To Be Faithful

I was just kneeling at Andy's bed in prayer while the boys fell asleep and I was filled with joy.  I had carried a weary Andy in and was laying him down in his bed as Jack was saying his prayer.  I love his sweet and innocent prayers of faith.  A few minutes earlier we had finished our scripture reading and Natty turned to a scripture she had read in church today and she had some questions.  It was the Lord speaking to Nephi in the third book of Nephi.  Nephi was the prophet and got to stand for truth and right in some pretty difficult times.  It is where the Lord talks about how Nephi has with unwearyingness declared His word.  We talked about that a bit and how Nephi didn't seek for his own pleasures or for the things of the world that he could have enjoyed but rather he went and did the things that he had been asked to do by the Lord, even hard things.  Natty really liked that and I like that Natalie likes that.  She told me she was going to start reading The Book of Mormon on her own. These are things that bring joy to me as a parent.  These are things things that make the long hours and the suffering through gospel basics worth it.  To see the testomonies of your little ones begin to take root and to grow is a joyous thing.  As I prayed I expressed my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for these children and for the goodness of their hearts.  I also thought about my responsibilities and prayed that I would be faithful to those things that I know to be right and true.  I believe that as I am I am entitled to help from the Lord.  I will be strengthened to be able to accomplish the things that I need to as the Patriarch in my home.  It is the desire of my heart to be faithful in all things.  I have so much work to do, so far to go but I know that Lord will help me and I know that this desire is a righteous one. 

I went to the Singles fireside tonight and listened to a couple speak.  They shared stories of an ancenstor who joined the church in Switzerland only to be rejected by her family.  They shared that he served a mission many years ago in New Zeland and then they together served a mission in Sydney Australia.  Pretty amazing.  I shared with them that I grew up with Grandparents who served missions in Switzerland, New Zeland and  Sydney Australia.  I enjoyed the messages shared especially the story of the Ancestor who joined the church in Switzerland though it meant rejection from her family.  She made it though,  she had to dip stale bread in the fountain just to have something to eat but she made it.  Isn't this what it means to be faithful?  Faithful no matter what challenges my come.

Well, I have rambled on here for a bit.  I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for the blessings that freely flow to us as we strive to do what is right.  I hope that I can be more faithful as I press forward in the work of the Lord.