of something so miraculous. 

There are parts of serving as Relief Society president that are enormously grueling and difficult. Sometimes people are difficult and their problems are hard to bear. But then, there are those moments when you are serving and the moment is transformed by something greater. To be a part of those transforming moments is humbling and uplifting. 

Spiritual Sunday: "He Is Not Here, for He Is Risen"

Today is Easter Sunday and like Christians all around the world, I have spent the day in joyous reflection on the meaning of Easter.

I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe that he is the son of God and that he was born to a mortal mother and lived on this earth-for a relatively short time. I believe that while he lived on earth, he taught people about the gospel, healed the sick and afflicted, prayed, fed the masses, and worked many miracles. I believe that when his time had come, he went into the Garden of Gethsemane, knelt and took upon himself the sins, sorrows, and afflictions of every single person that has ever lived or will lived. Then he allowed himself to be taken by wicked, conspiring men and was crucified. I believe that he died on the cross and was laid to rest in a tomb for three days. After the three days, he rose and was resurrected.

I believe that because of his atonement, I can be cleansed from my sins, healed from my afflictions, and find peace and joy in my life. His resurrection gives me hope that I will see my loved ones again.

I believe that Jesus Christ will come again in great glory and that the entire world will be brought to their knees to acknowledge him as the Savior.

These are my bedrock beliefs.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Friday Favorites: LDS Talks about Christ's Atonement

There are so many wonderful talks about the Atonement of Jesus Christ I would like to share. Here are just a few.

Elder Richard G. Scott, who only recently passed away, gave a talk entitled, "Personal Strength through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." In this talk, Elder Scott used stories from the Book of Mormon to talk about the atonement.
"It is a fundamental truth that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be cleansed. We can become virtuous and pure. However, sometimes our poor choices leave us with long-term consequences. One of the vital steps to complete repentance is to bear the short- and long-term consequences of our past sins. Their past choices had exposed these Ammonite fathers to a carnal appetite that could again become a point of vulnerability that Satan would attempt to exploit."

Elder Neal A. Maxwell, always gave such insightful talks filled with quotable sentences. His talk, "Hope through the Atonement" is a favorite of mine.

"Real hope keeps us “anxiously engaged” in good causes even when these appear to be losing causes on the mortal scoreboard (see D&C 58:27). Likewise, real hope is much more than wishful musing. It stiffens, not slackens, the spiritual spine. Hope is serene, not giddy, eager without being naive, and pleasantly steady without being smug. Hope is realistic anticipation which takes the form of a determination—not only to survive adversity but, moreover, to “endure … well” to the end (D&C 121:8)."

Elder James E. Faust's word touched my heart in his Oct. 1996 General conference talk, "Woman, Why Weepest Thou?" 
"All of us benefit from the transcendent blessings of the Atonement and the Resurrection, through which the divine healing process can work in our lives. The hurt can be replaced by the joy the Savior promised. To the doubting Thomas, Jesus said, “Be not faithless, but believing.”5 Through faith and righteousness all of the inequities, injuries, and pains of this life can be fully compensated for and made right. Blessings denied in this life will be fully recompensed in the eternities. Through complete repentance of our sins we can be forgiven and we can enjoy eternal life. Thus our suffering in this life can be as the refining fire, purifying us for a higher purpose. Heartaches can be healed, and we can come to know a soul-satisfying joy and happiness beyond our dreams and expectations."

Elder Dallin H. Oaks spoke about the atonement in his Oct. 2015 General Conference talk, "Strengthened by the Atonement." We studied this in Relief Society yesterday.
"Our Savior experienced and suffered the fulness of all mortal challenges “according to the flesh” so He could know “according to the flesh” how to “succor [which means to give relief or aid to] his people according to their infirmities.” He therefore knows our struggles, our heartaches, our temptations, and our suffering, for He willingly experienced them all as an essential part of His Atonement. And because of this, His Atonement empowers Him to succor us—to give us the strength to bear it all."

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Throwback Thursday: 2007 Visit to the (alleged) Garden of Gethsamaneand (alleged) Garden Tomb

In 2007, my family lived in Israel for six weeks while my husband worked with scientists at the Weisman Institute in Rehovot. A friend took us around Jerusalem one Friday. It was a highlight of our trip. We were deeply moved by the sacred sites around Jerusalem where Christ atoned for all mankind.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spiritual Sunday: #Hallelujah

Easter is almost upon us. I love this Easter message from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Jesus Christ atoned for my sins in the Garden of Gethsamane. Through Him, I am whole. Because of Him, I know that the people I love can have peace and happiness in their lives.


© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spiritual Sunday: Coming to Know Jesus Christ

Sometimes in online discussions about faith and ethics, I read comments from people who claim that Jesus Christ wouldn't want us to behave in such a manner or that Christ was about "-------" (insert pet doctrine or idea). Many times our relationship with Christ is based on what we think we know about him or what we wish he was like. Thinking and wishing are all good and well, but that doesn't replace a true knowledge of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

That's why I think we have the scriptures which reveal so much about his character, his mission, and  true experiences and interactions with him. Nephi said it best in 2 Nephi 32:3, "Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." 

I think we need to be very careful when we make assertions about Christ. It's best to always have a solid reference to cite when discussing the character and mission of Jesus Christ. We don't actually need to make up anything about him. Ancient and modern prophets have testified of him, prophesied of him, and written of him. We are blessed to have thousands of pages about him. 

Maybe instead of making assertions about what Jesus would and wouldn't do, we should probably just stop and spend that time actually reading what he did do.

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spiritual Sunday: Developing Faith in Jesus Christ and a Testimony of Him.

We had ward conference today and I was asked to speak. Here is the talk that I gave.

A few years ago my husband and I purchased a home with a wonderful garden plot. We made big plans about our garden, envisioning baskets full of delicious vegetables. Near mid-summer, our enthusiasm dwindled; we neglected our garden and harvested a small crop of vegetables. Our second year was even worse. This was frustrating, but we had not put in the effort to receive the reward and blessing of a bounteous garden.

Developing faith in and growing a testimony of Jesus Christ is much like gardening. It is a dynamic process requiring effort, diligence, time, and patience. When one is wholly engaged in developing faith in and a testimony of Jesus Christ, the fruits are bounteous and rich. Half-hearted approaches yield a half-hearted faith and testimony. Neglect is the most damaging of all and can lead to a shriveled and fragile testimony.

In order for my family to cultivate a successful and thriving garden we needed to do the following: cultivate healthy soil, plant seeds in a sunny area, maintain proper moisture, protect the garden, and weed fanatically.  I think this applies so well to building faith and testimony.  In order to cultivate strong faith and a thriving testimony of Jesus Christ, we need to have a healthy foundation, feed our testimony, protect our testimony, and weed out sin and doubt.

In gardening you need to start with good soil to grow good plants. You can test your soil to understand the acidity and alkaline levels.  By tilling the ground, mixing in fertilizer, and adding certain nutrients, you can put your soil back into balance. How does one get good soil for one’s testimony and faith? I love Alma chapter 5 because the prophet, Alma, asks a series of penetrating and discerning questions about one’s spiritual foundation. Answering Alma’s questions will give you the answers on how you need to tweak your foundation.

Once you have cultivated good soil, you plant seeds. Seeds need sun and water in careful doses to thrive. I believe that consistent scripture study and prayer are as essential to our testimonies as sun and water are to plants. I invite you to try an experiment. Does your faith in Christ feel a little anemic? Go to the Book of Mormon and start marking every reference to Jesus Christ. As you do so, ponder and pray about what the Book of Mormon teaches about the character and message of Jesus Christ. I know your faith will perk up just as thirsty plants do after they have been watered. The best way to maintain faith is to read and pray a little every day.

It isn’t enough to provide sun and water for your garden, you must protect it from pests that can attack and destroy fragile plants. Insects must be managed carefully.  We build high fences to protect our gardens from hungry deer. Likewise, we must protect our faith and testimonies from pests that would destroy us. We can set up barriers to protect our faith, like avoiding inappropriate media content. We can choose to avoid debates with others and instead share testimonies and love. We can also ask for protection and strength. When we make covenants at baptism and in the temple, we are promised blessings of protection as we are obedient to those covenants. Attending the temple regularly and partaking of the Sacrament weekly helps us remember and renew our covenants, giving us constant protection throughout our lives.

Weeds are the bane of my existence, and I suspect, almost every gardener. If you aren’t diligent about removing weeds, they can quickly overrun a garden. When a garden is overrun by weeds, you have to take drastic measures to undo the damage. Similarly, we must consistently weed out the problems that threaten to overwhelm our testimonies. Sin can quickly overrun a testimony because it becomes harder and harder to feel the Spirit and the love of Heavenly Father. It is much easier to weed sin out consistently than let it take root. Sometimes, we do let little sins take root and they grow and deepen. In our garden, we found one particular type of weed to be quite obnoxious. When small, you could uproot it. But when it grew big, it was almost impossible to remove without serious help from a good sharp shovel. Sometimes there are sins in our lives that are simply too big to uproot without help. This is where our Bishop comes in. He will help you uproot those deep sins which are threatening to overcome your testimony. Another pernicious weed that threatens our testimonies is doubt. We all have doubts at one time or another.  We can’t allow those doubts to grow—we mustn’t cultivate our doubts at the expense of our testimonies. The only way I know to really address doubt is to take it to Heavenly Father, to plead earnestly for help in prayer and to search the scriptures with diligence and care.

