"Heavenly Father, Are You Really There...?"

The words of a children's hymn often stick with my heart.  "Heavenly Father, are you really there?  And do you hear and answer every child's prayer?"  ("A Child's Prayer").  I have felt His love often.  In the dark when I was afraid as a child, in my heart as I prayed for comfort during a time of trial, or in the middle of the day when I see hundreds of other people and wonder if I really matter to him.  It comes as a quiet and gentle reassurance, He is there.  He does answer our prayers.  Just as a young boy, Joseph Smith, prayed to find God, we too can.  We are His children and "everyone that asks, receives; everyone that seeks, finds, (3 Nephi 14:7-8), that is His promise.

"Come What May and Love It"

This month has been a month of trial, for me, for friends, and for those that are close to me.  I have found the words of an Apostle of the Lord, Joseph B. Wirthlin, bringing my soul comfort and peace. "Come What May, and Love It", was a beautiful talk given just a few years ago, and it brought my family through a difficult time.  I often return to this talk as a reminder that even though we may go through trials and struggles, we have a choice of how we react. 

Life will be what it is regardless of what we know or what we believe.  But I have found that the gospel of Jesus Christ has brought me hope and helped me persevere through these hard times.  The gospel is here to help us have that vision, not to take away our struggles.  I am so grateful for the hope and peace that the Savior's sacrifice and the gospel's perspective has given my life.  May we all remember that in times of struggle that we have a responsibility to act, and not to merely be acted upon (2 Nephi 2:14).
Watch his video at: Mormon Message: Come What May, and Love It