Wars And Rumours Of Wars

     There has always been a war or wars going on since I can remember. I remember walking to the far end of our street with my sister and looking at the huge crater in the road a Japanese submarine had left behind. I don't know if anyone in any surrounding homes were killed, it seemed the homes were untouched, a blessing if so. Our family then, seemed to constantly be in a war, with my parents in an ongoing battle and my sister and I arguing over who would wash and who would dry dishes!  Even so we still had some fun memories too. I didn't seem to know then what peace was, I was always looking at  people, places and things for enlightenment! As I understood more of what the "Good News" really was, I began to understand how to find peace in this turbulent world. I was mostly living the "schoolmaster" of the law, not feeling the "spirit" of the law.

     I  was able to attend a Stake Conference one time to hear a talk by Elder Jeffrey Holland. I always loved his talks, he always spoke with feeling and enthusiasm, he was President of  BYU before being called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ. I would listen to the BYU devotionals on radio. In this talk he quoted from John 16:33 " These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
Now where have I've been all these years? I even had that scripture outlined! Sometimes the light bulb of our minds goes on when understanding flows in, the spirit of truth! I have always felt peace, but in the past I was on the run with my growing family, supporting my husband with work, school and his and my church callings and activities. Now as I have got older, I have the time to really ponder, pray and feel more at peace, even in ill health.

     The Savior  said, "And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diver's places. All these are the beginning of sorrows...But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Matthew 24: 6-8,13; " Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not." Doctrine and Covenants 6:36; "... but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear." D&C 38: 30, (both temporally and spiritually).

How grateful I am for these truths; holding fast to the iron rod of Lehi's dream, (the Word of God); being steadfast in living the Gospel; by doing this we can have eternal life, the greatest gift of all!