A few thoughts I like this morning

“In the strength of the Lord we can do and endure and overcome all things.” -Elder David A. Bednar (“In the Strength of the Lord,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2004, 77.)

"[The Savior] is saying to us, 'Trust me, learn of me, do what I do. Then when you walk where I am going,' He says, 'we can talk about where you are going, and the problems you face and the troubles you have. If you follow me, I will lead you out of darkness,' he promises. 'I will give you answers to your prayers. I will give you rest to your souls.'" Then later in the same talk Elder Holland says, " . . . He knows the way out and He knows the way up. He knows it because He has walked it. He knows the way because He is the way." ("Broken Things to Mend," Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign, May, 2006)

"The enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity.” David A. Bednar, “In the Strength of the Lord,” Ensign, November, 2004.

"The Lord wants to bless us, but we come to the earth to learn. What is the most significant thing that we must learn? 'And this is life eternal that they might know thee and the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' Nothing else really matters! And how to we get to know God? By listening. By putting off the 'natural man' as King Benjamin entreats us, and becoming spiritual men. And how is the only way we can do this? Through the grace of God, or the enabling power of the atonement. So the problems and challenges in our lives are opportunities for us to grow by enlisting the aid of the atonement to overcome those challenges. Alma pleads with us in the words of the Savior, 'Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely.' (Alma 5:32) (GG Vandagriff, "Nephi’s Bonds and Mahonri’s Stones," http://www.ggvandagriff.comGG_Vandagriff_Author/Essay.html)

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of — throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself." (CS Lewis, Mere Christianity)