602. Inspiring thoughts for Sunday, from Latter Day Devotion. Scriptures and quotes from prophets.

It was 2 weeks ago today that my dear eternal companion, Wayne D Eckman passed away early in the morning.  I am going to write my memories of the last 2 years or so, to the best of my memory.  He truly went through so many trials, some of which I'm not very aware, because he didn't complain.  I will probably include some of those stories in later blogs.

The photo above is of Wayne, before he began his almost 2 years of poor health, with a small great granddaughter, Ruby.  This is quite a natural happy look to his face!

But for today, these thoughts below are truly inspiring!

QUOTE OF THE DAY Thomas S. Monson "What does it mean to endure? I love this definition: to withstand with courage. Courage may be necessary for you to believe; it will at times be necessary as you obey. It will most certainly be required as you endure until that day when you will leave this mortal existence" ("President Monson Calls for Courage," Ensign, April 2015).

February 27, 2016 Overcoming Temptation

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY Doctrine & Covenants20:22 "He suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them."

QUOTE OF THE DAY Howard W. Hunter "The question for us now is---will we succeed? Will we resist? Will we wear the victor's crown? Satan may have lost Jesus, but he does not believe he has lost us. He continues to tempt, taunt, and plead for our loyalty. We should take strength for this battle from the fact that Christ was victorious not as a God but as a man.  ". . . We live in a world of temptation---temptation that seems more real and oppressively rampant than any since the days of Noah. . . . Every individual in this church should ask himself, 'Am I living so that I am keeping unspotted from the evils of the world?'. . . "With faith, and prayer, and humility, and sources of strength from an eternal world, we are able to live unspotted in the midst of a world of temptation" ("The Temptations of Christ," Ensign, November 1976).

Latter Day Light DAILY DEVOTIONAL February 26, 2016 Trials

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY 1 Corinthians 2:9 "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

QUOTE OF THE DAY Ezra Taft Benson "To press on in noble endeavors, even while surrounded by a cloud of depression, will eventually bring you out on top into the sunshine. Even our master Jesus the Christ, while facing that supreme test of being temporarily left alone by our Father during the crucifixion, continued performing his labors for the children of men, and then shortly thereafter he was glorified and received a fullness of joy.  "While you are going through your trial, you can recall your past victories and count the blessings that you do have with a sure hope of greater ones to follow if you are faithful. And you can have that certain knowledge that in due time God will wipe away all tears" ("Do Not Despair," Ensign, November 1974).

Influence of Parents

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY Psalm 78:5-7 "For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: that the generation to come might know them . . . that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments."

QUOTE OF THE DAY Harold B. Lee "Some of our children remain firm and true, and yet others begin to stray away, and sometimes we don't understand why. But may we all resolve that as parents today we will live close to our children, we will counsel with them, we will give them the foundation of rock-bottom principles of divine truth" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Harold B. Lee, p. 136).

Latter Day Light DAILY DEVOTIONAL February 21, 2016 The Lord is Merciful and Just

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY Doctrine & Covenants 1:31-32 "For I the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance; nevertheless, he that repents and does the commandments of the Lord shall be forgiven."

QUOTE OF THE DAY George Albert Smith "We cannot live like the world and expect to obtain our rightful place in the Kingdom. . . . This is hard medicine, because some of us in the Church have the idea that we can trifle with the Gospel of our Lord and with fundamentals of Eternal Life, and yet gain the place we want. This is not true. The Lord will be merciful, but he will be just, and if we want any blessing there is only one way we may obtain it, and that is to keep the commandments that will entitle us to the blessing" (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: George Albert Smith, p. 7).