Saturday this and that . . .

In thinking about my problems this week I remembered some of the challenges which had been given over our last several church conferences and the promises given about Reading the Book of Mormon. In our April 2017 Conference, President Thomas S Monson (the President of our church) gave a very short, but compelling talk about reading the Book of Mormon, entitled "The Power of the Book of Mormon." 

 

This morning I speak about the power of the Book of Mormon and the critical need we have as members of this Church to study, ponder, and apply its teachings in our lives. The importance of having a firm and sure testimony of the Book of Mormon cannot be overstated. 

 

Our Prophet, President Monson is very elderly now and not in the best of health.  This was probably one of the last real talks he was able to give. He was not able to speak to us at all at our last conference.  His testimony of the Book of Mormon was so strong in this talk that millions of Saints all over the world renewed, with determination, their desire to read the Book of Mormon again.  I was one of them. 

 

My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives.

 

I started  reading the Book of Mormon each morning, and listening to it as I put my makeup on, etc.  But I have not been studying it earnestly and prayerfully . . . pondering what it is trying to tell me. 

 

 

 

 This week, I have been inspired to begin again, with a renewed effort to do just that, to study it daily, prayerfully and with sincerity of heart in wanting to know what it is trying to teach me about myself, about the world, and about the things I need to be doing.  If you want to, you can do it along with me and we can share in the comments section each day what  we got from the Previous days reading. In any case, I will be sharing in a small section of my blog each day that I can, what I have read and what I have learnt from it. Who knows, we may be able to discover something together.  Now, that's an exciting thought! 

 

Book of Mormon Corner: Today's reading 1 Nephi 1: 1-15 

What I learned today was that Lehi read the book and he was taught of things to come, he saw destruction and yet called God merciful and good. He teaches me that as I come unto Jesus I shall not spiritually perish. Even if there is 'destruction' around me, I can come to know God's goodness for myself. Through reading the scriptures I can come to know God's character and understand better His plan. 

 

 Tomorrow - 1 Nephi 1: 16 -2:16 

 

 

We were sitting here last night just watching telly when all of a sudden Todd pipes up about how proud he was of me when I won the Turkey Award.  It is hard to believe that was five whole years ago now.  

 

 

 

It was such an exciting night for the both of us really.  Just to be there in attendance, and to have my recipe in the running was very exciting to me. This was a really big deal, but to win.  Never in my wildest dreams had I even considered that I might win.  When they called my name out I was completely gobsmacked. 

 

   

 

The Savoy Hotel is such a ritzy hotel.  I remember feeling a little bit like a country mouse in a city mouse setting.  It was all pretty stupendous.  Just to be there experiencing this once in a lifetime kind of event (for me at any rate) was pretty special in and of itself.  I wish someone had gotten a photograph of me and Todd together in our finery, but alas we did not. 

 

 

I was really surprised last night when he popped up with that statement about how proud he had been of me. It made me feel really good to know that.  That award is gathering dust now, in a bookcase upstairs, it all seems to be so long ago now, but for just a moment last night, I was able to feel again some of the joy that I had had in winning it.  I had not realised how proud Todd was of me, it made me feel proud of myself.  (In a humble sort of way.)  I really have accomplished a lot in these past 17 years that I never ever thought I would be able to do. 

 

When I was married before I was so shy, and had so little confidence in myself, that I was afraid to answer the telephone half of the time, unless I absolutely knew who was calling.  I didn't think I was really any good at anything. I have come a long way since then.

 

For the first time in my life, when my marriage broke up, I found myself actually living on my own, and totally reliant on only myself.  I had gone from my parents home to my husbands, home, both times I had gotten married.  I had never lived on my own, ever.  It was a difficult six or seven months, but I did it.  That was my first step towards independance!  Circumstances meant that I ended up moving back in with my mom for a short time after that, but at least I had done it "on my own" first, and successfully too.  To think that it took me until the age of 44 to be completely independant is kind of mind blowing! 

 

 

 

To think that only a year or so later I would be getting on an airplane to fly to England (again, all on my own)  and to begin a new life is also a pretty amazing thought  to me.  That woman who was afraid to answer the telephone. Since then, I have gone back to school and done not one but two diplomas.  Medical Secretarial, and Chef.  I have worked several jobs, but the most amazing one was to work as a Personal Chef for a wealthy family and get to live in a country cottage on a Manor Estate.  I learned, developed and grew so much in that job. That's where my culinary skills and talent really took off.  I'd had them all along, but had never had the opportunity to use them in that way.   That woman who was afraid to answer the telephone was planning/shopping/preparing and serving multicourse silver service dinners to groups of very wealthy people and doing it very well. (Not to brag, I would never brag) 

 

I write two blogs just about every day.  I've served a Mission for my church. I have helped bring a husband through his battle with cancer. I have artistic creations that I have painted living in homes all over the world, and in just a few weeks/days now I will have my first professionally published book out there on the book shelves.  I am truly living a "pinch me" kind of a life, and I guess I can really be proud of the things I have accomplished  in my later years. Things that just 20 years ago I would never have thought I was capable of, or could ever do. Praise God for showing me who I was and could be!

 

It may sound a bit cliche for me to say it, but  . . .  it all began with me reading  studying and pondering on The Book of Mormon. Who knows what will happen next, now that I am going to read and do the same again!!  😉 The mind boggles.

 

Not a lot on my plate today.  I think I will bake Todd some cookies and then tonight we have the first session of our church Stake Conference at the chapel.  There will be a second session tomorrow morning. There is no rest for the wicked as my mom always used to say! haha!

 

A thought to carry with you through today  . . . 

 

.° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.°Dreams and dedication

are a powerful combination.

~William Longgood •。★★ 。* 。 

 

Spiritual Enlightenment  

 

 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . . .  Lemon Rice Pudding. This is so simple and very delicious.  You will be sure to love it!

 

Have a great Saturday!  Don't forget!

 

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And I do too!