JOURNAL GEMS
written by ERIK GRAY 2013
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIK!!!! We love and miss you so much. And yes, there's a snowstorm TODAY.... we know you ordered it because you love snow. Your nephew gets blessed today, too. Little 7 week old Britton Tasker. Thank you for being a part of our lives and sharing your love and inspiration with us all. You have left an amazing legacy.
Just another example of your goodness.....
EXCERPTS from-
Stake
Conference talk- March 17, 2013- Blessings of holding to the rod
......
BLESSINGS
THAT COME
·
“If you hold
to the rod, you can feel your way forward with the
gift of the Holy Ghost. … Grasp the iron rod, and do not let go. Through the
power of the Holy Ghost, you can feel your way
through life.” –Boyd K. Packer
·
You will gain
the right perspective that your life needs to have-
personal story
·
Holding to the
rod, especially during trials, will not define you, but refine you
·
Look up!
·
Progression-
I have felt progression in my life, especially through these last surgeries
·
Blessings of:
o Temple
o Priesthood
o Family
o Friends
o Mission
§ At
18 yrs old, Sid Going was a rugby player, and a shoe-in for New Zealand’s
national rugby team. However, he decided to serve a mission before playing
rugby.
§ When
he came home, he became one of the greatest halfbacks in the All-Blacks league
§ Training
and games would be scheduled around Sunday so that Sid could play
§ The
Queen of England even recognized him
§ “The
blessing of bringing others into the gospel far outweighs anything you will
ever sacrifice.”
o Having
the spirit to be with us
·
We are never alone:
o Cancer
diagnosis- life was going good last fall
o Feeling
of peace during the half marathon
o Read Footprints in the sand POEM
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Footprints in
the Sand
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One
night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord.
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Many
scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
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In
each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
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Sometimes
there were two sets of footprints,
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other
times there were one set of footprints.
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This
bothered me because I noticed
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that
during the low periods of my life,
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when
I was suffering from
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anguish,
sorrow or defeat,
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I
could see only one set of footprints.
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So
I said to the Lord,
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"You
promised me Lord,
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that
if I followed you,
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you
would walk with me always.
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But
I have noticed that during
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the
most trying periods of my life
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there
have only been one
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set
of footprints in the sand.
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Why,
when I needed you most,
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you
have not been there for me?"
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The
Lord replied,
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"The
times when you have
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seen
only one set of footprints,
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is
when I carried you."
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Mary
Stevenson
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