Personal Revelation

Richard G. Scott spoke on Personal Revelation in the April 2012 conference. Rereading the talk a few things stood out to me regarding communication from the Spirit.

Revelation = crisp, clear, essential communication from the Spirit
Inspiration = series of promptings, or step by step guidance to worthy objective

Practical principles for enhancing revelation:
1. Seek guidance while studying the scriptures, pray for inspiration and understanding while studying them.
2. Eliminate negative emotions.
3. Have a good sense of humor, avoiding loud, inappropriate laughter
4. Communicate with careful, quiet speech
5. "Exercise, reasonable amounts of sleep, and good eating habits increase our capacity to receive and understand revelation."
6. Recording revelation received shows the Lord we are grateful for His guidance and helps remember what we learned.

Yummy Lunch for Healthy Soul

Check out a great, nourishing, low-calorie recipe for Chicken Marinara Salad at CamilleCreations website.

In Your Patience Possess Ye Your Souls

In the past few weeks I have been thinking much about patience, what it is, how to get it, what to do when it is lost. I think that patience has much to do with peace. If we become impatient we have lost our sense of inner peace. When I feel patience, I am full of faith, hope, and charity. I have faith that things will work out, I have hope in Christ who gives me light and life, and I feel charity for my family and friends.

When I am impatient, I lack the faith that everything is working out right, I have lost my sense of hope in my Savior who wishes to share my burdens and bring me peace, and I feel anger and frustration which chases away any feelings of charity.

So when we are patience, we are close to the Lord and feel peace. When we are not patient, we feel far away from our Lord. So to get back patience, we must return to Christ. He does not turn away from us, we turn away from Him. We must do whatever it takes to turn our hearts back in the right direction and let His love fill our whole soul. Then will we have the patience and charity that helps us stay up all night with sick children and not become angry, fulfill difficult responsibilities in church and know if we do our best things will work out alright, and show great love to our spouses we covenanted with to be true to no matter what difficulties may arise.

"and thou didst bear all these things with patience because the Lord was with thee; and now thou knowest that the Lord did deliver thee." (Alma 38:4)

Peace be unto thy Soul

I have been struggling with a physical ailment for a few months now. My pain seems small compared to others, but it is enough to curtail my activities and cause discomfort. The medications I have been given seem to worsen the situation rather than help and the doctors have just told me to wait and watch. I find myself with mountains of responsibilities with only mouse-like abilities to accomplish them.

I decided to turn to the scriptures and found myself reading in the Doctrine and Covenants section 121 verses 6-8:

"Remember thy suffering saints, O our God; and thy servants will rejoice in thy name forever. My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes."

Joseph Smith had an entire people to lead, a family to raise, and the gospel to spread and he was stuck in a damp, dark, filthy prison that was too short for him to stand up in. The Lord could have burst the prison walls or caused the guards to sleep so he could escape, or just not allowed him to be captured in the first place.

I need to know that peace does not come from being healthy, wealthy, and wise. Peace, the inner calm that transcends all other fleeting feelings can only come from God. From turning to Him for comfort and guidance.

On Charity

"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing." (1 Corintians 13:2)

I can be the most accomplished mother in the world, running a business from home, making the most scrumptious and healthy homemade meals, attending exercise groups and doing joyschool for my preschooler, but if I do not show love and kindness to my husband and children I have done nothing.

If my laundry remains undone, my dishes piling up, exercise classes neglected and papers left unfiled, but I have shown love and patience and happiness towards my family, I have accomplished much.

Concerning Souls

Usually when people speak of souls, they refer to their spirit, or essence, or personality, some part of themselves that seems to transcend the body and many believe will live on after they die. But most people think of the soul as separate from the body, as though the body were just a shell and not the real thing.

In the Doctrine and Covenants 88:15 the Lord revealed an astounding doctrine, "And the spirit and the body are the soul of man."

As the spirit and body together make the soul, you cannot affect one without affecting the other for good or bad. Today I was trying to do work on the computer and the children were needing attention, then the program I was using was having problems. I became angry and impatient and couldn't understand why I was feeling so emotional. My husband sat me down and made me eat a very large, high protein snack and then the world seemed much brighter.

You must take care of both your body and spirit to be whole and happy. This site will offer your whole soul a chance to be nourished. Here you will find essential oils and recipes for caring for the body, and artwork, books, and inspirational thoughts for nourishing the spirit. We hope you find your experience here fulfilling.

Looking for an LDS Painting

I have received an inquiry for a piece of LDS art that I am unable to locate if anyone has any information we would appreciate any help.

Dear Brother Bowen,

Since you are involved in LDS Art, I thought you might know of a painting I saw - I could swear it was a church magazine- of the infant Jesus in swaddling clothes, but the swaddling clothes (as explained in the caption) were the striped pattern of cloth symbolizing the tribe of His lineage. It was a beautiful painting! But I've written the Church magazines and without more information, they could not help. Any ideas where I might turn to find this painting? Thanks so much!

I was glad to find your website - I have a very large print of the original prophets in the temple - it's very outdated now, tho! But still love the concept of them all together : )

Sincerely,

V. Taylor