I can find JOY in Christ regardless of my circumstances

Come, Follow Me - October 14-20; Philippians

When I began to study this weeks assignment, I knew that I needed to share a talk I gave last Easter.  It shares some experiences that allowed me to do the things Paul talks about in Philippians chapter 4.

To find JOY in any circumstance in life.  So here it is.  Thanks for letting me share.

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In the childrens song Gethsemane, I love the chorus, where it says, 
 “Gethsemane, Jesus Loves me.” Jesus loves me, he loves each one of you.  
Everything he did and does is because he loves us and wants us to be with him 
and our heavenly parents again. He gave his life and was resurrected because of his
 individual love for each one of us. Isn’t that beautiful!

In Matthew 11:28-30 it 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 in your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

   I wanted to explain some of the words to make it easier to understand, especially for the primary children.  When it says YOKE, a yoke is something that you put in between two animals, like a cross piece – something that hooks both of their shoulders together so that they can pull evenly as they walk together.

And also when he talks about – come unto me all ye that are heavy laden, heavy laden to me is all those things that weigh down on us.    And that could be anything as simple as being sad, having a hard time at school, not fitting in, being left out, our jealousies or fears, sickness, financial worries, losing a loved one, worrying about family members, stress of life, sin anything like that is something that is “HEAVY  on our shoulders” .

President Nelson has taught,

“You come unto Christ to be yoked with Him and with His power, so that your not pulling lifes load alone.  You’re pulling lifes load yoked with the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and suddenly your problems, no matter how serious they are, become lighter.”  

I LOVE THAT!

So Christ is saying,  

“Come unto me, bring me all your sorrows and sicknesses and I will help you carry them,   For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

This is because he has already carried everything.  He has already atoned for all of our sins, all of our sorrows or anxieties –every little thing that we will experience.  And so when we bring it to him AGAIN-- its not that he has to experience it again—his burden is light. But when we choose to YOKE ourselves with him, he takes it from us and helps carry that load. 

I love what president Nelson says and I know it to be true.

I would like to share a few personal experiences of when my burdens have been lifted as I have come unto Christ.

I like to call trials or hard times, experiences.  When Joseph Smith was in jail, in Liberty, the Lord taught him…that all these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good.  

So I had two identical experiences a decade apart. So ten years apart.  And the difference in them, in how I healed and how I allowed the Savior to carry me were complete opposites. 

 The first time I had the experience, I felt like I had to be strong,  That I needed to carry it on my own. Not reach out to anyone, I could do this.   I thought I was giving it to the Lord, but as I look back, I realize I was choosing to hold onto the hurt and hold on to things that were heavy, I was not YOKED with my Savior.  I was pulling that load by myself. I was trying to heal without fully reaching out to the one who could heal me completely. I also realized that during that time, I was inconsistent with my “essential things”.  Those things that draw me closer to my Savior. To me those are prayer, reading my scriptures , reading the words of modern day prophets, going to the temple. I was going maybe 4 times a year to the temple , at that time.   ANd this experience did slowly start me on a path to be a little better in the essential things. I did feel peace as I went to the temple, as I read my scriptures and did some of those things… but it was not consistent, nor constant.  And I felt little JOY.

     Fast Forward 10 years, I was given the same exact experience.   At that time I was in a better spot spiritually. I was much more consistent in doing those essential things.  I was attending the temple more regularly, I was taking time to learn and study of Christ. I was doing those things daily that I allowed the spirit to be with me.  And as I received this experience, I remember distinctly hearing the words, “I will take this if you will let me.” And I have thought about those words a lot. I will take this, IF YOU WILL LET ME.  It is always a choice to come unto the Savior and be YOKED with him.  

I realize  that the first time I wasn’t fully letting the Lord take it.  I was kind of wallowing in it and not letting it escape me. And this time, when I heard those words, I said, “YES PLEASE TAKE IT.”  Brothers and Sisters that next week was the most joyous I have ever experienced in my entire life. I constantly filled myself with things that brought light.  Immersing myself in the Book of Mormon, doing family history and listening to good music. I had a perma -grin on my face. I felt like I was floating on air. I was JOYOUS! 

 In the worlds eye, I should have been devasted…. But I was feeling pure, exquisite Joy. And that is what happens when we come unto our Savior. 

