“Close every door to me,
“Keep those I love from me,
“Children of Israel
“Are never alone.
“For I know I shall find
“My own peace of mind,
“For I have been promised
“A land of my own.” 1
This song from Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat2 has always been a favorite of mine. It was brought to my mind last Sunday when our adult Sunday School class which is discussing the Old Testament this year talked about Joseph of Egypt being in prison. The teacher reviewed how Joseph as a young man had visions of being a great leader and ruler over his father and brothers, but instead had been threatened with death by those brothers, then sold into slavery into Egypt where he worked as a slave until he displeased his master and was thrown into prison.
There Joseph had hopes of being released when he correctly interpreted the dreams of a baker and a butler; the baker was executed, but the butler was restored to his butlership as Joseph had foretold. However, even though the Butler had promised to remember Joseph and help get him out of prison, “Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.2”
The song I quoted at the top of the page is Joseph’s lament. It is here in prison, where he acknowledges the blows of fortune, the whips of fate, the trials of his life, yet his triumphant praise rings out that despite these, “I know I shall find my own peace of mind, for I have been promised a land of my own.”
Regardless of all the challenges we face in our life, even with our setbacks, the deaths of our hopes we, like Joseph of old, have been promised the same promises he was: 1. A land of our own 2. A way to find peace of mind.
The “land of our own” may not be on earth; it may be in heaven. For many years Ed & I lived an army career and lived in army quarters (almost always duplexes), and I wondered if I’d ever have a house of my own. Of course I did, for which I am very grateful. But sometimes our expectations are not accomplished on earth, but in heaven.
Remember that this earthly life is only one part of our life—a very small part of our life. Our earthly experience is like act II of a three-part play. Act II is always the most difficult, where the most trials and conflict occur. It is only at the end of Act III that all is resolved and happiness is achieved. It is always in Act II that everything is hopeless! Many of our promises will be accomplished here on earth, but always remember that there is more than this life for them to be accomplished. Death is not final or the end.
But even in Act II, even in the midst of the most difficulties, we have a way to find peace of mind. It isn’t new, or miraculous, it is always available, yet it isn’t a button you can push to turn on when you need it!
The peace of mind I am talking about it the peace the savior gives us that he promised the apostles in John 14:27, right before he left them “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.”
The peace is far more beneficial than all the tranquilizers every made, better than all pastors or mental health counselors combined.
This past week has been extremely difficult for my family. My daughter Diana and her husband have been trying to adopt a child for several years. Last year they came quite close with a beautiful four-month-old boy whose grandparents felt they couldn’t raise their daughter’s child and who were willing to place him for adoption. For a month they worked with the adoption agency, the court and the grandparents to work out all the details, exchanging photos and growing closer to the boy. Then it went to court and when the judge asked the grandparents what they wanted to do, they suddenly and unexpectedly decided they couldn’t give him up! Diana and Jason were not allowed to adopt this little boy they had grown close to.
Three weeks ago the adoption case worker came to Diana and Jason with another adoption possibility—a woman who had gotten pregnant while she was separated from her husband and wanted to make her marriage work so she was determined to give up the baby. Diana and Jason were chosen to be the parents of this little girl who was to be born by C-section last Tuesday. Everything went well and the mother remained adamant that she would not keep the baby. Diana and Jason prepared the baby’s room, had baby showers, and arranged everything. I made reservations to fly to Chicago to help Diana with the baby. The baby was born a day early and the mother wanted to see Diana and Jason before she signed over the final papers to give up the baby on Wednesday. I left Los Angeles Wednesday morning, with a layover in Dallas, planning to arrive in Chicago at 3:15 p.m.
My incoming flight to Dallas was delayed so I missed my flight to Chicago and had to get one 40 minutes later; I got a phone call while I was trying to catch it. Diana was crying and said, “Mom, you have to turn around and go back to Los Angeles.” I immediately thought of my husband in Los Angeles who was awaiting a lung transplant. Had he gotten THE CALL? WAS THERE A LUNG AVAILABLE AND I NEEDED TO GO RIGHT BACK TO BE BY HIS SIDE?
