Forget You Not...

Last night was the General Relief Society meeting...

President Uchtdorf gave a talk entitled "Forget Me Not." He spoke of a time when he was walking through a beautiful garden with his wife and daughter when he noticed the tiny bloom of a Forget-Me-Not among the flowers. He said he recognized this flower because he has had a tender connection to it since his childhood. He went on to use the flower and it's five petals as a metaphor...

**First, forget not to be patient with yourself.
"Dear sisters, many of you are endlessly compassionate and patient with the weaknesses of others. Please remember to also be compassionate and patient with yourself."

**Second, forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice.
"Dedicating some of our time to studying the Scriptures or preparing to teach a lesson is a good sacrifice. Spending many hours stitching the title of the lesson into homemade pot holders for each member of your class perhaps may not be." :)

**Third, forget not to be happy now.
He spoke of the story of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and the search for a 'golden ticket'... "The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments. They are the ones who, thread by daily thread, weave a tapestry of gratitude and wonder throughout their lives. These are they who are truly happy."

**Fourth, forget not the "why" of the gospel.
"While understanding the "what" and the "how" of the gospel is necessary, the eternal fire and majesty of the gospel springs from the "why." When we understand why our Heavenly Father has given us this pattern for living, when we remember why we committed to making it a foundational part of our lives, the gospel ceases to become a burden and, instead, becomes a joy and a delight. It becomes precious and sweet."

**Fifth, forget not that the Lord loves you.
"Sisters, wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love."

He concluded by saying, "Sisters, we love you. It is my prayer and blessing that you will never forget that you are truly precious daughters in God's kingdom..."

Remembering 9/11

Remembering today all of the lives that were lost ten years ago, and those that have been lost since as a sacrifice to protect our freedom...

May God continue to bless this great country...

Happy Grandparents Day!

These nine beautiful faces melt our hearts and give us reason to celebrate today...

His Image In Our Countenance

There once was a group of women reading in the book of Malachi together, while in a Bible study group. As they were studying chapter 3, they came across verse 3 which says: “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver…”

This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study.

That week the woman looked in the phone book, and called a local silversmith with whom she made an appointment to go watch him at work. The day arrived, and she was off to see what this silver refining process was all about.

As she stood and watched the silversmith, he carefully held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot then she thought again about the verse, "He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver...”

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the entire time the silver was being refined. The man answered yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh that is the easy part, when I see my image reflected in it."

(Author Unknown)

We all have felt the heat and flames of the refining process. It's hot and unpleasant, but we must remember that it is necessary. Like the silversmith in the story, our loving Father stands close, never leaving us for a moment. He will not let us receive more heat than we can handle. He will not let us be overcome. We are much like that piece of silver, though now imperfect,through His tender refining of us we will one day shine with perfection. His image will brightly reflect from us, for we will have become like Him.