 Pres Nelson has said, 

“The JOY we feel as little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the FOCUS of our lives.” 

And I can bear testimony and add my witness to this truth.  Because I had two experiences that were exactly the same, but the results because of where I was focused, were completely different.  And what I also recognized was that when I was focused on my Savior, I had so much more to give. I was open to avenues that would help me in my journey of healing.

Where in my first experience, I didn’t feel like I could give anything.  There were a lot of tears when I was alone. It was difficult to put a smile on my face, church was difficult for me, and I would often come home in tears.  I didn’t feel as if I could share my testimony –I was in survival mode.  

I know that my ability to be able to give, was a gift from my Heavenly Father.  As I choose to let my Savior take again what he had already taken, I was able to have the strength to look outward.  

In Mosiah 4:20 King Benjamin says in verse 20, 

“Believe in God, believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all things which the Lord comprehend.”

I love that!  I love that because I noticed the second time because I was doing those things that our prophets and leaders have asked us to do—it brought the spirit into my life and it brought me closer to Christ. I BELIEVED and because I believed and let HIM take it,  HE did. In the eyes of the world, it is difficult to comprehend why I could experience JOY amidst such a trial. But I DID!

And the JOY that came into my life was definitely a gift. 

 In 2 Nephi 10:23 Jacob is speaking and he says,

“Therefore cheer  up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves --- to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.”

We choose when we allow the Savior’s atoning sacrifice to work in our lives.  

Alma the youngers story is a great example of this.  Alma the younger persecuted those who were members of the church.  He was against the church. And he, along with the sons of Mosiah, went and secretly tried to destroy the church. His father Alma and others fasted and prayed that their hearts might be softened and change and the Lord answered that prayer, when an angel appeared in a cloud and spoke with a voice of thunder.  Now thunder can be kind of scary. I have been in thunderstorms when it shakes the windows. Well this shook the ground. And it shocked them and they knew it was from God. Alma was so shocked he could not move. He could not speak. They had to carry him to his father, Alma. And Alma, his father, when he saw him in that state, he rejoiced, because he knew that Heavenly Father was working on his son and had answered his prayers. 

But during these few days whenAlma, his father and the people were fasting and praying for Alma the younger, he was in extreme suffering for the pains of his sins.  He was in immense pain and sorrow, because at that time, he had not come unto Christ , he was not YOKED with His Savior. And during that immense pain, he remembered that His father had taught him about a Savior that would come and atone for the sins of all.   And at that moment when he thought that, he cried out, “O Jesus thou son of god, have mercy on me.” And the minute he said that the pain was gone, the minute he said that he felt joy and that is the power of Jesus Christ, the power of even speaking His name. The power of coming to him.  He will take what he has already taken for us, over and over and over and that is a beautiful gift.  

He knows how to comfort and succor because he has experienced everything.  

In John 16:33, it says, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Another experience I wanted to share that helped me come unto Christ was that the Lord can help us overcome our weaknesses.  

We are promised in Ether 12:27,  that if we come unto Christ and are humble and teachable , his grace is sufficient that He will make our weaknesses strengths.  

I know this is true, when I am in a weakness, whether it’s in a family relationship, in a calling, or when I just don’t know what to do, that’s when I am humble and that is when I put on that YOKE with my Savior and allow Him to teach me and strengthen me and make that weakness a strength. 

One experience I had with a daughter, I wanted to share because it illustrates this.  

One day I was in the car with one of my daughters and we were having a tense discussion. For a little while in high school, this daughter and I kind of butt heads.    I don’t even remember what our discussion was about, but I remember asking her why she treated me the way she did. And she said, “it’s because you do this”. I don’t remember what she said, but I replied, “no I don’t.”  and then continued driving, and immediately the thought came, “YES YOU DO?” And I began an internal dialogue, and said “I DO”-- “YES YOU DO THAT.” And I like, “OHH, okay but I can change that…I can change me…I can do anything through Jesus Christ who strengthens me.”

  So I worked on me. And what was interesting was working on myself, coming unto my Savior, changed that relationship.  It wasn’t anything she did. I changed..because I sought the Lords help in knowing what I needed to change.  

What is so wonderful  about the Saviors Atoning Sacrifice is that he so lovingly shows us where we are, even if its uncomfortable.  And when we yoke ourselves with him he is able to make those weaknesses a strength.    

