Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 127:1

Today's Favorite Verse: Psalms 127:1

"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."

This made me think of our housing shortage. Not enough affordable home for everyone. Yet, the real shortage is not the homes itself. The real shortage is the love of God to fill them. You can build the house of your dreams and it means nothing in the scheme of the eternities.

Our Sunday School teacher asked a question a few weeks ago that has just stayed with me. He asked how many were still doing "Come, Follow Me" at home? As I listened to the comments I got really sad inside. It was the first I realized that people had stopped spending time every day to study the gospel as a family. I was grateful that it wasn't a problem in my home. It is actually the best time of the day for us. We love reading scriptures and discussing them today, along with how they fit in what we are seeing happening around us. I realized how inspired our teacher was to ask that question, but the answers broke my heart. Here is a story of a lost child. What's even sadder is children in their own homes can also be lost.

"Recently my friend Richard came home from work to find a very small girl sitting on the curb in front of his house, crying. He asked if he could help. Through her sobs she explained that she was lost. He told her that this was his house and his wife was inside. He told her he knew she shouldn’t go with strangers, but if she felt comfortable going inside, he and his wife would try to find her home. They went into his house, and his wife, Linda, began to console the little girl. “I’m sure you must be very frightened,” she said.

“I was frightened,” the girl responded, “until I saw the picture of Jesus hanging on your wall. Then I knew I would be safe.

”Throughout the world, many of God’s children are lost. We who know the truth can help them. We can show them a pattern of strong homes and righteous family members. We can help them if we have the Savior in our homes—not just His picture on the wall but also His teachings, His Spirit, and His love. Despite the instincts we have been blessed with, this kind of home doesn’t happen automatically. We need spiritual strength and practical skills to build a home where the Spirit of the Lord is present."

(Virginia U. Jensen, "Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment", Oct 1999 General Relief Society Meeting)

Day 2764