He knows my name

Once day when Dale and I were working together in the yard, I was pulling weeds out of some of our potted plants. I felt frustrated by how many there were--pretty much all the same kind--and by how they were everywhere. I said, "Oh, I wish we had never gotten this plant into our yard!" Dale, not realizing that I was talking about the weed, was kind of stunned, and said something to the effect that if I didn't like it we could get rid of it.

If only we could have just gotten rid of that weed! I still have to pull it out of the pots regularly to keep it from taking over. The other day as I once again tackled the weed, I remembered our conversation of the past and felt amused and a little sad. It's so easy to miscommunicate and misinterpret.

I am grateful that when I pray Heavenly Father hears my words and also knows the intent of my heart. He knows what I need before I even ask. He knows my name, and he listens.


And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. Exodus 33:17

Gifts

A few weeks ago, a very talented musician in our ward asked me to turn pages for her while she accompanied a song we were practicing in Relief Society. I felt a little nervous about doing it because I didn't want to turn the page too soon or too late and cause her a problem, but it turned out to be a wonderful experience for me. I had been practicing the piece because I was supposed to accompany it, but then found out that I was going to be gone on the week that the sisters were singing in Sacrament meeting. So I was aware of how much she was making things up as she went along. Everything sounded good, and most people wouldn't have realized that she wasn't playing the music exactly as written. I felt my esteem for this woman deepen as we sat on that piano bench together. But what was even more important was that I realized that although I don't have the gift that she has of being able to improvise at the keyboard, I do have gifts. My task is to learn to share them with as much confidence and generosity as she shares hers.

And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will. Moroni 10:17

Iron rod or liahona

In the Book of Mormon, the iron rod represents the word of God. The liahona is a tool that the Book of Mormon people used to direct their travels in the wilderness. Through the liahona, God gave them instructions to help them along their way. Sometimes people compare and contrast these two images and use them as metaphors for the way that people interact with God today. Iron rods are people who like to go by the book, and liahonas are people who work by inspiration. But I see both of these methods as necessary in our effort to stay on the path in life that will lead us home to our Heavenly Father. The word of God as contained in the scriptures and as taught to us by our living prophet shows us the way and gives us a true direction. Inspiration that comes to us personally through the whisperings of the Holy Ghost nudges us back onto that true path when we start to go astray. I've created this blog to record some of my experiences and reflections about the power of both the word and the spirit in my life.