I almost broke my toe after kicking one.

I just finished eating a club sandwich at the gate where I was waiting for my flight. It was a small airport, and it was packed with people. I was thirsty so I looked over to see if there was a vending machine nearby and luckily, it was just a few meters away, close enough to still supervise my luggage left on my seat.

You see, my flight had been delayed and I was tired, so I didn’t really want to give up where I was sitting.

I walked over to the vending machine, selected a bottled water, and paid for it. When my water didn’t come out as it was supposed to, I decided to wait for a few seconds, thinking that it would come out eventually—but it didn’t. I banged the machine a little bit. Maybe it just needed a little nudge. Still no bottled water.

I looked around to see if there was someone in line behind me before giving it a harder nudge.

Because I was thirsty, I selected another bottled water and paid for it. I was really counting on it since I had already paid twice but I guess I wasn’t so lucky that day. I still didn’t get my water. Frustrated and thirsty, I kicked the vending machine hard, not realizing that I was wearing open-toed shoes.

It hurt really bad, but I managed to return to my seat, limping and feeling defeated. I kept thinking, “But I followed the instructions and paid for it. TWICE.”

I was reminded of this incident months later as I sat pondering about why the Lord was taking so long to give me the blessing that I desired the most. I did an inventory of the things that I thought I needed to do to deserve such a blessing and realized that I had checked each item off the list. I had been faithful, paid my tithes and offerings, served others, treated people around me with kindness and respect, and many other good deeds that I knew I ought to do.

With my thoughts directed to God, I reasoned, “I already paid my dues. I already did everything to measure up to your expectations. Where’s my blessing?”

Do you sometimes feel the same? As though God is indebted to you because you followed His commandments and consider it paying your dues for the blessings you’ve been praying for? Do you sometimes feel that you’ve done everything you’re supposed to do and yet heaven seems so distant? Do you sometimes wonder if God answers prayers?

As I was mentally wrestling with my faith and logical reasoning, a very distinct thought came to mind, “God is not a vending machine.” You see, vending machines are pretty simple. You pay the required amount and the goods you selected come out. I realized that God doesn’t operate that way.

Why?

Because God answers our prayers exactly how and when He means to. He sees the end from the beginning so He knows the blessings that we need to overcome our trials and grow to our fullest potential.

From the outpouring of blessings that I’ve received from God in my life, I’ve rarely received exactly what I’ve prayed for at the time I thought I needed those blessings the most. Sometimes, I’ve received something totally different, not knowing the wisdom behind it, only to realize later that it’s exactly the blessing that I needed.

Other times, He blessed me with exactly what I prayed for, not in the way that I had hoped, but in a way that God saw fit for me.

Some blessings are still pending. And even though sometimes I still find myself echoing my desperate reasoning about already paying my dues, I trust that He can grant me the blessings that I prayed for in His own due time. And if He doesn’t, I find comfort that “all things [are being] done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things” (2 Nephi 2:24). 

Of course, it is easier said than done. Who enjoys waiting anyway? Especially when you don’t know when you’re going to receive what you’re waiting for. Even more so when you’re not even sure that you’re going to receive it.

It can be hard. Waiting can sometimes make us feel weary and doubtful but we can find comfort that God answers our prayers. He is a God of promises and He always keeps His word. 

In Doctrine & Covenants, we read, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise”. This scripture verse shows a part of God’s nature—that He is a just God. And when we continue with our efforts to obey His commandments, we can hold on to His promise that He will bless us with eternal and temporal gifts that He sees fit for us, in His own time.

And while we wait for the blessings we earnestly seek, we can reflect on the many gifts that we receive from Him each day—gifts that are not contingent upon our obedience to His commandments, gifts that He gives us because of His great love for us.

He loves you. He knows you. He hears your silent petitions and cries for relief. He knows the righteous desires of your heart. And during your season of waiting, you can find strength and hope in Him who has nothing but love, even the grandest love known to man, for you. Because you are His child and you are precious to Him.

For more related content, read Why God Makes Us Wait For Blessings.

The post God Answers Our Prayers But God Is Not A Vending Machine appeared first on morefaith.ph.

“God is mindful of your problems.”

“Your trials will only make you stronger.”

“Blessings will come.”

These remarks have provided comfort to many in their most trying moments. But what if these words that once brought us peace and comfort no longer seem to work?

In the Book of Mark, we read the story of Jesus and His disciples crossing the sea in a ship. A storm and fierce winds raged, so strong that His disciples feared for their lives. They woke the Savior and asked, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” Jesus then arose and calmed the storm.

