December 2008 Visiting Teaching message

To go directly to the message for this month, go to this link http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,2044-1-4702-1,00.html

My favorite quote from this message is from President Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency: "The gospel of Jesus Christ has the divine power to lift you to great heights from what appears at times to be an unbearable burden or weakness. The Lord knows your circumstances and your challenges. He said to Paul and to all of us, 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' And like Paul we can answer: 'My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me' (2 Corinthians 12:9)" ("Have We Not Reason to Rejoice?" Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 19).

I testify that I personally know that the Lord can lift us up from what appears at time to be unbearable burdens. Many times in my own life, I have felt the strength of the Lord enter into me and either take from me my burdens or give me the strength to bare them up.

I have had the great blessing of raising a very special child. She was my last child and she was born with some physical challenges. One of the troubles she had as a baby was breathing difficulties. We didn't know until much later that she suffered from obstructive and central apnea which put her life at risk when she slept. Needless to say that as a Mother, I didn't sleep much either as I worried that she would stop breathing all together. Many nights I would take her to the family room and I would make her a little bed of quilts on the floor beside the sofa which I slept on. I would lay my hand on her chest so that I could tell if she was breathing or not. When she stopped breathing long enough periods of time, I would shake her and start up her breathing again. I would do this all night long, not getting much sleep, but fearing more for my little girls survival through the night.

After lots of sleepless nights, I felt almost like a zombie the next day though I still had 4 other children to care for besides my little girl. I will never forget one night, we went to bed, once again me on the sofa and my daughter on the quilts by the side of the sofa, and I was soooo exhausted. By the time about 3:00 am rolled around and I had spent my night without any sleep, I felt as if I could not do it anymore. I was just too exhausted and I needed some sleep. I got off the sofa and knelt down by the side of my little girl and said a prayer. I remember crying all the way though it. My words in essence where that I needed to turn over my little daughters care into the Lords hands, and I needed to get some sleep. I knew that there was a possibility that if it was the Lord's will, she could die in her sleep if I didn't keep shaking her.

After my prayer, I just laid down beside my little girl on the floor and before I knew it, I had fallen into a deep sleep. I slept the rest of the night and only awakened when I heard some of my other children getting up. I was frantic when I woke up and looked at my little girl to see if she was alive. She was not only alive, but sleeping very soundly herself. I realized that Heavenly Father had answered my prayer and had given me rest as well as my daughter. He had lifted my heavy burden and had preserved my daughter that night.

Like the quote from President Uchtdorf, "The Lord knows your circumstances and your challenges," and I testify that this is true, because he knew mine and lifted me.

I also want to testify that Jesus Christ is the Light and life of the world. Like the quote from Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, "His example and His teachings illuminate the path we should walk. His resurrection and His Atonement save us from both physical and spiritual death." What a blessing His life and death have given to the whole world. What an opportunity we have this month to think about Christ and read about his birth in the scriptures. Jesus is the Christ in Christmas. He is whose birth we reverence as well as celebrate.

Jesus is indeed the light and life of the world, as well as the eternal giver of hope. Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president says, "Mormon asks, 'What is it . . . ye shall hope for?' His answer tells us of the three great hopes: 'Ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal' (Moroni 7:41).

"When you were baptized, you became participants in the first great hope, the Atonement of Christ. Every time you worthily partake of the sacrament, you have the opportunity to begin again. . . . Your hope and faith in the Savior will increase as you repent and make personal changes. . . .

"The second great hope is the Resurrection. You are all promised that through our Savior Jesus Christ you will be resurrected. . . .

"With the hope of the Atonement and the Resurrection, you have a third great hope, the hope of eternal life."

Though this life presents us with trials, challenges, heartaches, pain and grief, we can be eternally grateful, feel blessed and strengthened in our trials knowing that our loving Heavenly Father provided us a Savior, giving hope to this world.