Week 18

Querida Hermana Lutze,

Las semanas estan pasando muy rapido. Sera Marzo muy pronto! No puedo creerlo! We're good here. Marissa spent the weekend with us. It's always fun to have her over. Dad and I went on a date to see the Norman Rockwell exhibit at BYU. We tried to eat dinner at Red Lobster afterwards but the wait was almost two hours so we ate Whistle Wok instead. Hannah started Prednisone this week. We're hoping that will help with her asthma. It's still not under control. Natalie's spending more time with friends which is nice to see and they seem to be good friends. :) Jakob's team won their basketball game on Friday with no subs. They beat the other team 16-14. Yea, it was a very low scoring game. I did eat some Graham Canyon ice cream in your honor the other night. BYU really has good ice cream. I'm still working on my lesson for the Stake Women's Conference in two weeks. It's funny how the Lord works... when you are speaking on a certain subject he will give you real life experience at the same time to learn it. I know that's why he's been giving me personal revelation for this lesson line upon line and precept upon precept. I've had to really work for it and place myself in situations and locations where I can feel the spirit to receive that revelation. He's teaching me that we don't always receive what we need to know right away. On the other hand this week I was with our presidency in an orientation meeting for a new ward RS presidency and received inspiration before hand and  in the moment of what I needed to share. I knew it was right because the spirit was present and the President commented that she'd either had the same experience or she had questions on that subject.I love Sister Beck's quote on personal revelation... "The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life." I was able to go to Emily's class this week and we talked about three women in 1 and 2 Kings.

2 Kings 4:1-7 This woman was going to have to sell her two sons to pay her debts because her husband had died but Elisha told her to gather not a few vessels for oil. She was then able to fill all of them with just the little oil that she had. The Lord multiplied it She gave her all... absolute trust in the Lord. She 'poured out' to her children. Are we filling ourselves with the gospel through scripture study, prayer, etc so that we can 'pour out' for others especially those in our family? Obedience + Sacrifice = MIRACLE

2 Kings 4:8-37 This woman was not an Israelite and yet she trusted and followed Elisha the prophet faithfully. She also gave her all. Obedience + Sacrifice = MIRACLE In the end her son was brought back from the dead by Elisha.

1 Kings 17:1-14 This woman was also required to have Obedience + Sacrifice = MIRACLE. Elisha requested water from her and then a cake for himself before she fed herself and her son. She did it knowing that it was ALL that she had. What is our ALL and do we give it?

Two quotes I really liked this week:

President Stephen L Richards (1879–1959), who served as a counselor to President David O. McKay, has provided additional instruction about the nature and blessings of discernment:

“First, I mention the gift of discernment, embodying the power to discriminate … between right and wrong. I believe that this gift when highly developed arises largely out of an acute sensitivity to impressions—spiritual impressions, if you will—to read under the surface as it were, to detect hidden evil, and more importantly to find the good that may be concealed. The highest type of discernment is that which perceives in others and uncovers for them their better natures, the good inherent within them. …

“… Every member in the restored Church of Christ could have this gift if he willed to do so. He could not be deceived with the sophistries of the world. He could not be led astray by pseudo-prophets and subversive cults. Even the inexperienced would recognize false teachings, in a measure at least. … We ought to be grateful every day of our lives for this sense which keeps alive a conscience which constantly alerts us to the dangers inherent in wrongdoers and sin.”  (from Conference Report, Apr. 1950, 162–63; emphasis added.)

"We know for certain that if and when everything else in the latter days is down or dying; if governments, economies, industries, and institutions crumble; if societies and cultures become a quagmire of chaos and insecurity, nevertheless, through it all the gospel of Jesus Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that bears that gospel to the world will stand triumphant. It will stand undefiled in God’s hand until the very Son of God Himself comes to rule and reign as Lord of lords and King of kings. Nothing is more certain in this world. Nothing is more sure."

-Jeffrey R. Holland

I love you and pray for your success and safety!

Love,

Mom