In this story, I can’t help but wonder if the disciples’ reaction to the storm would have been any different if Jesus had been awake with them. Would the winds have been any less strong? No. Would the storm have been any less fierce? No. But perhaps, it would have been more comforting knowing that Jesus Christ was awake with them—ever watchful and aware of their situation.

During these times when trials are raging and rocking our ships from all directions, do you sometimes feel that the Lord is with you in the ship but is sound asleep? Do you sometimes echo the disciples’ cry for help, “Master, carest thou not that we perish?”

When you feel overwhelmed by problems, simply knowing that Jesus Christ is the Savior and that He lives can sometimes feel not enough. We can have the knowledge that He exists but how can we feel that He is awake with us as we travel through the raging storms of life? How can we feel that He is present and aware of the trials that we are going through?

We can follow the frequent counsel from the Lord’s prophets to build and strengthen our relationship with the Savior. It may seem an abstract concept to build a relationship with someone we can’t physically see, touch, or feel, but if we apply some practical approaches that help us build and strengthen our relationships with loved ones here on Earth, it is possible to have a personal connection and relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ.

First, spend time with Him. This may seem like an odd suggestion but hear me out first. One of my most humbling experiences spending time with the Savior was when I read the accounts of His life in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. I call it ‘walking a mile in His shoes’. When I read how He healed a man with palsy, caused a blind man to see, raised Lazarus and Jairus’ daughter from the dead, fed five thousand people, healed a woman with an issue of blood, forgave an adulterous woman, built a strong relationship with His apostles and disciples, and many other accounts of His mortal life, I came to a deeper understanding of His character traits.

I learned that He forgives those who are repentant, that He can make something more of what little we can offer, that little children are precious in His eyes, that He can lovingly but firmly chasten those that choose to disobey Him, that He can teach and transform sinners to declare His gospel like that woman in Samaria, that He cares deeply for His mortal parents, that His love for us is so vast and unconditional that He willingly suffered persecution, endured unspeakable agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, and died on the cross so we can be forgiven of our sins and receive the comfort and help that we need during our trials.

That’s right. His sacrifice wasn’t solely about saving us from sin but also so He could experience our sadness, disappointments, loss, failure, and all forms of brokenness and trials that we may experience. He did this so He would know how to help us and make us whole.

I wasn’t there two thousand years ago when all these events happened, but reading these accounts took me on a journey with Jesus Christ and helped me understand Him more not only as a Savior and Healer but also as a brother and friend.

Because of this personal experience, I learned to talk to Him just like I would talk to a very close friend—no barriers, no judgments involved, no concern that He would love me less or see me differently, and no fear that He would punish me for not trying hard enough to become perfect.

Spending time with the Savior through the scriptures and daily personal prayer helped my relationship with Him to become more real and personal, just like the precious relationships that I have with my family and loved ones.

Second, recognize how He shows His love to you personally. Just as with any other relationships that we have, we must recognize our preferred ways in which we express love to and receive love from other people. Many people call it their ‘love language’.

If we take the time to ponder the ways that He answers our questions, comforts us through our trials, and increases our understanding, we will recognize that He does all these things in ways that we feel most loved.

I have learned through the years that ‘words of affirmation’ is the love language that I appreciate the most. As I recounted many experiences when I felt the Savior’s outpouring of love for me, I realized that it’s always been through words of affirmation coming from my family, spouse, friends, strangers, poets, authors, ancient and latter-day prophets, quotes on social media, stories in the scriptures that I can relate to, lyrics of songs, and distinct thoughts that come to my mind when I need answers, comfort, and guidance.

He shows me love in so many other ways but because He knows me personally, many times He shows me love in the way that I receive love best. This has proven to me time and time again that I have a personal and meaningful relationship with Him.

These two steps have helped me build and strengthen my relationship with my Savior, Jesus Christ. It was not easy. It required consistent, often repetitive, efforts to spend time with the Savior, getting to know Him better through the scriptures and my personal experiences, conversing with Him in prayer and meditation, and recognizing how He’s giving me love and guidance .

Because of my relationship with Him, I always feel that He is awake with me in the ship while I sail through the storms in my life. I feel that He is ever-present, knowing what fierce winds and big waves are rocking my ship from left to right. I no longer wonder if he cares not that I perish because my faith is no longer dependent on the outcome that I am hoping to receive. My faith is fully dependent on the knowledge that He can calm the wind and the sea if He wills it.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t feel overwhelmed by the many trials of life. I still feel disappointment, sadness, even restlessness when things seem to be out of control. Who doesn’t? However, knowing that the Savior is truly aware of my trials eases my worries and gives me comfort and peace.

