Reduce Use and Get More

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, …but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake: but the LORD was not in the earthquake:And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

1 Kings 19:11, 12

http://www.thinkstockphotos.com/

I think this is one of the most poetic scriptures in the Old Testament.

How can we claim that we don’t receive answers to our prayers, when our Father in Heaven is just waiting to have communication with us?

I just had a conversation with a person that claims the Lord doesn’t answer prayers, this person affirms that the heavens are closed. So I asked how the prayers are directed: is there only ask, ask, ask, or is there something more? Is there a sense of love towards our Father, or do we just expect Him to give us what we want?

When the Lord speaks to us, it is in a soft and loving manner. I have prayed a few times, without much thinking about what I was saying. There have been times when I received an answer right away, but the answer was not at all what I was expecting. There are so many layers within an answer that comes from the Lord, that I’d like to share my insight with you:

a-      My Father knows me

b-       He listens to me

c-       He answers my prayers

d-      I am His daughter

Up until this personal experience, praying was a habit, and if I got an answer, was either through someone else, or as a tender mercy. There have been times when I felt I was away from the presence of my Father, and how lonely that felt. So I used repentance and the power of the Atonement to fix that little problem we were having, and restored our good relationship.

So, what do you say to someone who says they don’t get any answers? Just keep trying.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5,6).

We should trust the Lord that the Plan of Happiness is real, that the Atonement of Jesus Christ did happen and that there's a reason for us to be here.

We welcome your comments, wish you a great weekend, and remind you to take advantage of our Free Download Friday.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Friday 8 April, click here.

Treasure Your Time

Welcome to the Neighborhood News

http://www.sxc.hu/home

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and were thieves break through and steal:

“But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

 Matthew 6: 19-21

What are things that we treasure? Have we ever stopped to think what’s closest to our hearts?

It could be money, a lot of people want it, and I’ve even got an answer from someone telling me that money would solve many problems. But would it make you happy?

Food is another one. A lot of people are hungry and homeless and feel miserable. So another thing would be a nice home, nothing excessive, just comfortable.

If we were to make a list of things that we like, would time be in it? We need time to go to work and make money, we need it to spend with our families, we need it to read and instruct ourselves.

Time has become almost a commodity. Even if we don’t trade in it, the goods that are traded in wouldn’t be out there if someone hadn’t spent time making something (farming, mining, sewing, cooking, etc)

Time is important. As in the scripture above, it is one of those things that doesn’t corrupt or rust, and it can’t be stolen, it can only be given away. How, you ask? Well, by spending it recklessly, by misusing it and by wrongly expecting it to last forever. Once a moment is past, we can’t get it back. Hence, so many regrets.

President Monson has said:

“The promised reward was not a treasure of ivory, gold, or silver. Neither did it consist of acres of land or a portfolio of stocks and bonds. The Master spoke of riches within the grasp of all—even joy unspeakable here and eternal happiness hereafter.”

Sometimes it seems that we have such little faith that we want to accumulate all the goods that we can, right here right now. We want more and more and the Lord blesses us with more than what we need.

The promise is there in the scriptures; we should put our time to use by being involved in good causes.

As always, we welcome your comments.

To view a copy of the Neighborhood News for Wednesday, 2 March, please click here.