Thoughts from Mum and A. Jan

From: Janet Hough

Dear Family,

I wanted to write to all of you those in Australia as well and say how much l love you. Why am l emailing at this time, l don't know only that l want you to know l have a testimony of the Saviour and of his restored church through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that it is the Kingdom of God for me and nothing else.

This morning l had a quick chat with Rich at church concerning a young man in the ward who is struggling to stay active, Rich mentioned that it was complicated! It got me thinking of the lesson l gave this morning to the new members and investigators. We read in John 8:28," When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall ye know that l Am He, and that l do nothing of myself." I said to them," When you can't get out of bed on a Sunday and go to church l hope you remember that scripture, and that it was for you and me that the Saviour hung on the cross and did what he did so we might have eternal life, let nothing keep you from attending church. No it is not complicated if we focus ourselves and our families on the Saviour Jesus Christ

I have truly learnt that Jesus Christ is my Saviour, that through him and by him I can be made perfect. I love him, he has taken upon himself my sins and if I serve him and live up to my covenants I can be made perfect by him.

When I look back there have been 3 significant spiritual growth periods in my life. The first when I joined the church and knew it to be true, that experience is still as fresh in my mind as if it was yesterday. How grateful I am to the two missionaries who knocked on my door, and how precious that early testimony was.

The second was my mission where I learnt obedience counts, plus hard work. I learnt about being spiritually converted.

The third at the age of 50 when I truly understood the atonement. That I should not be discouraged with my imperfections but to keep trying to learn and grow. That above all the Saviour is my partner and friend. I feel at peace with myself I am coming to terms with who I am.

Some other things l have learnt, when we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our needs assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves!

We need to have a vision a perspective of what we hope to accomplish it will bring great blessings into our lives.

President Benson said to the single sisters of the church in [1988] but for me it applies to us all

Be fully involved in the church, reach out to others, rather than turning inward, forget self and really serve others in your church callings, in personal deeds of compassionate service, in unknown unheralded personal acts of kindness. If you really want to receive joy and happiness, then serve others with all your heart. Lift their burden and your own burden will be lighter.

I feel so greatly blessed in you my family no words can describe the joy it will be to spend the eternities together. Next year l am 60 years old and perhaps l did not want any more grass to grow under my feet without sending this. I hope you will save it and read it now and then and share it with the Grandchildren and G. nieces and nephews. I want to finish with the Refiners Fire l have sent it before but l feel it is a good reminder of life.

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver." She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

God Bless You, I send my love

Mum and Auntie Jan