You too can receive this personal witness by building a personal relationship with the Savior Jesus Christ.

If you would like to learn about Heavenly Father, read this article.

The post What To Do When You Feel Overwhelmed By Problems appeared first on morefaith.ph.

I can still remember how I felt after hearing these remarks from a person I thought would understand why people set goals.

I was a young professional who had just spent the last year working hard for  a consulting firm, which helped me to apply what I learned from college into actual business scenarios. However, as I sought growth within the company, I didn’t see it fitting what I wanted for the future. So I decided to leave for a better opportunity.

Then I stumbled into someone who knew of my work, and I shared with him my goals, hoping to hear some inspirational remarks. But to my horror, I was lectured for being too focused on wanting more and not being happy with what I had accomplished.

For many weeks his remarks kept creeping back into my head, making me question if there was any truth to them. As I reflected on his questions, here are 3 important lessons that I learned.

Seeking growth does not mean you’re unhappy with where you are in life.

One of the biggest misconceptions on happiness is that everyone seeking growth and striving to become better is not happy with where they are and what they’ve accomplished.

Of course, this can be true for some. But there are those who are happy with their present circumstances while also working towards continuous learning and self-improvement. Some even find happiness in the learning process—with its highs and lows, wins and setbacks, and everything in between.

There’s nothing wrong with reawakening your intellectual curiosity on what more you could discover about yourself—what talents you could improve, what skillsets you could learn, and what new things you could integrate into your life that will make you feel most alive and engaged.

Seeking growth doesn’t mean unhappiness. It means you know you can reach beyond the limits you’ve previously set for yourself, toward your greater human potential. After all, isn’t that the reason why we are here on Earth—to learn how to become the best version of ourselves and find joy in the process?

You can find happiness in the present while working towards your goals.

One of the fears associated with setting goals is the “I will be happy when” mentality. It is when one’s happiness is entirely dependent on the outcome that one is hoping to achieve. It is when people delay and ignore any gratification until they accomplish a goal, obtain something of value, or experience a specific life event such as landing a dream job, getting married, or having a child.

Of course, achieving these can give you indescribable joy but finding joy while you’re working towards these goals is also possible.

The first step is self-awareness. Self-aware individuals know how to set realistic goals and expectations. They don’t overestimate the value of their abilities. They know that achieving goals involves discipline, consistency, effort, and most importantly, time.

The second step is self-compassion. You can find happiness in the present by treating yourself with a degree of compassion that enables you to accept setbacks, embrace learning experiences, and find areas that you can improve on. Self-compassion enables you to celebrate incremental progress, even the smallest inch that pushes you towards your goal.

The third step is stepping back so you can see the big picture. Why are you working so hard to achieve these goals? What do all these achievements mean to you? Who are they for? Are these goals enriching other areas of your life? Are you so focused on your goals that you are unintentionally neglecting other areas of your life that can also give you joy?

Seeing the big picture allows you to recognize how the different aspects of your life are interconnected in a weave towards the fulfillment that you’re truly seeking. It enables you to recognize that every day is an opportunity to enjoy and celebrate your progress with those dearest to you.

You can find joy when your focus is on the Savior Jesus Christ.

A wise man once said, “If you look to the Savior for joy, you can never go wrong. After all, He is the source of all joy.”

No matter what path you’re taking, what circumstances you’re experiencing, or what goals you’re diligently working towards, you can find happiness when you pattern your life with the principles and teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

This is not to say that focusing on the Savior will take away all the hardships and other factors that can overturn your happiness such as sickness, loss of employment, or goals that seem so out of reach. But focusing on the Savior will allow you to see through the lens of the Plan of Salvation—that growth does not come with ease, that trials can refine you and strengthen your faith in the Lord, and that His grace is sufficient to sustain you in your times of need.

You can find joy in knowing that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father’s love for you “is so vast, so encompassing, that no matter how broken or flawed [you] think [you] are, [their] love is simply there.”

You can find joy in knowing that Jesus Christ has set an example for you to receive a glorious and exalted existence in His and Heavenly Father’s presence. You can find joy in knowing that by following the Savior’s teachings, you can be sure that you are living a good and honorable life.

There are many things that can contribute to one’s happiness, but these are the key aspects that have helped me seek growth and self-improvement, set realistic goals, celebrate incremental progress every day, and most importantly, see the Lord’s hand in my everyday quest for a life fully lived.

