Plenty of Glory to go around

The redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

Share a Spring Reason

In my neighborhood, I know it's finally spring because the greenery of the bulbs are just beginning to peek through. I think we may have daffodils this week.

For me, this time of year is a constant object lesson in rebirth and resurrection. Holy Week and Passover call my attention to our singular Mormon beliefs and remind me of the differences and similarities we share with our Christian and Jewish friends. And I look forward to spring General Conference because there are always several Christ-centered talks that help me reflect more deeply on His atonement.

What does this season mean for you? How does it affirm or expand your testimony?

Share it with us. Take a moment today to draw a sketch, take a picture, share a quote or scripture... and share the hope you're feeling this season.

Another lovely Family Home Evening set.

I will trust in the Lord. He is my rock and salvation.

God gave us all we see... so... I'll go where He directs.

Faith is not believing that God can, 

but knowing the He will.

The sun will always come out tomorrow

so move forward with faith knowing that you are never alone.

Come ye and let us go up to the house of the Lord.

Melissa Esplin created this and we're so glad she shared it with us... check out her site for more goodness.

When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.
Ezra Taft Benson

Although obedience is still an irritant... I seek to be powerful.

The power of God gives me hope.

Hopeful and Mormon

The Apron Stage is run by a group of lovely and talented and funny women who are generally wonderful to read. This post in particularly caught my eye for its discussion of faith, hope, and how these gifts make our lives richer. Something I've been thinking about, very eloquently explored, by Lisa Piorczynski.

 

Hope is an anchor for the soul.

When I begin to dream

I always find an underlying factor

that almost completely dispels my reasons for hope.

and then

God winks at me.

and I can believe again.

I am grateful for a heritage of strong, creative women who made useful, beautiful things.

Priesthood blessings are a reason for my hope. They're meaner, softer, prophetic, repetitive--never what I'd anticipated; they're more real.

Every so often we'll be posting something that has caught our attention that is both hopeful and Mormon. Feel free to send along articles, blog posts, or personal stories that you feel are hopeful and Mormon, if you like, to hopefullymormon at gmail dot com.

I ran into this article via the Segullah footnotes and have been thinking about it for a week. The NPR report is a collection of personal interviews about the affects of the housing crisis in California, where foreclosures and upside-down mortgages are commonplace. The Mormon part is a couple named William and Laura Betts who paid off their 20 year mortgage in 2005. I think the hopeful part is not that the Betts are financially superior in some way, but that they humbly credit their faith for their financial freedom. And their example that small but steady effort pays off.

It also reminds me of this talk by President Hinckley, particularly the last few paragraphs when he mentions President Faust.

Thanks, William and Laura Betts, for a hopeful story in the middle of a situation that seems hopeless.

Put simply... I feel good when I keep God's commandments.

Being a parent has taught me so much about God's love.

There Is Sunshine In My Soul Spirograph

Thank you so much for participating in our first giveaway. It made us feel happy and hopeful.

Random.org selected Jen as our winner. That is, the Jen who wrote: "this has never been my favorite hymn, but i love this print. pick me! pick me!" Perhaps the hymn will grow on her.


It may warm your heart, as it did ours, to hear that a kind and generous Hopefully Mormon friend volunteered to pay for another spirograph to send off to Andrea, who left this comment:

"Oh, please, I would love this. I heard this story given by one of the GA's about a little disabled girl who couldn't speak but could signal through blinking what her favorite song was, and they came to this one, especially the verse, "There is music in my soul to day, a carol to my King, and Jesus listening can hear, the songs I cannot sing." My son is severely disabled, blind, non-communicative, and makes no purposeful movements. When I hear this song, I cry, because I think of all the songs he cannot sing. I would love to put this in his room."

So Jen and Andrea, please e-mail your full names and shipping info to hopefullymormon at gmail dot com and we will make arrangements with Jot and Tittle post haste.

Thanks again.

The Lord's University
i go to learn...

Two weeks ago today our youngest son died at age 24. In the depths of despair, our sure knowledge of the gospel and God's tender mercies has made this event survivable for us. Spending time on my skiis today lifted my spirits as I marveled at God's creations, the miracle of life and of comfort in death of a loved one.

"And He shall turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers..."
And also to their mothers.

I'm proud to be a Stormin' Mormon.

Because I know the Church is inspired, I seek for any excuse to be a part of it, even if that gets me sweaty on a basketball court.

Millions shall know Brother Joseph again...

Our first giveaway.

A little something to add sunshine to your soul.

From the fabulous shop Jot and Tittle.

You know the drill. To enter this giveaway, leave a comment on this post by midnight MST on Saturday, March 13. If you mention Hopefully Mormon on Twitter, Facebook, or in a blog post, you may leave another comment (tell us where you made mention) and be entered again. Please leave a comment on this post for each entry.

Winner will be selected by a random number generator.

Eliza R. Snow: Powerful, committed women have been a huge part of this Church from the beginning.


Before women in America had the right to vote, Eliza R. Snow and her contemporaries were running Relief Society The Woman's Exponent, the Endowment House, and more.

We are a question asking people. We have always been. Because we know that inquiry leads to truth.

I heard her tell the story a couple of times.  As the new president of the Young Women's organization she was sharing an experience with them about the beginnings of her testimony of the gospel. “I had a teacher once who told me the gospel was true, and I knew she wouldn’t lie to me.”  She continued, “I want you to know that I wouldn’t lie to you either.”

Part of my testimony is based on the fact that Sister Jones told me so, and I know she wouldn't lie to me.

 
I've endured more than 30 years of abuse in my life. From my father, from a former bishop, and from my ex-husband. I have finally broken free and am on the long and difficult road of healing. It's taken many years to get to this point in my life and I have a long way to go yet, but one thing I have learned, and am infinitely grateful for, is that Heavenly Father and the Savior will never force us to do anything. When They ask us to follow the commandments, we may feel forced, but They are not the ones forcing. It may be our own selves, or habits of the past. But They will never force us. When I found this scripture in Amos 3:3, it struck a very strong chord in my heart. "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" We can't walk with the Lord or our Father unless we choose to, and that is our choice alone. How grateful I am that They have never taken my agency from me, or used it against me.

This morning we're posting a whole batch of reasons for hope that were created during a Family Home Evening group in the BYU 111th ward. Maybe it should be your activity at FHE tonight too?