Share The Joy

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation...

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene.One warm afternoon, the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days, weeks and months passed.One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window.The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window besides the bed.
It faced a blank wall.
The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'



Epilogue:
There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy. Today is a gift, that is why it is called 'The Present'.

What a powerful story! And an incredible lesson to be learned. Our happiness, when shared, is doubled. When we share joy, our joy is magnified and we can be filled with the light of Christ. Let us all strive to be filled with charity, which is the most pure love, a love which never fails.

~JS

Seek To Ponder

"By pondering, we give the Spirit an opportunity to impress and direct. Pondering is a powerful link between the heart and the mind. As we read the scriptures, our hearts and minds are touched. If we use the gift to ponder, we can take these eternal truths and realize how we can incorporate them into our daily actions. 
…
“Pondering is a progressive mental pursuit. It is a great gift to those who have learned to use it. We find understanding, insight, and practical application if we will use the gift of pondering” ~Marvin J. Ashton, There Are Many Gifts

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere hearts, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost." Moroni 10:3-4

As we seek to ponder the Lord's words, and not just read them, we will be filled with the Spirit, and He will guide us to the path of true conversion. Seek to be filled with the Savior's light by pondering the divine truths taught in the Book of Mormon. As we "seek learning even by study and also by faith" (see D&C 88:118; 109:7), we will be filled with the Spirit. Our testimonies will be strengthened as we feast on the words of the Book of Mormon (see 2 Nephi 32:3), and we will have the capability to share it with others.

~JS :)

Exercise Faith in Christ

What can I do today to exercise greater faith in Jesus Christ?

My goal:
To spend less time on a screen, wasting away my time, and accomplish better things in life.

How am I going to achieve this goal? 

Through faith in Christ, I can do all things. I have been blessed with the power to forgive, and be forgiven. This doesn't just mean forgive others, it also includes forgiving myself. The power of the Atonement is real, and it is incredibly strong. It helps me to overcome all the hard trials in life, by exercising faith in Christ, and by choosing to repent.

I need to work on setting a time limit on my screen time, and choose to only participate in uplifting things that build me up. By doing so, and setting this goal, I can become better, and just by setting goals I can learn new things. God has given me an opportunity to grow and learn through faith, and that is what I am going to do. I am determined to become more like my Father, my Brother, and ultimately, overcome the natural man.

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." Mosiah 3:19

~JS