How Firm a Foundation

Yesterday was Stake Conference. I'll be honest, I was not really looking forward to it; but, really, who does look forward to sitting on hard chairs for two hours while trying to keep young children both quiet and entertained? Well, I was quite pleasantly surprised. The boys were relatively well-behaved and I was actually able to get something out of what the speakers had to say. The theme was "Standing as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places." Here are some of the highlights.

Concerning home storage:

• We shouldn't go to extremes but use careful planning over time.
• Start by building a small supply that is part of your family's normal diet.

Concerning strengthening our ability to bear witness:

• Follow the model that Joseph Smith followed from James 1:5--"if any of ye lack wisdom let him ask of God, but let him ask in faith."
• The Lord doesn't always answer our prayers in the way we expect. Until He sees fit to answer our prayers he will make our burdens lighter. An example of this is when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and an angel appeared strengthening him in response to his prayer.

Concerning bearing witness to others:

• Remember to pray for opportunities to share the gospel.
• If you pray for missionary opportunities in faith, God will answer your prayers.

Concerning bearing witness in spite of trials:

• Bear witness that our trials have strengthened us.
• Scars (physical and emotional) keep us humble and help us remember to bear witness to the goodness and mercy of God.

Also we sang How Firm a Foundation which has always been a favorite hymn. For some reason I really paid attention to the words this time and it really touched me. There is one verse here that I have never sung before but I liked it so I included it. 

"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said—
Who unto the Savior for refuge have fled?

"In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty's vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, so thy succor shall be.

“Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

"When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.” (lyrics attributed to Robert Keen, ca. 1787)