Lessons From President Ballard and D Todd Christofferson

Today we had a special devotional to the North America Northeast Area from President Ballard, Elder Christofferson, Elder Bennet and their wives.

These are some of the things I can remember from the their talks:

This afternoon after church we had a devotional to the North America North East Area.  It was from President Ballard and D Todd Christofferson.  Pres Ballard spoke about how the Lord blessed the people in this country from the foundation of the country.  He spoke about a young man who was on the Mayflower when it came to America.  His name was John and while on board, he was washed overboard during a terrible storm.  By a miracle, he caught hold of a rope and held on while they dragged him back onto the boat even though they say he was under the water fathoms deep.  He ended up arriving at the settlement in Plymouth, he was one of the original pilgrims and he was the last one on the Mayflower to die at age 80 years old.  He had children who now with their decendents number in the 2 millions.  His decendents include Theodore Roosevelt, George Bush and George W. Bush and William Wordsworth.  He was also an ancestor of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.  The point Pres Ballard was making was that Providence or God saved this young man on the mayflower and he was the father of many decendants and even some very important people.  Pres Ballard also shared a story about how Pres Washington when he was general Washington, he was a very prayerful man.  He told his men of the Continental Army to pray and fast for the help of God with what they were doing. At one point in the war, the Continental Army had captured a bunch of cannons and other weapons.   The man in charge of them had built sleds to transport them 300 miles to Boston, but after they were all loaded up, there was no snow.  So, he prayed and on Christmas Eve it snowed and he was able to transport all the weapons to Boston.  At the time, the city was full of the English Army.  On a particular night, a great fog enveloped the city of Boston, but above the city, the fog was not seen and there was a full moon and above this fog, the Continental Army brought all the cannons and weapons to a hill overlooking the city of Boston. The next day when the English looked up on the hills around the city, there were all the cannons and the army ready to fight them, because they had had the entire night with moonlight to light their efforts to get ready.  The English were so scared they left the city of Boston without fighting.  

The point President Ballard was making was that if we keep the commandments, and pray we will prosper in the land and be blessed.  I take great comfort in these words because I need the blessings of heaven especially right now.  Elder Chistofferson also spoke about 3 things we can do to get the help of heaven:  Pray, Read our scriptures and help others.  

Pres Ballard also blessed the members of the church that they would have the blessings of the Lord in their lives as they prayed and asked for divine intervention.  

While in the temple on Saturday, and while in the endowment session I had a strong feeling like, as beautiful and simple as the plan of salvation is, we need to focus on that simplicity rather than the complications that come with the details of life.  Basically, try not to worry about all the things that are complicated and stressful and trust in the Lord.  Itis hard to do when you have been through all that I have been through lately, but I know I need to doubt my fears rather than my faith and believe.

So, I am going to keep praying, reading my scriptures, serving in the temple, attending the temple as a patron and I try and serve others:  Mommy, my ministering families, the Elders Quorum Presidency and anyone else I can help.  I am not sure I am doing enough, but I am trying and some days I am so tired from what I have done, that I hope I have done enough.

After I am through all of this that I am going through, I will post a post about what all I have been dealing with, but I cannot do it now, it is too scary and depressing.