Flashback #20: Writing in the Sand

One year plus a day to this post. Hmm... it's interesting that I found this little thought because of what's been on my mind lately.

October 26, 2011

Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to day: for the [trials which] ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.  -Exodus 14:13

I had the chance on Wednesday night to go to institute: scripture study for young people ages 18-21. (More details surrounding this circumstance to come!) I must have been blessed enough to go on a fabulous night. One of the stories discussed was the woman taken in adultery in John 8. The teacher then said something that I really loved:

"The wisest choices are made when you take some time to stoop down on the ground and write in the sand for a while."

This, my friends, is so true. I once had a college English professor who taught the same concept. On the day that she would return our grated and edited papers, we were not allowed to talk to her about that grade. End of story. After we had a good nights rest, sometimes a few nights, we could talk to her. It's human tendency to react rashly to something that upsets us. Well, I'm pretty sure the followers of Moses were pretty panicked.

But then... after their patience and faith, did they not witness one of the most famous miracles of all time?

So here's for the liken part- what do YOU do with this thought?

You are most likely worried or angry or frustrated at someone. Or something. Admit it. If you REALLY have nothing, then... well, you will at some point in your life. Guarantee. Before you react harshly though, do something to "write in the sand" for a while. Set the matter aside and do something you enjoy. Read the scriptures and pray, even if you don't think that you feel like it. That might be when you need it the most. Then, it always helps for me to talk to someone that I care about. Just to chat and tell them that you care. Doing an act of service is another great thing to do! Just find what works. Then, after you ponder and pray, make your decision about what you will do. You might not do anything. Maybe God will help to fill in the gap for you.

I still haven't mastered this subject. At all. However, it has blessed my life on more than one occasion.

So dear friends, it's time to make a sandcastle, and God will take a piece and turn it into your mansion.

Have an action-packed day!
Love, Sister Franson

Flashback #13: Your Gift From God

I have no idea when I wrote this post or where I was serving, but it's short, and still kind of ties into what I want to share with you today.

I know that in prayer, we are not asked to speak "vain repetitions", but one thing that I always pray for is that we can listen, be receptive, and have the courage to act upon what God is trying to teach us.

Some people have this perception that anger, sarcasm,...

(finishing this thought today, August 17, 2012)... or other negative behaviors show that someone has authority or intelligence. There are people in the media all over who criticize, yell about, and put down other people and their ideas, and many other people feed into that anger and as a result... well, without me going into detail, suffice it to say that it is just ugly.

I guess that I am choosing to post this today because even as a missionary, I've been seeing so many things that are negative and put down others, and I suppose that I wish that more people would remember who they are, and remember this simple gift that God has blessed them with:

"For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God." Moroni chapter 7 verse 16

So, dear friends, after God has given us so great a gift to know good, should we not use it? Should we not merely acknowledge that we have that gift and that power, and actually seek to post and say good things, and eliminate the negative?

Heavenly Father doesn't give us spiritual gifts so we can throw them by the wayside. My invitation to you is to re-evaluate if you need to the things you have said or re-posted or re-pinned or whatever you may have said about someone. Feed the positive thoughts, and clear away the negative. The purpose for our Savior is so that we can one day be made pure. Isn't that our goal? I think that now is the best time to start practicing.

My dear friends, as always,
Have an action-packed day!
Love, Sister Franson

Flashback #11: In With The Good!

I'm guessing.... well, to be honest, I don't know how long ago I started this post. I want to say it was when I was in Gallatin, so somewhere between September 5, 2011, and November 9, 2011. Ish.

Today, you're going to hear about one of the hardest struggles that Sister Franson has on her mission. I love my music. I love listening to all kinds of music. And I dance. A LOT. But it's only when people aren't looking. I've learned to be sure of that. But, as a missionary, our rules on music are restricted. It does vary from mission to mission, but ours... we can only listen to music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Granted, we can listen to anything as long as it's by them, but I can't even listen to my basic hymns downloaded from lds.org. But, as my last companion reminded me, this is an opportunity for me to receive blessings from being obedient and also to help me stay focused on the work! It is helping to make my mission special to me.

Uhy. I confess that it was especially hard for me today to not listen to secular music. I ended up singing to myself today. It happens. I constantly have a song in my head. If you don't believe me, those of you who I see from time to time, just ask me and I will tell you what it is. It's probably a good thing that I came across this old post to remind me that there is a reason why I am making this small sacrifice.

One thing I do know is that music truly does influence the Spirit of the Lord. As a friend of mine once said so perfectly, if we put garbage into our thoughts, garbage is going to come out! And it's true, not just of music, but any kind of media, any kind of thought, and anything else you can think of!

So, dear friends, is there something cluttering your life? If there is, feed yourself something healthy. Maybe it is fixing a good meal, or maybe it is having a good dose of scripture and prayer. Be sure to fill your soul with something good today :)

Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me. -Alma 32:28

Have an action-packed day!
Love, Sister Franson

Stay Afloat!

In my old set of scriptures, I have this poem written in the very front before anything else. I remember reading it as a freshman in seminary, and it has stuck with me ever since. I hope you enjoy!

Have an action-packed day!

-Sister Franson