I asked Diana to explain what had happened. “The birth mother decided to keep the baby; you don’t have a baby to come and help with.” I told her I was still coming, and boarded the flight to Chicago.
Someone wrote that losing a baby that you’d planned to adopt is like a miscarriage; losing a baby that you’d planned to adopt on the day you are to bring it home is like a still-born birth. Diana had texted immediate family to tell them what had happened, but very few others knew that the looked for baby had not and would not be coming home. The sun was shining brightly outside, but it was dark and gloomy everywhere we were.
How does one deal with a situation like this? How did we deal with the death of our two premature twin grandchildren in Seattle in January and February, one stillborn, and other who lived 20 minutes? How did the pioneers bury their children in the frozen plains and turn westward, leaving them behind on the barren plains? How did the sister President Monson talked about a year ago in April 2009 General Conference3 deal with the death of her husband and all four of her children as she was forced to walk over a thousand miles across Germany in the winter at the end of World War II?
How do we do anything in this world? With faith! Faith in the Lord’s promises; faith in Christ and his redeeming love; faith in priesthood power and priesthood blessings. It isn’t instant and it isn’t easy—but it comes. Prayers have helped us deal with the sadness and the pain. Diana said on the second day that she felt better. I crashed on the third day, but then I, too, recovered and I felt the prayers of those who cared about us, and I know that helped me a lot!!!!
I know priesthood blessings help! I know prayers—ours and those of others in our behalf help. I’ve felt them, when before I could feel nothing but pain and sorrow. I’ve felt them comfort me and drive out the sorrow.
In the June 2009 Ensign magazine, President Uchdorf had a wonderful article titled, Prayer and the Blue Horizon. Comparing gospel principals, and prayer specifically to aerodynamics that enable flight he wrote:
“Lift happens when air passes over the wings of an airplane in such a way that the pressure underneath the wing is greater than the pressure above the wing. When the upward lift exceeds the downward pull of gravity, the plane rises from the ground and achieves flight.”
President Uchdorf then explains that we can do the same when “the force that is pushing us heavenward is greater than the temptations and distress that drag us downward, we can ascend and soar into the realm of the Spirit.”
He then says “Prayer is one of the principles of the gospel that provides lift. Prayer has the power to elevate us from our worldly cares, to lift us up through clouds of despair and darkness into a bright and clear horizon.4”
This comfort through prayer is real, but it is elusive. You must continually strive to maintain it. I remember once when I was struggling with clinical depression, every day was a struggle. Despite medicine, therapy and everything I could do, sometimes it became too much. Those were the times I would ask for a priesthood blessing. When I received a blessing, I could feel the Lord’s love, and the love of my family break through the chains of depression that chained me. It would surround me and wrap me in a robe of warmth and comfort. The next day I would go forth with only the memory of that love to strengthen me and warm me, but the lingering remains, along with the my prayers, and those of my loved ones, would fortify me against the storms of the day.
Another tool I used during that time, and one I still use, is music. When I would need to feel the love of the Lord, when the pressures of the world would begin to be too much, I would get my lawn mower and mow the lawn, singing at the top of my voice the Young Women song “I Am of Worth.” The words of this song, especially the chorus, “I am of worth, of infinite worth, my Savior, Redeemer loves.” Then I could remember, even if I couldn’t feel the love of the Savior at that moment, and know that He did love me and that I was of worth to Him.
This song, and others, like the song from Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, remind me that “I know the answers lie Far from this world.5”
“Keep those I love from me,
“Children of Israel
“Are never alone.
“For I know I shall find
“My own peace of mind,
“For I have been promised
“A land of my own.” 1
This song from Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat2 has always been a favorite of mine. It was brought to my mind last Sunday when our adult Sunday School class which is discussing the Old Testament this year talked about Joseph of Egypt being in prison. The teacher reviewed how Joseph as a young man had visions of being a great leader and ruler over his father and brothers, but instead had been threatened with death by those brothers, then sold into slavery into Egypt where he worked as a slave until he displeased his master and was thrown into prison.
