New Era February 2009

This morning as I was searching for shoes trying to get my kids out the door, I came across the New Era magazine from February 2009 that had somehow slipped underneath the couch. After I got my kids out the door, one of the articles caught my eye, and instead of just one article, I ended up consuming the magazine from cover to cover.

As I blogged yesterday in regards to the influence which Abinadi had upon the future church, I was interested to read the very first article in this magazine. It is a message titled, "The Value of A Good Name." Similar to Alma's conversion, the author Elder L. Tom Perry talks about the conversion of his ancestor Gustavus Adolphus Perry back around 1830. Elder Perry then goes on to share that his brother spent a year searching, and was amazed that he had found more than 10,000 descendants of this man.

I think of the monumental impact that joining the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has had upon the descendants of this man. I also think of the impact that Elder L. Tom Perry has had throughout the world as he serves as an apostle of Jesus Christ. We have no idea what kind of an eternal ripple our small daily decisions will have upon the future. This inspires me to try to do better each day.

Additionally, I enjoyed an article titled, "It's not easy" about a young girl whose friends invited her to church. She became converted and later was able to be baptized. She discussed some of the difficulties of being the only member of the church in her family. She states that sometimes people ask her how can she do it, how can she stay so strong in the Church all by herself. I loved her answer.

"Well, the answer is simple. I'm not alone. I have had my struggles since my baptism - it's not easy being the only Church member in my family. But the Lord has promised that He will never leave us alone (John 14:16-18)...Life is hard, and we have all gone through times when we have felt that our strength is gone and our faith is weak. But if we will cling to the One who loves us the most - Heavenly Father - and strengthen our relationship with Him through study and prayer, we will make it through. The Lord promised: "I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up" (D&C 84:88).

I love that scripture - it gives me great comfort to know that our Heavenly Father is ever mindful and watchful of us.

Looking forward to a wonderful day.