In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 88 verse 63 the Lord PROMISES

“Draw Near Unto me and I will draw near unto you; Seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you.”  We have to act to come unto him. His hand is always outstretched, all we have to do is reach for it.

The Atonement of Jesus Christ gives us an eternal perspective.  These experiences that I had, I was able to give and heal and become whom my Heavenly Father needs me to become –because of my eternal perspective.  When we are in a wordly perspective we are limited to our healing and when we can be of good cheer when trials come.  

It is my testimony that the most important thing we can be doing right now, TODAY, brothers and sisters is coming unto Christ.   We need to Come and Follow Him. That invitation Come, Follow ME – He is not expecting us to be perfect, and we are going to have hard days.  My spiritual growth goes up and down ----I do really really good and then I don’t –I do really really good and then I don’t. But that is just part of this beautiful life.   We are going to have ups and downs. And we are going to find out what works and what doesn’t. But as we come unto our Savior as we take the opportunity to come unto him and say,

 “I need thee every hour most gracious LORD, I need thee , oh I need thee, every hour, sometimes every minute, I need thee.

Oh bless me now my Savior, I come unto thee.”  

As we come unto Christ, I promise you, He will be there!  Always and Forever, no matter where we are in our life. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

Hope that comes from LOVE

Today we started another general conference challenge and the talk was the first one given was given by Elder Soares entitled,  How can I understand?  I remember distinctly how I felt as I listened to him speak and immediately receiving answers to some of my questions.  I  have an amazing family both extended and immediate and I love seeing them discover what they believe and what they want out of life. At times my heart also aches for blessings I see that they are missing in their life. The last few years and months I continue to be taught that the most important thing I can do is to LOVE them, exactly where they are and for exactly who they are.

As a mother, lately, each morning I think, "Today I am to LOVE all those within my path."  Doesn't that simplify things.  To be PRESENT and to SEE them.   My days have been very fulfilling when I think and act this way.

I wanted to share some insight,  that I have been taught by others and by the spirit.


This was shared with me from a dear friend about their daughter. I loved it and it puts into words what I have been taught.
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"As I have prayed about this, as I have prayed about you, as mom and I have talked and prayed about this, as I have gone to the temple and sought answers I have received very distinct and powerful revelation regarding you. The Lord has basically told me - Look as Your child was growing I have given you, over the years, great insight into her true nature and character.

I have given you glimpses of her greatness and majesty.

You have great belief and confidence in her.

However, if you allow yourself to overly worry and agonize about her salvation those are wasted energies and it is something that does not come from me.

That type of worry is in direct conflict with the belief and confidence I have helped you to gain. Satan will try to use those wasted energies to build judgment, strain, and conflict in your family
instead of acceptance, love, and harmony.

If you trust her to run her life then you should also trust her to work out her own salvation with
me.

Remember, she is my child before she was your child. Don’t ask me to help you with your child. Instead, ask how you can help me with my child. You love her with all you have, and yet I love her more than you are even capable."
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Isn't that so beautiful! I trust my Heavenly Father, Heavenly Mother and Savior so much. It gives me hope to have the knowledge that they LOVE my children and family even more than me. And especially more perfectly than I ever can love.

Recently, while praying for guidance for my family, I received this:

Heavenly Father has taught me that HIS time is not the same as mine. And even if it has been years that my loved ones have chosen to forsake their faith, in HIS time it is only a few minutes.

He has taught me that this life is a very small part of eternity and that my job is to stay true to my covenants. And to do all I can to be obedient and keep those covenants. And then LOVE my family exactly where they are. Because that is how I will become whom the Lord needs me to be.
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Elder Soares said this last conference:


Maybe some of you are at this exact moment asking yourselves, “Elder Soares, I have been doing all these things and have been following this model both individually and as a family, but unfortunately, some of my friends or dear ones have distanced themselves from the Lord. What should I do?”

For those of you who are right now experiencing these feelings of sadness, agony, and maybe regret, please know that they are not totally lost because the Lord knows where they are and is watching over them. Remember, they are His children too!

It is hard to understand all the reasons why some people take another path. The best we can do in these circumstances is just to love and embrace them, pray for their well-being, and seek for the Lord’s help to know what to do and say. Sincerely rejoice with them in their successes; be their friends and look for the good in them. We should never give up on them but preserve our relationships. Never reject or misjudge them. Just love them!