There Joseph had hopes of being released when he correctly interpreted the dreams of a baker and a butler; the baker was executed, but the butler was restored to his butlership as Joseph had foretold. However, even though the Butler had promised to remember Joseph and help get him out of prison, “Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.2”
The song I quoted at the top of the page is Joseph’s lament. It is here in prison, where he acknowledges the blows of fortune, the whips of fate, the trials of his life, yet his triumphant praise rings out that despite these, “I know I shall find my own peace of mind, for I have been promised a land of my own.”
Regardless of all the challenges we face in our life, even with our setbacks, the deaths of our hopes we, like Joseph of old, have been promised the same promises he was: 1. A land of our own 2. A way to find peace of mind.
The “land of our own” may not be on earth; it may be in heaven. For many years Ed & I lived an army career and lived in army quarters (almost always duplexes), and I wondered if I’d ever have a house of my own. Of course I did, for which I am very grateful. But sometimes our expectations are not accomplished on earth, but in heaven.
Remember that this earthly life is only one part of our life—a very small part of our life. Our earthly experience is like act II of a three-part play. Act II is always the most difficult, where the most trials and conflict occur. It is only at the end of Act III that all is resolved and happiness is achieved. It is always in Act II that everything is hopeless! Many of our promises will be accomplished here on earth, but always remember that there is more than this life for them to be accomplished. Death is not final or the end.
But even in Act II, even in the midst of the most difficulties, we have a way to find peace of mind. It isn’t new, or miraculous, it is always available, yet it isn’t a button you can push to turn on when you need it!
The peace of mind I am talking about it the peace the savior gives us that he promised the apostles in John 14:27, right before he left them “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.”
The peace is far more beneficial than all the tranquilizers every made, better than all pastors or mental health counselors combined.
This past week has been extremely difficult for my family. My daughter Diana and her husband have been trying to adopt a child for several years. Last year they came quite close with a beautiful four-month-old boy whose grandparents felt they couldn’t raise their daughter’s child and who were willing to place him for adoption. For a month they worked with the adoption agency, the court and the grandparents to work out all the details, exchanging photos and growing closer to the boy. Then it went to court and when the judge asked the grandparents what they wanted to do, they suddenly and unexpectedly decided they couldn’t give him up! Diana and Jason were not allowed to adopt this little boy they had grown close to.
Three weeks ago the adoption case worker came to Diana and Jason with another adoption possibility—a woman who had gotten pregnant while she was separated from her husband and wanted to make her marriage work so she was determined to give up the baby. Diana and Jason were chosen to be the parents of this little girl who was to be born by C-section last Tuesday. Everything went well and the mother remained adamant that she would not keep the baby. Diana and Jason prepared the baby’s room, had baby showers, and arranged everything. I made reservations to fly to Chicago to help Diana with the baby. The baby was born a day early and the mother wanted to see Diana and Jason before she signed over the final papers to give up the baby on Wednesday. I left Los Angeles Wednesday morning, with a layover in Dallas, planning to arrive in Chicago at 3:15 p.m.
My incoming flight to Dallas was delayed so I missed my flight to Chicago and had to get one 40 minutes later; I got a phone call while I was trying to catch it. Diana was crying and said, “Mom, you have to turn around and go back to Los Angeles.” I immediately thought of my husband in Los Angeles who was awaiting a lung transplant. Had he gotten THE CALL? WAS THERE A LUNG AVAILABLE AND I NEEDED TO GO RIGHT BACK TO BE BY HIS SIDE?
I asked Diana to explain what had happened. “The birth mother decided to keep the baby; you don’t have a baby to come and help with.” I told her I was still coming, and boarded the flight to Chicago.
Someone wrote that losing a baby that you’d planned to adopt is like a miscarriage; losing a baby that you’d planned to adopt on the day you are to bring it home is like a still-born birth. Diana had texted immediate family to tell them what had happened, but very few others knew that the looked for baby had not and would not be coming home. The sun was shining brightly outside, but it was dark and gloomy everywhere we were.
How does one deal with a situation like this? How did we deal with the death of our two premature twin grandchildren in Seattle in January and February, one stillborn, and other who lived 20 minutes? How did the pioneers bury their children in the frozen plains and turn westward, leaving them behind on the barren plains? How did the sister President Monson talked about a year ago in April 2009 General Conference3 deal with the death of her husband and all four of her children as she was forced to walk over a thousand miles across Germany in the winter at the end of World War II?
