15 - 20 minutes

A reason to smile

If you were asked to smile,some of you would immediately smile very naturally and normally
Some of you would just turn up the corners of your mouths
Some may not smile at all
Ask yourselves, are you really happy?
Think about it!
Some of it may come from recognising that difficulties are a part of life. There are ups and there are downs, and situations that you can see no end to

Keep Swimming
Two frogs fell into a deep cream bowl
One was an optimistic soul
But the other took the gloomy view
“We’ll drown “he lamented without much ado
And with a last despairing cry
He flung up his legs and said “Goodbye”
Quote the other frog with a steadfast grin
“I can’t get out but I won’t give in
I’ll swim around till my strength is spent,
Then I’ll die the more content”
Bravely he swam to work his scheme,
And his struggles began to churn the cream
The more he swam, his legs a flutter,
The more the cream turned into butter.
On top of the butter at last he stopped,
And out of the bowl he gaily hopped
What is the moral? Its easily found..
If you can’t hop out, keep swimming around.
(not known)

How many times in the scriptures does the Lord command us to ‘be of good cheer’ or ‘lift up your heart and rejoice’?
Remember that happiness is a commandment, and not a suggestion.

Read D&C 78:17-19 and 127:3

Although we know that there are problems we all have to face, some more serious than others, there are also many blessings for which we should be grateful.

Besides appreciating temporal blessings we enjoy, was also need to develop and appreciation of our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
We should be grateful for having the light of the Gospel on our minds, spirits and hearts.
This should and can make life even more meaningful.

Joseph Fielding Smith said
“Everything good and perfect comes from the Father of light, who is no respecter of persons and in whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning.
To please him we must not only worship him with thanksgiving and praise, but render obedience to his commandments. By so doing, he is bound to bestow blessings for it is upon this principle (obedience to the law) that all blessings are predicated”

Of course there are times in our lives when things are so overwhelming that it is challenging to feel gratitude.
We all face difficulties at some time or another, occasionally they are tough. But in every case, you’ll probably find out later, there is something the Lord was teaching you, something that is or will be of immense importance in your life.

Marvin J Ashton said
“Satan is ever present, trying to destroy our glory and remove our crown. One of his most powerful tools is discouragement. Don’t let your discouragement make Satan rejoice”

Search the scriptures, and look at the great examples of the people who overcame challenges and adversity, and showed great endurance within their lives. Nephi, Joseph Smith, Job and even Jesus Christ.

Spencer W Kimball said this of Nephi
“It is easy to get discouraged. It is easy to quit but you mustn’t fail.
You remember how Nephi went into an impossible situation and couldn’t get the plates. His brothers couldn’t.
They couldn’t buy them. They couldn’t bribe them out of the hands of Laban.
They couldn’t force there way in, and their lives were hanging on a thread.
In spite of that, here comes one boy, unarmed, who walked into a city through a wall that was closed to him, through gates that couldn’t be opened, into a garden that was impenetrable, into a vault that was locked, among soldiers who couldn’t be by passed, and comes out with his arms full of records, to keep his posterity and others from perishing in unbelief.
He did the impossible.
But nothing is impossible to the Lord.

“In the 100 meter hurdles race, runners must jump over hurdles placed in their path. The hurdles are not there so that a runner will come to them and stop, and discouraged, go back to the starting line. They are not there to make him crash.
The beauty and excitement of this race is to jump over the hurdles, to overcome the obstacles.
If we understand the importance of the obstacles in our individual lives, we begin to see them in a positive light, as true challenges to overcome” (Horacio Tenorio)

Remember the blessings that you as individuals have in your lives. We have examples that we can follow, we have our Heavenly Father watching over us. Be humble enough to talk to him, and ask Him for guidance. He does not want us to be sad and fail, but offers us this guidance and promise.

Read Matthew 11: 28 – 30. “Come unto me……..”
President Thomas S Monson, describes our life’s challenges as our own personal Goliaths.

Do you recall the story in 1st Samuel, how David, the shepherd boy, who was commissioned by the Lord through the prophet Samuel, prepared to meet Goliath on behalf of the armies of Israel?

He removed the cumbersome armour that was given to him by King Saul.
He took his staff in his hand.
He then selected 5 smooth stones from the brook.
And with sling in hand he faced Goliath.

We all know of Davids victory over Goliath.

President Monson that if there are Goliaths in our lives, that we can overcome.
Although out Goliaths may not be 10 feet tall, our challenges may appear just as formidable.
The challenges you face will not diminish in size, nor in power or strength, just by you hoping and waiting and wishing for them to do so.

Let us face out Goliaths with the Lords help.
Let us select our polished stone that will defeat our Goliath. What stones should we collect.

The stone of COURAGE which will help to stand and face Goliath and is essential for your victory

The stone of EFFORT. As much as the Lord will help guide, comfort and direct, we ourselves must make the mental and physical effort to overcome.

The stone of HUMILITY. For haven’t we been told through divine revelation that when we are humble, the Lord our God will lead us by the hand and give answer to our prayers.
Our next stone should be PRAYER , in order that we show that we recognise a power that is higher than ourselves.

Finally the stone of LOVE OF DUTY.
Duty is not merely to do the thing we ought to do, but to do it when we should, whether we like it or not.

Armed with our stones we need the mighty sling of FAITH to propel them.

We then take the staff of VIRTUE to steady us and we are ready to face our Goliath, wherever, whenever and however we find him.

The stone of COURAGE will melt the Goliath of fear.

The stone of EFFORT will bring down the Goliath of indecision and procrastination.

And the Goliaths of Pride, Envy and lack of self respect will not stand before the power of he stones of HUMILITY, PRAYER and LOVE OF DUTY.

Let us choose our polished stones wisely as the battle must be fought and victory cannot come by default.

If there is a Goliath in our lives or a giant called by any other name we need not flee or be sore afraid, for we know we have within us the power to overcome.