I have a testimony that the hymns found in the Hymn book are inspired and can serve as sacred scripture, bearing a message from our Heavenly Father. I recognized a feeling and thought I had not to long ago. It was to enjoy the moments right now as this was the calm before the storm. The storm started and has yet to pass but the hymn "Where Can I Turn for Peace?" has filled my spirit with a sure knowledge that Heavenly Father has not forgotten my family and will be by our side while we press on through this storm. I want to share the words of this song as they have had a impact on me.

Where can I turn for peace? Where is my solace? When other sources cease to make me whole? When with a wounded heart, anger or malice, I draw myself apart, searching my soul?

Where, when my aching grows, where, when I languish, Where, in my need to know, where can I run? Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish? Who, who can understand? He, only One.

He answers privately, Reaches my reaching. In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend. Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching. Constant he is and kind, Love with-out end.

I testify that He does answer privately, He is our Friend, and is love is with out end. At my loneliest times I know he holds me up.

Life is Precious

So many things have happened in the past few weeks to remind me of how precious and fragile life truly is. My husband found out that a friend from high school committed suicide. When I saw the pictures, he looked like a normal, happy guy. His family was shocked and devastated. I found myself thinking about this person I didn’t know and contemplating on what would bring a person to such a point that they would want to end their life.

The same week I came across a story of a young mother and father who were both severely burned in a plane crash. They have 4 young children. What now? If they even survive, will their lives ever be the same?

Next, I read a story about a family expecting their second daughter. The wife contracted some random/rare virus. After an emergency c-section, she ended up having an arm and both legs amputated and losing her sight completely. These two stories about mothers especially hit home because I am mother of young children. What would I do in these situations? How would I handle these challenges?

As I pondered on these tragedies, I realize that you can’t live life wondering if something horrible might happen to you. Bad things happen to good people every day. But what you can do is live life more fully, appreciate each moment more, be more patient, forgiving, loving and strive to be a positive influence to those around you. What we can do is not take this life (or anyone else’s) for granted.

Alma, a Book of Mormon prophet, wrote, "All things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:44). We can see the work of God in the heavens and on the earth. The many beautiful plants, the many kinds of animals, the mountains, the rivers, the clouds that bring us rain and snow--all these testify to us that there is a God. Our own lives testify that there is a God. If we understand that, we can have the faith and perspective to embrace each day of our life in a new light, realizing that life is precious, truly a gift from God. 'Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God' (D&C 18:10).

Prayers of a child

Sometimes there are those times as a parent when you feel so helpless. You want to help your child, but there is only so much you can do. The other night my four year-old had nightmares. She's my third child, so we've dealt with nightmares before. We put her back to bed and I thought that was the end of it. The next night, however, when it was time to go to bed, she was sobbing. She didn't want to go to bed because she was afraid of the nightmares coming back. The only thing I could do for her was to do what my parents would do for me when I would have bad dreams as a child: pray. She wasn't very convinced that this would work. My eight year-old assured her that it really does work because it has worked for her. We prayed and I was able to get her to bed. That night I prayed and prayed for her. I wanted her to experience answers to her prayers. The next morning I was anxious to talk to her and see how her night went. With all the enthusiasm of her cute personality she proclaimed that she did not have any bad dreams that night. Now she continually prays to not have bad dreams and she doesn't! I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who loves my children even more than I do. He answers prayers.

The song of the heart

Yesterday was a tough day for me. I slept in, had a headache, wasn't in the mood to do any of the housework that called for my attention, and was generally grouchy.

Around 11:00 in the morning, our ward mission leader (who also happens to be our good friend) called and asked us for a favor. There was a baptism scheduled for 1:00 that afternoon, and because it had all been organized somewhat last-minute, a conductor and pianist were needed.

My husband and I went to the church for the baptism, grumbling a bit about the interruption of our lazy day. He found the missionaries and started the conductor de-briefing process, and I sat down at the (rather old and out-of-tune) piano to play prelude.

After only the first couple of measures, I felt better, and by the time I'd played through several hymns, I felt centered and happy for the first time that day. The songs of our Church - hymns, Primary songs, and other sacred music - always have this effect on me. I'm so grateful for the Spirit that works through music, for the blessings that come from being a member of a church that worships and celebrates with music. I'm grateful also for a Heavenly Father who understands the healing, comforting, lifting powers of beautiful hymns, who gave Emma Smith this important charge:

"And it shall be given thee, also, to make a selection of sacred hymns, as it shall be given thee, which is pleasing unto me, to be had in my church.

"For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads. " (D&C 25:11-12)

My soul also delighteth in the song of the heart - I get that from my Father.