How do we do anything in this world? With faith! Faith in the Lord’s promises; faith in Christ and his redeeming love; faith in priesthood power and priesthood blessings. It isn’t instant and it isn’t easy—but it comes. Prayers have helped us deal with the sadness and the pain. Diana said on the second day that she felt better. I crashed on the third day, but then I, too, recovered and I felt the prayers of those who cared about us, and I know that helped me a lot!!!!
I know priesthood blessings help! I know prayers—ours and those of others in our behalf help. I’ve felt them, when before I could feel nothing but pain and sorrow. I’ve felt them comfort me and drive out the sorrow.
In the June 2009 Ensign magazine, President Uchdorf had a wonderful article titled, Prayer and the Blue Horizon. Comparing gospel principals, and prayer specifically to aerodynamics that enable flight he wrote:
“Lift happens when air passes over the wings of an airplane in such a way that the pressure underneath the wing is greater than the pressure above the wing. When the upward lift exceeds the downward pull of gravity, the plane rises from the ground and achieves flight.”
President Uchdorf then explains that we can do the same when “the force that is pushing us heavenward is greater than the temptations and distress that drag us downward, we can ascend and soar into the realm of the Spirit.”
He then says “Prayer is one of the principles of the gospel that provides lift. Prayer has the power to elevate us from our worldly cares, to lift us up through clouds of despair and darkness into a bright and clear horizon.4”
This comfort through prayer is real, but it is elusive. You must continually strive to maintain it. I remember once when I was struggling with clinical depression, every day was a struggle. Despite medicine, therapy and everything I could do, sometimes it became too much. Those were the times I would ask for a priesthood blessing. When I received a blessing, I could feel the Lord’s love, and the love of my family break through the chains of depression that chained me. It would surround me and wrap me in a robe of warmth and comfort. The next day I would go forth with only the memory of that love to strengthen me and warm me, but the lingering remains, along with the my prayers, and those of my loved ones, would fortify me against the storms of the day.
Another tool I used during that time, and one I still use, is music. When I would need to feel the love of the Lord, when the pressures of the world would begin to be too much, I would get my lawn mower and mow the lawn, singing at the top of my voice the Young Women song “I Am of Worth.” The words of this song, especially the chorus, “I am of worth, of infinite worth, my Savior, Redeemer loves.” Then I could remember, even if I couldn’t feel the love of the Savior at that moment, and know that He did love me and that I was of worth to Him.
This song, and others, like the song from Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat, remind me that “I know the answers lie Far from this world.5”
The answers are as real as the trials we face on the earth, but we are not left alone, “swinging in the wind.” We have resources, and prayer and music are just some that help us get through the storms of life. Even so, even if life throws everything at me, I can be like Joseph of old in prison, singing:
“For I know I shall find
“My own peace of mind,
“For I have been promised
“A land of my own.6”
__________________________
1. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a musical theatre show written by the team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. First produced on Broadway in January 1982, then produced on video/DVD in 1999 with Donny Osmond as Joseph. It is a family/friendly show frequently produced by high schools and community theaters.
2. Genesis 40:23.
3. Thomas S. Monson, “Be of Good Cheer,” Ensign, May 2009, 89–92 (From personal conversations and from Frederick W. Babbel, On Wings of Faith (1972), 40–42).
4. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Prayer and the Blue Horizon,” Ensign, Jun 2009, 4–7
5. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
6. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,
“My own peace of mind,
“For I have been promised
“A land of my own.6”
__________________________
1. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a musical theatre show written by the team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. First produced on Broadway in January 1982, then produced on video/DVD in 1999 with Donny Osmond as Joseph. It is a family/friendly show frequently produced by high schools and community theaters.
2. Genesis 40:23.
3. Thomas S. Monson, “Be of Good Cheer,” Ensign, May 2009, 89–92 (From personal conversations and from Frederick W. Babbel, On Wings of Faith (1972), 40–42).
4. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Prayer and the Blue Horizon,” Ensign, Jun 2009, 4–7
5. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
6. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,
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