The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that when children come to themselves, they often desire to come home. If that happens with your dear ones, fill your hearts with compassion, run to them, fall on their neck, and kiss them, like the father of the prodigal son did.

Ultimately, keep living a worthy life, be a good example to them of what you believe, and draw closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ. He knows and understands our deep sorrows and pains, and He will bless your efforts and dedication to your dear ones if not in this life, in the next life.

Remember, brothers and sisters, always that hope is an important part of the gospel plan."
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HOPE is essential in this beautiful, crazy life we are blessed to experience.

This is the last thing I wanted to share today.

Elder Eyring from April 2019 conference:

“You will find some of your greatest joys in your efforts to make your home a place of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and a place that is permeated with love, the pure love of Christ. The Restoration of the gospel started with a humble question pondered in a humble home, and it can continue in each of our homes as we continue to establish and practice gospel principles there. This has been my hope and my deepest desire since I was a little boy. You have all had glimpses of such homes. Many of you have, with the Lord’s help, created them.

Some have tried with full heart for that blessing, yet it has not been granted. My promise to you is one that a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles once made to me. I had said to him that because of choices some in our extended family had made, I doubted that we could be together in the world to come. He said, as well as I can remember, “You are worrying about the wrong problem. You just live worthy of the celestial kingdom, and the family arrangements will be more wonderful than you can imagine.”

I believe that he would extend that happy hope to any of us in mortality who have done all we can to qualify ourselves and our family members for eternal life. I know that Heavenly Father’s plan is a plan of happiness. I testify that His plan makes it possible for each of us who has done the best we can to be sealed in a family forever.

I know that the priesthood keys restored to Joseph Smith were passed on in an unbroken line to President Russell M. Nelson. Those keys make possible the sealing of families today. I know that Heavenly Father loves us, His spirit children, with a perfect love. I know that because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can repent, be cleansed, and become worthy to live in loving families forever with our Heavenly Father and with His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.”

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I share these with all the love in my heart. I am so grateful for modern day revelation that comes to our leaders and to us as well.

I know that as we love as the Lord does, hope comes naturally. HAve a happy day!

Reading the Book of Mormon

       It was interesting to watch my journey as I read the Book of Mormon as the prophet invited us in October to do.  In a nutshell, this was my experience:

• I began super motivated, was reading about 10-15 pages per day.  I had the Book of Mormon by me constantly, was feeling the sweet spirit it brings and doing great.  
• A few weeks into November, my girls had tonsillectomies and so my reading slowed.  I wasn't as consistent as I should of been, but I was doing it.
• I had a week in November that I visited my sister, and got to read quite a bit.  I didn't have any distractions, and I did great. 
• December was an up and down challenge.  I still read, but it wasn't every day and all of a sudden it was a few days before the end of the year and I had a hundred pages left.  These are some questions I asked myself, "How did I let this happen?" "Why can't I be more consistent?"  " How am I going to finish?"  "Even if I don't finish at least I tried."  and on and on.
• I knew that even if I didn't finish by December 31st, the Lord still loved me the same, that I wasn't a failure and that the most important thing was that I was doing it, even if I was inconsistent.  
• I wanted to finish, and as I have found, when I really want to do something when I include the Lord, I can accomplish it.  I finished reading on December 31st at about 10 am.  

     As I look back at my my experience, I realize, this is my life.  I am consistently not consistent.  But, I am trying.  And as Jeffrey R. Holland said, we get credit for trying, even when we don't succeed.
     My challenge in this life is how to make time for the essential things and to not get distracted.  What is amazing is that my Savior and Heavenly Parents are always there.  Always ready to assist me in this journey.
     I loved reading the Book of Mormon.  I loved feeling the spirit as I read.  I loved recognizing the difference in myself when I read and didn't read.   I loved learning over and over how important it was to keep the commandments and how we are blessed when we do.  I loved seeing that with God nothing shall be impossible.  I loved being reminded that I have experiences that I need to write down and that I need to do it.  I love reading of the Savior's visit to America.  I actually read it a little different and so I ended with 3 Nephi.  It was beautiful.
     I know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Christ.  It talks of him on almost every page.  I know that as I read it, my relationship with Him grows closer and more intimate.  I know that it is true.
     I am grateful for the challenge President Nelson gave us.  I know it helped prepare me to be ready to start the Come Follow Me and it just helps me be the best me.  Because no matter if I remember everything I read, when I read the Book of Mormon, I can feel the spirit.  And that is the most important thing to have with me each and every day.  It is rewarding and motivating to know where to go to get that spirit back each day.  