What has helped you find happiness in the present? What goals are you working towards that give you hope?

The post How To Find Happiness In The Present While Pursuing Your Goals appeared first on morefaith.ph.

Talks about religion can sometimes cause drama, arguments, and even conflict. So most of the time, people’s initial reaction is to avoid any discussion with those who have differing views and ideals. But what if it’s possible to have a peaceful interfaith dialogues with others where you can discuss your beliefs without resorting to disrespect or yelling. Would you be encouraged to stand up and defend what you believe in?

Here are some tips that you can use.

Check your intention at the door.

When sharing your faith and beliefs, it is important that you are clear about your intentions. Is it to prove that you’re right and others are wrong? Or is it simply to share your beliefs and learn from the views of others in the process?

When your intention is the latter, it is highly likely that it will lead to a healthy conversation where common grounds are celebrated, and different views are respected. Often, the faith and beliefs of others all point to one goal—to live good and honorable lives, a common ground that we can all relate to.

Rather than hoping to change someone’s belief, focus on how you can gain a better understanding of their beliefs. You don’t have to agree with them but it’s important that you treat them with tolerance and respect as you would afford to anyone with the same belief as yours.

Sharing your beliefs doesn’t have to be about who’s right and wrong. The main goal should be to inspire others to come unto Christ and share the blessings and joy that come from His gospel. After all, the Lord’s gospel is full of glad tidings.

Check other people’s motives.

Even if your intentions are good, some people will engage in a conversation looking to start an argument. If this is the case, it is wise to know when to walk away especially if they try to rile you up to make it a heated conversation.

Sometimes people think that walking away means that they are not defending their beliefs enough but walking away actually means you’re choosing peace over contention. And that’s a better option. Your faith and beliefs aren’t going to be less true just because you didn’t score some points over a conversation. It’s not a competition in the first place so chill out. Know that the Lord knew that you tried. As President Nelson said, “[T]he Lord loves effort.” One day, your efforts to share the gospel will bring a plentiful reward.

Be mindful of your non-verbal cues.

The most common misconception is that verbal communication is the only important factor to have a good conversation. But guess what, non-verbal cues are also important. In fact, even more so, especially when you are conversing with people who have different points of view.

Rolling your eyes, not maintaining eye contact, looking at your phone, smirking to show disagreement, crossing your arms, and raising your brows are just some of the non-verbal cues that can convey dismissal of what the other person is saying. Although some of these could be unintentional, such as looking at your phone, try to focus your attention on the person you’re talking to. This will convey that you’re engaged and interested. This will also encourage them to continue having peaceful interfaith dialogues with you in the future.

Sharing your faith and beliefs is not a one-way street. The person you’re sharing your beliefs with deserves kindness, respect, and interest when they are sharing theirs—the same expectation you would have while sharing yours.

Tactfully correct misinformation with facts.

During an interfaith conversation, people may bring up incorrect information about your beliefs. It is wise to not consider this as an attack on you or your faith. Think of it as an opportunity to share correct information and encourage them to ask questions or clarify information that they may have read on the internet. This will help them feel safe to come to you when they want to know more about your faith.

It is also wise to stick to facts. If you’re unsure how to answer their questions, you can politely say that you don’t know the answer and that you’ll get back to them. There’s no shame in not knowing the answer. Gospel learning is life-long learning. It’s better to gather the correct information first than to provide incorrect information.

Rely on the Spirit when you’re sharing your beliefs.

In the Bible, we are taught that “we [must] speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1 Corinthians 2:13). When you rely on the Spirit as you share your faith and beliefs, you will be guided and shown “all things [that] ye should do” to invite them to come unto Christ (2 Nephi 32:5). You will also be inspired to communicate with respect and tender regard for their feelings, views, and experiences.

More importantly, the Spirit will bear witness that what you’re sharing is true. It will testify of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and their abounding love for all of us. The Spirit can soften and change hearts, enlighten the understanding, and influence people to learn more about the Savior.

Sharing your faith and beliefs may sometimes feel unpopular amidst all the political and pandemic talks these days. But what better time to have peaceful interfaith dialogues to share the joy and light of the gospel of Jesus Christ than now, when there are so many who want to cling unto hope in their lives. As you share your beliefs, may you do so gladly with compassionate regard for the trials and hardships of the people around you.

The post 5 Tips For Peaceful Interfaith Dialogues With Others appeared first on morefaith.ph.

That’s because sometimes waiting is just hard.

