The royal courts on high are the only destination that really matters. A glorious reunion awaits us. What is more reasonable or wonderful than children going home? As children of heavenly parents going home to where an eternal now awaits each of us, should encourage us to pursue the path that Jesus Christ marked for us with His atoning sacrifice. Come Follow Me, are His encouraging words.

Now don't misunderstand; there are inspired children that can show us the better part. Children often have the “thoughts and [the] intents of [their] hearts” focused on the Master. Though not full of years, such children are full of faith! The scriptures assure, “little children do have words given unto them many times." [Alma 32:23, The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ] The resurrected Jesus revealed things to the Nephite children, who then taught adults and their parents “even greater” things than Jesus had taught [3 Nephi 26:14, The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ]

Children do remind us of our better selves...

In the last presidential election, only 66.66% of eligible voters exercised this vital right and responsibility. According to the PEW Charitable Trust, the US ranks 24th in the world among nations that hold elections where the people vote. I remember when the people of Iraq had their first election, 99% of the people voted. A right, responsibility and a privilege.

Today as birthdays are celebrated around the world, like every other day of the year, I'd like to help us capture an understanding of what you are worth, a question that can be deeply contemplated each birthday of our lives.

“So what are you worth?”

The realities of living in our limited, imperfect world mean that we have no choice but to make do with an approximation—to admit and accept imperfection. Whether it is jumping over cracks to avoid the or, the way people speak to us, the failures that haunt us. We are human beings in a mortal experience and we make mistakes. Life is full of problems and routes to solutions.

The law of occupied space states that an object can only occupy one place at a time. As it applies to the mind, both faith and fear, self-belief and self-doubt, or simply positive and negative thoughts, cannot occupy the mind at the same time. When we allow the fear of missing out to drive our thoughts and actions, it begins to solidify the habits of our mind and the actions that follow.

What do we place before God, in our lives, today and in doing so, strengthen the power of the Destroyer. Evil seems about to engulf us like a great wave, and it feels that truly we are living in conditions similar to those in the days of Noah before the Flood.

During the time of Jeremiah, one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament, the people preferred to worship idols made out of wood than the Living God. Are we too, worshipping idols in our homes and communities that are made out of wood, and synthetics? What would your inventory unveil?

This day, wherever you are, I greet you as my friend.

Someone has said, “A friend is a person who is willing to take me the way I am.” Accepting this as one definition of the word, may I quickly that we are something less than a real friend if we leave a person the same way they are found.

The Savior has never made excuses for our behaviors and I don't believe He would make excuses for us now. I believe He would remind us that he suffered in Gethsemane and on the Cross so we would be able to repent of our sins and wrongdoings toward others. I believe He would also remind of the enabling power of the Atonement that is ours to access.

If you live where it is car season, and animals dart across the road where at night it is difficult to see them their eyes blinded by headlights and your reaction rates too slow, pray, pray, pray, for God's help. If you are thinking, well that is good and fine for you, Sharyl, but not for me, I encourage you to take the test of prayer and patience. Remember, Christ came despite the masses that would not receive him. God speaks even when our ears are closed. Animals are kept off the road, because it is a good thing to seek with faith and firm belief.