Kathy Penrod

Often, Heavenly Father directs us to do something that is hard and may not make sense at first. But, if we will trust Him, we will be able to look back one day and see how His plan made a positive change in our life.

When I think of the trials I face in my life today, I am buoyed up by the examples of my predecessors.

Heavenly Father speaks to us through the Holy Ghost. His voice is soft and gentle. It is not preceded by megaphones and handwritten posters. You will not see His message in a news ticker at the bottom of your TV screen. How the Holy Ghost speaks to us is individual for everyone. So, it is up to us to figure out just how we hear the Holy Ghost.

Having spiritual grit is critical in today’s world. It is our choice whether or not we remain true to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The actions we take each day will either bring us closer to Jesus Christ or further from Him.

Believing, or having faith, is a cardinal principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We must have faith that following the commandments of God will bring us closer to His presence. We must have faith that His gospel is true. We must have faith in Him to be saved by Him.

Only Jesus Christ can offer us the peace we seek. Learn of Him. Let His love saturate your heart. Let His teachings guide you.

In life, we often fail. We mess up. We make mistakes. And frequently we are hard on ourselves because of that. But just because we fail, doesn’t mean we are failures. And just because we make mistakes, doesn’t mean we are lost.

I love the temple. I love the sacredness of it. I love that I am reminded of who I am and what my purpose in life is. I invite all to come to the temple. Make yourselves ready to visit the House of the Lord. You will be enlightened and strengthened.

I have learned that prayer is a sacred gift that my Heavenly Father gave to me and all of His children so we can always communicate with Him. It is on my knees that I have found solace and peace.

And so it is with us. If we want to enter the kingdom of God, we, too, must be baptized. And because we have all sinned, baptism can make us clean again, erasing those sins.

This Easter season, let us rejoice that Jesus Christ lives. Let us have hope in His atonement and resurrection. Truly, there is great joy in Christ’s victory.

Trust in the words of the scriptures, prophets and apostles that proclaim we are offspring of a loving Heavenly Father. Trust that you are loved, despite your weaknesses. Remember your true identity is divine and eternal. You are a child of God.

Heavenly Father has blessings ready for us. We don’t earn them; He freely gives them to us when we exercise faith in His name. Exercising our faith in Him, qualifies us for the blessings He has in store for us.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Have you ever wondered what the Holy Spirit does? Read about 4 purposes of the Holy Spirit.

The priesthood is the power and authority of God delegated to man on earth. It is through this priesthood that blessings are given.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we want to be known by HIS name. We are Christians and we want the world to know it. Using our correct name is one way we can do that.

He has felt our pain. He weeps with us. If we allow him, He can ease our burden. When we are weak, he can strengthen us. When we are broken, He can mend us. When we are sick, He can heal us. When we are half, He can make us whole. When there is a storm, He promises calm, so how can we doubt?

You can learn facts and details about Jesus Christ. But to really get to know who He is, you must spend time on your knees, in prayer.

You will find that the more you allow that light within you to shine, the greater your heart will swell with love. Love for fellow man and love for our Savior.

This New Year, let us allow change to propel us forward, closer to Jesus Christ. It is because of Him that we have hope for a better tomorrow. It is because of Him that we can change our tomorrows by our choices today. Let us strive to live closer to Jesus Christ, let us change to be more like Him. And remember, tomorrow is always fresh.

As we study the scriptures we will find examples for how to live our lives.

As morning dawned, not only did the SUN arise and fill the world with light, but the SON also arose, bringing a more permanent and personal light into the world. His light reaches shadows we think of as too dark to see. His light warms our soul where there is coldness. His light carries the hope of better things to come. His light never ends and is always there for us.

The truth that mental illness is hiding, is that YOU are an eternal child of a Heavenly Father who loves YOU infinitely. The truth is that Jesus Christ did suffer for YOU and through His grace, YOU can overcome. The truth is that YOU are worth saving. The truth is that YOU are needed.

Our dear Savior suffered in Gethsemane and on Calvary so you and I wouldn’t have to carry around heavy burdens. And He suffered not JUST for our sins, but for our sorrows and pains also. Everything I have packed into that theoretical brick of mine – He suffered for that.

A prophet is “One designated by God to be His spokesperson and to be a teacher, revelator and witness of gospel truths.”

Where we lack, He makes up the difference. Where we sink, He buoys us up. Where we fail, He prevails. He is our Champion.

And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish. Mosiah 4:16

He who humbly follows Jesus Christ will experience and share in His light. And that light will grow until it eventually dispels even the most profound darkness. ~Dieter F. Uchtdorf