And it becomes even harder when we’re waiting for something that really matters to us—a dream job, a family of our own, healing from sickness and pain, direction when we are lost, peace amidst chaos, or relief from the many trials of life. Sometimes we think we have done everything we could to be worthy of such blessings and yet, frustratingly, heaven seems distant.

But God doesn’t make us wait for no reason. He makes us wait because it is in the waiting that growth happens. It is in the waiting that we learn the value of hard work, consistency, discipline, commitment, and resilience. It is in the waiting that we discover our strengths and talents and use them for our mortal and spiritual progression. It is in the waiting when we slow down that we can see God’s hand in the small details of our lives. It is in the waiting that we learn to hope, love, forgive, and appreciate life and our many blessings. And it is in the waiting that we learn to let go of our timetable and trust His timing.

He makes us wait to help us refine our character and increase our faith in Him. Sometimes He makes us wait to redirect us to new paths of opportunities and happiness. He makes us wait to show us that His promises are certain. He wants us to learn that a delay is not a denial of blessings we earnestly seek.

In the scriptures, we learn many stories of people who needed to wait for blessings. One of which is the story of Zacharias and Elisabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. They were a faithful couple who earnestly prayed for children for so many years, and yet their prayers were not answered in the way that they had hoped. Despite this, they remained faithful and hopeful.

They were eventually blessed with a son, John The Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus Christ and baptized not only the Savior but many who were ready to receive His gospel. How marvelous it must have been when Elisabeth realized that she conceived at a later age so her son could fulfill a divinely appointed calling—to act as a forerunner to Jesus Christ and His ministry.

With the timing of Elisabeth’s pregnancy to Mary’s, I can’t help but think that God also wanted Elisabeth to be at Mary’s side as she prepared for her divine calling to become the mother of the Messiah. In this story, the timing and the circumstances make perfect sense, like pieces of a puzzle all coming together as the story unfolds.

There are more Bible stories of people who waited many years for blessings but the main message of these stories is the same—that delays are not denials, that prayers are heard and answered, sometimes not as we had hoped but in ways that God sees fit for us, and that God is an all-powerful God who can make miracles happen. Staying faithful to His commandments will not only sustain us during our waiting seasons but can also draw us even closer to Him.

Waiting can be hard, especially when you do not know when things will get better. But you can find comfort that the Lord understands perfectly your pain and struggles. He hears your anguished cry for help and relief. To that His answer is, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). As you actively work towards your worthwhile goals and remain faithful to the Lord, He will strengthen you so you can wait upon His blessings with hope and fortitude. And when you receive the blessing that you have prayed hard for, you will recognize His abounding love and that it was Him who made it all possible.

Here’s another article on waiting upon the Lord’s blessings.

The post Why God Makes Us Wait For Blessings appeared first on morefaith.ph.

People who never once imagined recording a video of themselves have started sharing updates about what is happening in their lives or new things that they have learned that they want to share with others. It has become the means for people to satisfy their need for human or social connection.

Because of this shift, it has become very easy to see the highlights of people’s lives via even short 15 or 30-second videos. As a result, it’s become easier to unjustly judge others’ actions in passing without really knowing what’s happening behind the screen.

What harm can it do? After all, we mostly keep the judgments to ourselves. It’s not hurting anyone so it’s all good, right?

Yes, it’s not hurting others, but when we do this, we’re hurting ourselves.

How?

We fail to see the good in others and feed our pride. The formation of thought patterns is very similar to the formation of physical patterns. Exercising in the morning, cleaning the dishes right after eating, sleeping on the same side of the bed, and other actions done repeatedly over time become a habit or pattern. The same process happens when we start thinking a certain way, in this case—judging others unjustly.

Sometimes we may think that our negative thoughts are only temporary, but they can reach full swing quickly if we don’t get a grip on our thoughts. Our thinking patterns are also harder to break. Unlike physical patterns which can be broken by not doing the actions permanently, our thinking pattern, once deeply ingrained in our minds, can sneak into our thoughts unconsciously.

How is this harmful?

If we keep having similar streams of negative thoughts and don’t do anything to stop them, we will fail to see the good in others and the need to fellowship them. We might also withhold our service or substance thinking that they deserve what’s happening to them.

All these feelings can make us prideful, thinking that we are better or more righteous than others, which in turn can make us forget that we all walk this life and follow the teachings of the Savior differently.

Some of us follow the Savior with unwavering faith and solid commitment. Others stagger unsteadily all the while holding steadfastly to the truth that they know—that Jesus is the Christ. Some are doing their best to break old habits and lifestyles to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. In short, almost everybody is trying to live the best they can, with all of the challenges, strengths, and weaknesses that are a part of life.

