Stronger Through Him

 "Lift up your heart and rejoice, for the hour of your mission is come; and your tongue shall be loosed, and you shall declare glad tidings of great joy unto this generation."  (D&C 31:3). These words were spoken to Thomas Marsh in September 1830. Isaiah 52:7 echoes this message to all: "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!" Sometimes it can take courage to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with others.  I have learned through experience though, that sometimes my reservations are because I am trying to force it or trying to take over part of God's job.  All I really need is a willing heart and to be open to promptings to share with no expectations other than friendship and helping others. In May 2012, I was struggling with what I felt was my failure to be a better missionary.  I couldn...

  The blossoms are exploding across the trees everywhere I look this week.  While ours might be on Bradford Pear and Red Bud trees, rather than apricot trees, I can't help but smile as the melody and lyrics of "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree" plays through my head. It reminds me of a parable shared with me when I was newly married that paralleled the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13.  "Behold at the time of harvest, the ears of corn did bring forth kernels which were dried and prepared for the Popper’s hand. And then it was that the Popper did take the kernels, all that did appear alike unto Him, and applied the oil and the heat. And it came to pass that when the heat was on, some did explode with promise and did magnify themselves an hundred fold. And some did burst forth with beauty which did both gladden the eye and satisfy the taste of the Popper. And likewise some did pop, but not too much. Behold, there were some that did lie there, and even through the ...