Come Follow Me

        About in August 2018, I received a new calling, primary president in our ward.  I am humbled for this opportunity to serve.  It has been amazing to me these last few months, what the Lord is teaching me.  He is refining me in only the way he can.  I find it empowering when He shows me my weaknesses and teaches me how to make them strengths.
      I was so excited for the new "Come Follow Me" curriculum to come out, but when I received this calling, it became even more important to me.  We received a training within the Stake to answer questions we had.  And then on December 16,  we as a ward were going to have a training on the new curriculum.  I was invited to be a part of that.  To explain the program for primary, the changes, etc.  My biggest desire always is to do the will of the Lord.  I was excited to learn more.  But, I have to be honest and share that for a moment, I also got overwhelmed.  I needed to do the home and individual study, read the primary manual and understand it, finish the challenge to read the Book of Mormon and make sure I was fulfilling my calling, and most importantly, fulfilling my stewardship as a wife and mother, my most important calling.  One day I was feeling this and pondering, and the thought came.  "Breathe!"  "You are making this so much harder than it needs to be."  "Try it out."
       And so I did.  I took a few weeks to try the new "Come Follow Me" program.  And what I found is that it is a very simple program.  That anyone can do it.  That it is for the seasoned member and also the newest member.  I love how it presents a different way to study.  One that provides the opportunity to have conversations and discussions.  It has changed how I read and think about the scriptures.
      In Primary, we learn the articles of faith.  The 9th article of faith states, "We believe all that God has revealed, all that he does now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal, many great and important things pertaining to the kingdom of God."  We are witnessing this.  We are witnessing what the early Saints witnessed as continued revelation comes to our Prophet, so that we can become whom the Lord needs his church to be.  So that he will recognize us when he comes. 
         So, as I was preparing for the "Come Follow Me' presentation, my heart was drawn out in prayer.  I wanted to express what my father wanted me to say.  I had studied the program and was finalizing what I was going to share and then one night, the week before, I had a dream.  In this dream, I was back in high school and it was track season.  I was at a track meet, I was dressed in my uniform, getting ready for a race.  I got distracted for a moment and all of a sudden realized, My race was starting and I wasn't there.  The starter was saying, "on your mark..."  I grabbed my spikes, trying to put them on as I ran, thinking "I've missed it."  As I got closer, I noticed that the started had paused to allow me to join the race, and I did.  And that was my dream.  I have a lot of track dreams :), this is the first time that I asked what it meant.  As I pondered this, this is what I received. 
       Natalie, this race is important.  I need you in this race.  You are going to get distracted, I need you to try not to get distracted.  But, no matter when you join the race, I will be waiting for you.  You can always join the race.  I am ALWAYS with you, watching for you.
       As I have studied, I realize that the Lord just wants me in the scriptures every day.  No matter how much or how little.  He wants me to be consistent, but knows also that it is easy to get distracted from the essential things. 
       My family and friends, as we do this program, it will not be perfect.  We are going to have weeks we do awesome and other week not so much.  And that is okay.  The important thing is that we are trying.  What works for one may not work for another.  We can assist each other and sharing what works.  But no matter what, never give up.  Keep trying, we will succeed.
      I am learning that the Lord wants time with me, with us.  He wants to abide with us as we go on this journey in mortality.  We live in a joyous and glorious time of revelation.  I am grateful to be apart of this history.  I know that President Russell M Nelson, is God's prophet in these latter days.  I look forward to following him as he reveals that will of our Father.

Side note:  It is now January and the program has begun.  We were out of town when we were supposed to begin and the first week in January was crazy, but isn't every week.  Finally, on Saturday, we sat down with those that were home, about 1/2 our family and discussed the parable of the sower.  It was great.  I am learning that a coloring page about what we are learning helps my family be focused and more quiet.  And they like it.  Could I be upset with myself for only doing one day, absolutely.  Could it have been better? Absolutely.  But I am okay with our efforts.  It will get better, the important thing is we are in the race.