As we try to become better disciples of Jesus Christ, we must learn how to be kind, considerate, and merciful to one another. If we find this hard, we can ask ourselves the same question President Dieter F. Uchtdorf asked in one of his talks, he said, “Because we all depend on the mercy of God, how can we deny to others any measure of the grace we so desperately desire for ourselves?”

When we judge others harshly, we lose the companionship of the Holy Ghost. One of the greatest gifts given to us as members of the Lord’s Church is the companionship of the Holy Ghost. How fortunate we are to have the ministering influence of one of the members of the Godhead that we ‘may know the truth of all things”. (Moroni 10:5) When we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we are influenced to do good, see the good in people, serve others, and extend grace and mercy to those who are struggling to follow the Savior Jesus Christ.

But when we let pride and negativity overcome our thoughts, we lose the companionship of the Holy Ghost. In the Book of Genesis, we learn that the “[Lord’s] spirit shall not always strive with man.” We offend the spirit when we think ill of others, judge unjustly, feel envious of others’ fortune, or withhold our service and substance from those in need of help.

To keep the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we can apply Apostle Paul’s counsel in one of his epistles to the Philippians. He said, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”.

Lastly, whenever we justify our unjust judgment as appropriate, may we remember that unless we can look into another’s heart, judging others unjustly cannot ever be justified.

It may be hard to break the habit of judging others. But when we seek the Lord’s help with changing our thought patterns, we will be guided to opportunities and experiences that will help us have a mighty change of heart.

We can find peace and joy as we try to show the same love, mercy, and compassion that the Savior did when a woman accused of adultery was brought to Him for judgment. In all our dealings, may we be reminded to let those without sin be the first to judge unjustly, criticize, or find fault in others.

The post Why Judging Others Is Harmful To You appeared first on morefaith.ph.

Beauty and the Beast.

Tarzan and Jane.

Sleeping Beauty.

These animated movies were my favorite growing up. Through them, I learned the concept of a ‘Prince Charming’ and ‘Knight in Shining Armor’. Even at such a young age, I knew that I also wanted a ‘once upon a time’ and ‘they lived happily ever after’ kind of story. I would try on my mother’s flowy dresses and dance while imagining someone sweeping me off my feet.

It wasn’t long until I met someone who would be very close to my heart for eighteen years. Our relationship was the typical story of friends eventually falling in love. We saw each other grow and change through the years—cheering and being there for each other for every milestone and struggle of teenage, student, and career life. It was that kind of love that no matter how far apart you are or how long it’s been since you’ve seen each other, you just know that you belong together.

Because of our busy careers, we didn’t keep in touch as often as we wanted. We would call and exchange emails once in a while, but our focus was achieving our career goals. In my heart, I knew that when we saw each other again, we would be able to pick up where we left off. After all, it was a friendship, connection, and love that had been going strong for eighteen years.

He managed to fly to the Philippines to see me one summer. I thought that it was the perfect time to talk about where our relationship was headed. We’d devoted many years to building our careers, so it was time to give ourselves time to be together.

“I got married…for over a year now.”

I pinched my hand under the table to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, and to my horror, it wasn’t a dream. I held my tears back I almost choked. I never really knew what heartbreak was like until then. All my dreams and hopes of a happily ever after were shattered.

The following days were filled with questions, sadness, self-doubt, anger, regret, disappointment, self-pity, and other myriad emotions that laid my tender heart to waste. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months. Moving on seemed impossible. It felt like that young love, that has grown for so long, was impossible to replace or replicate.

And yet I was repeatedly reminded of Spencer W. Kimball’s talk on marriage. He said, “…it is certain that almost any good man and any good woman can have happiness and a successful marriage if both are willing to pay the price.” I knew that it was the Lord reminding me that my desire to build a family of my own didn’t have to end with my heartbreak.

Yes, it was painful, but the Lord knew my pain and how to comfort me through friends and family who listened to my endless rationales, trying to make sense of my reality and what I needed to do next. He increased my understanding of the principles of forgiveness, charity, and prayer as I searched for answers on how I could move forward. He provided opportunities for me to serve so I could lose myself in the service of others.

As I poured my heart out in prayer to Him every day, I found strength knowing that He knew the blessing that I desired the most—to raise a righteous family with a man after His own heart.