The biggest lesson I have learned about my gardening failures is that growing a garden requires consistent good habits. This is also true for growing our faith and testimonies. We need to cultivate the habit of growing our faith and testimony through keeping a strong and balanced foundation, feeding our testimonies with scripture study and prayer, protecting our testimonies from pests and attacks, and constantly weeding sin and doubt from our hearts.  

The whole purpose of gardening is to produce food that will nourish and sustain our bodies. We need that nourishment and sustenance for strength to live, thrive, and sometimes, to simply endure.  We need faith and a testimony of Jesus Christ to nourish and sustain our souls.

Matthew recounts a story in Matthew 14. After feeding a large multitude with just a bit of bread and fish, the Savior sends his apostles on a boat to cross the Sea of Galilee, while he spent some time praying.  In the evening, strong winds came, tossing the ship with great waves. “And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. “ The disciples were scared but Jesus Christ called out to them. Peter, impetuous and wonderful Peter, says, “And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?”  Peter walked on water, in the middle of the crashing waves and fierce wind, when he focused on the Savior. He sank when he began allowed doubt and fear to overtake him.

The truth is that every single one of you sitting in this chapel today will face challenges, storms, loss, pain, sorrow, and grief of the highest magnitude. Strong faith in Jesus Christ and a testimony of Him will allow us to walk through the storms of life with hope, courage, and even joy.

I testify that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I testify that God loves us and is watching over us. 

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Spiritual Sunday: Developing Spiritual Habits

Do you remember the story of Peter walking on water in the New Testament? Christ had sent his apostles ahead of him on a ship on the sea of Galilee (which, incidentally, is a fresh water lake in the upper part of Israel). A storm had cropped up and the apostles are alarmed. (I always kind of wonder at this. At least some of these men were fisherman so they probably knew the lake in and out. Incidentally, the Sea of Galilee is shaped like a bowl, so when a storm comes around the waves getting going pretty high.) Anyhow, in the middle of this tempest tossed sea, Christ comes walking to them on the water. Peter, in a burst of faith, jumps out of the boat and starts walking toward Christ. Then, he starts rethink his situation, loses his focus on the Savior and starts to sink. He reaches out to the Savior, who saves him, and reminds him that if his faith had been stronger, he would have been fine.

Peter seems to have a bit of a hot head and jumps impulsively into situations. I think there have been so many times when my faith is like a bright flame that burns out too quickly, much like a lit match. In an effort to cultivate a steady faith, I've been working on developing habits to nurture my faith. I study my scriptures daily (most often in the morning before my children awake) and I'm feeling a steadiness and stability in my soul that is very comforting.

I don't know why it took me so many years, but I'm finally starting to realize that slow and steady wins the race. I need the benefits of consistency to sustain me. I need a steady, strong, stable faith to help me weather the storms that are inevitable.

What do you do to cultivate your faith through daily habits?


© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Friday Favorites: Best stuff on the internet right now (February 19, 2016)

I love family history mysteries and the ways people are able to solve questions. This story about a family mystery that was solved by a train ticket  was really touching to me.

Speaking of family history, BYU has a cool Relative Finder that connects to your FamilySearch account and tells you about all the historical people you are related to, like US Presidents, Mormon prophets,

For years, I have been thinking about how women (and men) are objectified by the media and our culture. In particular, I find it very alarming that with all the advances and opportunities for girls and women today in education, career choices, etc., women are still obsessing over their appearance and the power they feel they gain because of their bodies. I really like the website, Beauty Redefined, which addresses these issues. I particularly liked their most recent article which is A discussion of the objectification of women and two different camps fighting that.

Heather over at the blog, Women in the Scriptures, has an excellent discussion of the use of the word "unclean" in ancient Biblical times.  She has been doing solid work for the last several years studying women in the scriptures. I'm not sure I agree with all her conclusions but she does have some interesting things to share and reading the piece is well worth your time.

Lynne Wilson gave a powerful presentation about how Christ's coming and his teaching and treatment of women made significant changes. In particular, her discussion of the way men and women were segregated during that period and the way women were treated was startling. Christ's Emancipation of Women in the New Testament is interesting and thought-provoking.

What did you read that interested you this week?

© 2007-2016 TIFFANY WACASER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED