Tuesday 21 March 2017

Sources of Happiness & Extending our hands and our hearts towards others...

Hello everyone! Well can you believe it? Sunday marked 2 months of being out on my mission! Let me just say that it has flown by waaaay too fast! I've finished my first transfer and I am so happy that I get to stay in Bathurst for Transfer #2 woohoo!  Great things are going to happen this transfer; I can just feel it! 

So! How did y'all do with your invitation last week? I hope you all found opportunities to be TRUE FOLLOWERS of Christ! And I invite you to keep doing this!

This week my message is short and sweet. I have a quote I would like to share with you all from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

"Love is what inspired our Heavenly Father to create our spirits; it is what led our Saviour to the Garden of Gethsemane to make himself a ransom for our sins. Love is the grand motive of the plan of salvation; it is the source of happiness, the ever-renewing spirit of healing, the precious fountain of hope. As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit."





Something I spent some time pondering on is "What are the sources of happiness that we have?" Of course we have our family, our friends and the gospel which bring so much happiness into our lives but what else do we have? 

In Job 5:`7 we learn that we have correction from God, Proverbs 3:13 we learn that we are able to find wisdom and get understanding, James 5:11 we learn that enduring to the end and patience can bring happiness and in Mosiah 4:11 a great source of happiness comes from keeping the commandments of God. There are so many scriptures that provide each of us 'sources of happiness'. What are some sources of happiness in your life?

Another question I asked myself as I read this was "How is LOVE a source of happiness?"
Everything that Christ and Heavenly Father have done for us has been out of love. It was love for Heavenly Father that we desired to become just like Him, follow His plan and come to earth so that we could return home to Him. It is our love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that drives us to make the right choices which will allow us the opportunity to be in his presence again. Jesus Christ is at the centre of our lives. 
Without him none of the plan of salvation would be possible.
Because of his love for us he saved us from spiritual and physical death.
Because he loves us he is merciful and frees us from the bands of justice as we obey him and repent of our sins. 
Without his love we would not be able to return to live with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father or our families for eternity! 

The last part that I want to share with you all is a phrase that sticks out to me "EXTEND OUR HANDS AND HEARTS towards others" One of my favourite things to look for in the scriptures is when it talks about the Lord EXTENDING (or stretching) his hand towards us - to lift, bear and strengthen us.
In Matthew 14:28-31 is the account of Peter walking on the water with Jesus Christ. He had the faith that he would be able to walk with Christ but then when the storms came Peter lacked faith and he began to sink. Now this is my favourite part "And immediately Jesus STRETCHED forth his hand, and caught him". 
How many times do we catch ourselves slipping or sinking? Do you recognise his hand STRETCHING or EXTENDING towards you? Are you WILLING to grab hold of the hand who is the Almighty's? The hand of the rock of our sure foundation? 



I am grateful for the hand that is ever extended to help me when I am in need of saving, when I am sinking, when I am not strong enough to be up on my own. We all have this hand extended to us. And because of this, we should not with hold our hands being extended to those around us!
My invitation this week is to EXTEND or STRETCH your hand and your heart to someone this week! If you see them sinking, slipping or in need of saving, be an instrument in the Lord's hand and help them! I promise that as you do this you will not only bless the life of those you are helping but you will also be blessed. 

I am so grateful for each of you and the example of extending your hands to others! May we each continue to WILLINGLY STRETCH forth our hands and help those in need! 

I love you! I pray for each of you daily!

Sister Roos xx (: (: 







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