I met that man many months after and married him a year later. In the short period of our courtship, he showed me a love that’s “patient [and] kind, [a love that] does not envy, [nor] boast, [a love that] is not proud [and] does not dishonor others. [A love that] is not self-seeking, not easily angered, [and] keeps no record of wrongs. [A] love [that] does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. [A love that] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

I once asked the Lord why He let me suffer such a painful heartbreak when I had been faithful all my life, doing my best to live up to my potential. But as I got to know my husband during our courtship, I realized that the answer to my question was because the Lord wanted me to find a love like His—ever considerate, selfless, forgiving, and merciful.

I don’t believe that my husband and I are destined to be together. But I know that we did not meet by chance either. Although our individual choices were a big part of it all, I know that the Lord was in the details of our love story through a series of personal revelations, the support of family and friends, and the seemingly impossible occurrences that, without a doubt, were only made possible because of Him.

We’ve been married for seven months now. Some may think that it’s too short to end this story with “they lived happily ever after” but we are both striving each day to be worthy of the Lord’s promise that “whatsoever [is bound] on earth shall be bound in heaven.”

When heartbreaks come, as they do in all of our lives, the Lord understands perfectly our pain and struggle, but He can also help us to move past it, hour by hour, and day by day. As we go forward in faith, doing our best to keep the Lord in our lives, serving others, living righteously, and seeking for His help, He will open doors that we didn’t even know were there. He can help us to heal, and guide us toward “happily-ever-after’s” that we can’t even see yet. Above everything, remember that He loves you, sees the end from the beginning, and truly desires your eternal happiness.

The post How I Found Love After A Heartbreak appeared first on morefaith.ph.

In the scriptures, we are taught that we are literal spirit sons and daughters of Heavenly Father and that we lived with Him before we were born. We can’t remember the relationship that we had with Him but being on Earth means we trusted Him and His Plan of Happiness.

Before being born, we knew that we would experience challenges and hardships but we agreed to come to Earth anyway because we knew that His plan was the only way for us to progress and achieve lasting happiness. There is no greater testimony than this—that we trusted and loved our Heavenly Father. We knew Him and had a special relationship with Him and we can still have that familiarity and relationship now as we get to know Him as our Father.

In the Bible, the Apostle John wrote the grandest expression of Heavenly Father’s love for us saying,

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Heavenly Father knew that we would need direction so He sent His Son to become our example on how we can live a life that is pleasing to Him. He knew that we would experience disappointments, heartbreaks, regret, despair, sadness, discouragement, and many other experiences that would tax our courage and test our faith so He sent His Son to bear all of these so He could know exactly how to comfort us. He knew that we would fall short and make mistakes, that’s why He sent His Son—so we can repent and be forgiven of our sins.

How great a sacrifice it was for the Father to send His Only Begotten Son to Earth knowing that He would suffer, be crucified and die on the cross for the sins of the world. And yet Heavenly Father did, so that all of us may live again. He did it because He loves us. He loves you.

This Bible verse also gives us a glimpse of the nature of God—that He is a distinct and separate being from His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, and yet they are united in purpose, which is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.

In Doctrine and Covenants, we also learn that “[t]he Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as [our bodies]” but unlike us, He is a glorified, exalted, and perfected being. And He provided a way for us to progress in this life until we receive the greatest gift of all—a glorious, exalted existence, inheriting all that He has.

Because He is all-powerful and perfect, we might feel hesitant to reach out to Him. But when we do, we will realize that heaven is not so distant after all. His love for us is so vast, so encompassing, that no matter how broken or flawed we think we are, His love is simply there.

As we try to get to know Him as our Father, we will learn of His love, and in turn, increase our capacity to love not only Him but also the people around us. We will feel an increased desire to follow Him and become like Him. We may not remember the details of when we lived in His presence, but our spirits will slowly remember what it felt like.

To learn more about Heavenly Father and how you can build your relationship with Him or if you’d like to share your personal stories and experiences with us, please contact us and we would be happy to have a chat with you.

The post How Well Do You Know Heavenly Father? appeared first on morefaith.ph.

It isn’t chaos because they don’t see the spilled milk, the unwashed dishes, the clothes that have not been folded for days, and the clutter all around the house. All they see is a superhero who comes to their rescue when they hurt themselves, an artist who helps them with art projects, a friend who listens to them when they feel down or feeling under the weather, a die-hard fan during school plays, soccer practices, and ballet performances, an amazing cook who ensures their tummies are full, someone who tries their best to be kind, forgiving, and patient—a mother who means everything to them.

They see you teaching them good values and showing them how to make the right choices. They see you as their safe space. They know that they can explore the world around them, make mistakes, learn, grow, and be loved all the same.

So when they say that you are the best mom in the whole world, soak it up and let it linger for a little while because they mean every single word. For them, you are enough.

It can be hard sometimes to look at the brighter side of things when you’re exhausted, and your patience is dangling by a thread but know that you are not alone in this journey of raising such valiant spirits. The Lord sees your efforts, even the ones that you think aren’t good enough, He hears your silent plea for help when you feel that all your energy has been depleted, He rejoices with you on every little milestone you have with your kids, and perhaps His hands are involved too when you finally get to spend a little time on your own to recuperate.

For Him, you are cut out to be a mother. For Him, giving your best is enough. For Him, you are enough.

There will be disappointments, frustrations, feelings of inadequacy, and heartaches along the way, but there will also be resilience, patience, strength, bravery, compassion, joy, and lots of little moments day after day, reminding you that you’ve done a good job, and that it is worth it. Don’t wish that feeling away. Pat yourself in the back because pulling it together even when it’s hard, makes you enough.

There’s no perfect recipe for motherhood. Please know that grilled sandwich or frozen pizza for dinner is okay, that late drop-offs to school sometimes happen, that it’s okay to be vulnerable with people you trust. You don’t have to have it all together all the time. It’s okay to need help, and seeking help doesn’t mean you’re incompetent, rather it shows that you’re aware that you need a support system. Know that you may not be a perfect mom, but you are enough.

If you look hard enough, you’ll realize that as your kids grow, you also grow. You’ll recognize that this journey, with its highs and lows, is a refining one, full of lessons that only motherhood can teach. You’ll recognize that the hardships of motherhood have prompted defining moments in your faith and trust in the Lord, and that rearing your kids is part of the Lord’s work “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of [His children]”. And perhaps the most important part of it is getting a glimpse of Heavenly Father’s love for us.

So breathe. Take it one day at a time. You are doing remarkable things. You are enough!

The post To All The Mothers Who Feel Inadequate: You Are Enough appeared first on morefaith.ph.

So how can we achieve it?

Many people fail to see joy because they have an ‘I will be happy when’ mentality, a belief that once we finally ‘make it’, we’ll be content and happy. What if we don’t make it? What happens then? Is our happiness solely dependent on whether something happens in our lives or not? Is our happiness conditional on our success?

If we let this mentality define us, our lives will become a spiral of momentary peak moments every time we ‘make it’ but without ever truly understanding and embracing the joys that come from learning the ‘aha’ moments and growth we experience while working towards our goals.

It’s not that we shouldn’t focus on our goals and destination. The destination is what gives us purpose. It’s the driving force behind our efforts. But while we enjoy making those efforts, it doesn’t hurt to pause and let the positive emotions linger a little while longer and celebrate our progress every day, no matter how small. If we don’t progress and experience a setback, we can still recognize the lessons that the experience taught us and how we can do and become better. When we do this, happiness becomes something that we can pursue and achieve every day.

Another important thing about happiness is that it is not the absence of struggles, frustrations, pain, opposition, and other unpleasant feelings. We all experience some degree of difficulty in our lives. Happiness is learning how to live with difficulties and responding to them the best way we can. How we respond to these difficulties can expand our capacity to see, feel, and embrace happiness. In our response lies growth and learning that can lead to fulfillment and joy. We can grow through what we go through with optimism and hope for good things to come.

The last and key aspect to achieving lasting happiness is walking side by side with God every step of the way. Because happiness is the purpose and design of our existence, it is not surprising that before sending us to Earth, God prepared a path to help us achieve what we came here for, if we choose to. This path has been laid out for us in the holy scriptures, written by prophets of old and living prophets in the latter days.

This path to lasting happiness is not about living perfectly because no one can attain perfection in this life, except Jesus Christ who was perfected line upon line, precept upon precept. All that God requires of us is our best efforts.  In a meeting with Primary children, President Russel M. Nelson shared perhaps the most reassuring words to help us better understand the immense love that God has for us. He said, “[T]he Lord loves effort, because effort brings rewards that can’t come without it.” Our efforts to follow the commandments, love God, our neighbor, even our enemies, forgive others, live humbly and peacefully, respect others no matter their beliefs, care for ourselves and those in need, remember Him in times of joy and sorrow, and strive to continue in the path that will lead us back to Him, really do COUNT.

Our efforts count no matter how small we think they are. If we give it the best we can, He will magnify our efforts and help us reap the promised reward of eternal happiness. Happiness doesn’t just happen, we make it happen through Christ who is the ultimate author of lasting happiness.

The post How Can We Achieve Lasting Happiness? appeared first on morefaith.ph.