Thursday, July 18, 2013

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN BE STILL MY SOUL

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

 BE STILL MY SOUL


Last year my body seemed to be falling apart.  On top of Parkinson’s and losing my teeth,  I had female problems common in older women and surgery on my face for skin cancer.  Wilf was having problems he’d never heard of before.  His heel became so painful he could barely walk on it.   I wanted to laugh at the two of us limping around like two old people.    My mother always said that old age is not for sissies or wimps!

                                               New activities for old folks. 

When Wilf’s throat closed off again we waited all day hoping it would break through, but it didn’t so we went to the hospital that night.  His esophagus was so tightly shut the doctors couldn’t even push through with the scope, so they kept him overnight and tried again the next morning.  They still couldn’t break through and didn’t know what to do. They called a surgeon to go in and try a risky procedure that might work.   We were very frightened and prayed for a miracle.  After several hours, the surgery was successful and he was swallowing again.  We were so grateful for this miracle!  After this frightening episode Wilf was back on a liquid diet, drinking smoothies and juices with me!
  
                                            Wilf's bucket list - his only beard.

It’s a good thing we served our missions when we did, we wouldn't be able to serve with these problems, especially in Cambodia! Now it's time to take care of our health.  We always filled our days with so many good things there wasn’t time for the essential things.  Our health has now become our most essential thing!  These problems are taking us to our knees, seeking the Lord's guidance. When we "Council with the Lord in all thy doings He shall direct thee for good.”   
  
“Be watchful unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the temptations of the devil, that he may not overpower you, for behold, he rewardeth you no good thing.  I would exhort you to have patience and bear with all manner of afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.”  Alma 34: 38-41 

These are perilous times, not for the faint-hearted,  Our angels are busy cleaning up the messes we get ourselves into.    Be still, my soul and be watchful unto prayer continually!  Karyn reminded me to “Be still my soul, be still and know that I am God”  She said, "If we want to hear the answers to our prayers we  must be silent.  The body can become a crystal to receive inspiration and pure revelation, especially when we eat a pure diet.  Those who keep the word of wisdom can receive hidden treasures of knowledge.  These treasures are part of our spiritual connection and vital to our well-being.  Deep at the center of our being there is an infinite well of love and wisdom we need to make it through these perilous times."          

“Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side; with patience bear, thy cross of grief and pain.   Leave to thy God to order and provide;  In every change He faithful will remain.  Be still my soul, thy best thy heavenly friend, thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end. Be still my soul, thy God doth undertake to guide the future as he has the past.  Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;  all now mysterious shall be bright at last.  Be still my soul, the waves and winds still know, His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.  Be still my soul, the hour is hastening on, when we shall be forever with the Lord, when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone, sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.  Be still my soul, when change and tears are past, all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.”

                                       At the sea, our favorite place to be still.

I am in God’s hands and I acknowledge his hand in all things.  My brain has never been “still” but was always looking for the next job.  The Lord is “shaking me up” so I will learn what he wants me to learn.   The scriptures teach that even the righteous will be purified;  surely these are the days of our purification!   

“I will gather mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, even as many as will believe in me, and hearken unto my voice.  For they will hear my voice, and shall see me, and shall not be asleep, and shall abide the day of my coming;  for they shall be purified, even as I am pure.”  Doctrine & Covenants 33: 6, 35: 21  

The home health nurse came to sign me up for physical therapy and help me know what medications work best.  They reminded me that exercise is crucial for Parkinson patients, especially walking.  I love walking around our beautiful neighborhood on warm days and riding my Strider exercise bike when it’s cold outside.  I have lots of “helps” to get well,  isn’t it enough already?  There are so many voices crying “lo here and lo there” with cures.  It’s hard sifting through them all to find the things that really help! Wilf gave me a blessing that I would know what I need to do and have the strength to do it.

We need heavenly guidance and direction to guide us in these troubled times when everything we learned to stand on is being questioned.  With the gift of the Holy Ghost we can know all things that we should do. I like the three I’s of revelation: inquire, inspiration and intuition.  When we inquire of the Lord he inspires us and blesses us with the gift of intuition.  Muscle testing is a gift of the spirit like the gift of intuition.  It is a gift that requires faith, as well as a skill that requires practice.  It gets easier with practice. Heber J. Grant said:

“That which we persist in doing becomes easy to do, not that the nature of the task has changed, but that our capacity to do has increased.” 

Muscle testing has been explained as an electromagnetic reaction the body has with the substance being tested.  Every cell in the body carries an electrical charge, creating an electromagnetic force around the body. If something negative comes near the body, the electrical fields will indicate a change.  There are some that believe muscle testing is a response from the spirit showing what the body needs.  It works the same either way.  When a tester asks the person if a substance is good for them the body retains its strength, and when  harmful to the body, the body weakens.  A smile will make you test strong, while saying “I hate you” will make you test weak.  Classical music and most pop music brings a strong response while heavy metal or hard rock brings a weak response.  Questions must be framed so the answer is clearly a yes or no.  The body doesn’t lie! I believe the human brain, at some level, is a wondrous computer linked to the universal energy field.
   
If we ask God to help us gain confidence in muscle testing, He will bless us with this ability. As we continue to pray and practice He blesses us with this gift. Promptings from the spirit are more frequent when we have faith and trust in Him. When we're in tune  with the spirit of the Lord, the more accurate and clear our answers will be.  When we move away from the Spirit we are more vulnerable to the deceptions of the adversary, who causes doubt and fear. and blinds us to truth and light.   The Liahona worked on these same principles.

“And it did work for them according to their faith in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God could cause that those spindles should point the way they should go, behold, it was done; therefore, they had this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought by the power of God, day by day.  Nevertheless, because those miracles were worked by small means, it did show unto them marvelous works.  They were slothful and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works ceased, and they did not progress in their journey.”  Alma 37: 40-41

We are given promptings throughout our lives, but often we don’t realize they are given by the Spirit.  The closer we are to the Spirit of the Lord the more sure we are that we’re not being deceived by the adversary.  Spirit is healing energy, it is the flow of light and intelligence in every cell. When we're in tune with the feelings of our bodies, the signals of deep wisdom will reappear, creating healing from within.  If our life is dominated mostly by activity, we are spending more energy than we are gaining; the most basic rhythm of nature – activity and rest – is out of balance.   Deepak Chopra said:

“Silence is the great teacher, and to learn its lessons you must pay attention to it.  There is no substitute for the creative inspiration, knowledge, and stability that come from knowing how to contact your core of inner silence.  Only let the moving waters calm down, and the sun and moon will be reflected on the surface of your Being.”   


                                        Light shining in their countenances!

We need the holy spirit to guide us through the coming tribulations.  As we live so that we qualify for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, we will have a powerful impact in the world.  The Holy Ghost will tell us all things to do to be well, and how to survive these perilous times.

“That through my providence, notwithstanding the tribulation which shall descend upon you, that the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world.”  Doctrine & Covenants 78: 14

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, nor ever shall be.  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.”  Matthew 24: 22

The government is out of control, we are facing economic collapse, and immorality and violence are rampant.  Things are moving fast now as the light and the dark claim their own.  Each person must make a stand and take their place for the second coming.  I always thought I would be welcoming the Savior as a strong and healthy woman, now I wonder if I will survive each  day.   I pray for strength and inspiration to help myself and my family through these last days! 

                                                Healthier  days.









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