Have you ever taken a step back, and looked to the many blessings that we have been given in the world around us, with the technology and abilities that we have and are able to use. Like right now at this moment, you are (I'm guessing), not sitting right next to me or anything, and yet are able to read and look at this and read it at an instant with a click of your finger. Imagine living thousands of years ago, lets say, in the day of Moses. If you didn't live right there with him, maybe if you lived only 100 miles away, think of the difficulty in getting to hear the prophet of God speak. Or being able to listen when he teaches. Now what is you lived on another continent during the days of Moses. If you lived in the americas, you would most likely not even know the name of Moses, nor that he was a prophet of God or to hear what he was teaching from God. Now look at... the day in which we live. We have open communication through technology to all over the world, we can call and talk to people in England, Tanzania, China, with something as simple as putting in their phone numbers.
President Thomas S. Monson
Now God has prophets and apostles on the earth at this very time, to lead and guide all of His children. He didn't stop loving us, He still does. And look at how much God has given us in our day to spread His word, and to hear from His chosen representatives on the earth. It was so awesome just 2 days ago, to be able to watch the prophet, and his counselors from the TV, to see the Christmas Devotional. If you haven't had a chance to watch that, please watch it, it was so great and the Spirit was truly strong as I watched and listened to the prophet of God on the earth. Click here to watch =)
"We have all heard the saying "patience is a virtue", but how many of us believe that? How many of us are truly patient? I know that I am not, that is something I have had to learn the hard way. Most of the people I look up to are able to realize that if you are impatient, it doesn't make anything happen any sooner. My dad is a great example of this. My dad and I golf alot together, and if golfing doesn't teach you patience I don't know what will. The hard thing about golf is that when you hit a bad shot, if you get mad or if people in front of you are slow then you play worse. My dad would just stand there and talk to me if there were slow people in front of us and I realized that those are great oppertunities to talk to each other. If we are impatient and are focused on the people playing faster, then we miss out on some wonderful time to talk and get to know each other. The Lord has given us a promise if we are patient. In Alma 32 verse 43 it says:
Then, my brethren, ye shall areap the brewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth cfruit unto you.
Here Alma is talking about prayer and scripture study and that if we are patitent and diligent in doing those two things, then we will feel good. We will feel the love of God and it will be fruit for our soul. It will make us happy beyond belief. That to me shows how important patience really is. My hope for all of us is that we will learn to stop and smell the roses, and appricate the time when we have to wait."
The Infinite Power of Hope: "Hope is an assurance that all things will work out for our good. It is a trust that the Lord's promised blessings will be fulfilled in our lives. Hope gives us the strength to press on even when life is difficult, dark, or discouraging. I've always found comfort in this scripture from Romans 15:13, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost". This video from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf is very moving and assuring. His words about hope are enlightening and inspiring and have brought peace and light to my life. I'm grateful for the Lord's Church again on the earth and for living apostles and prophets who testify of His living reality and His ever existing influence in our lives." - Elder Bryson King
