I had therapists train me into creating safe places, just like they created safe places of security in the scriptures. Those safe places were perfect to help me heal and connect with Christ. Those places are my comfort zones and I love them so much! We were always talking about being "safe" vs "unsafe."

However, this has gotten me thinking... can we really grow in our comfort zones?

The Prophet Joseph Smith says, “for the enemy is on the alert” (D&C 127:11)

but...are you on the alert?

Do you struggle going to the gym when you're on vacation? 

If we can identify who is speaking to us during each of our battles whether big or small, it will make it so much easier to defeat the adversary and overcome his 3 d’s of Deception, Distraction and Discouragement. 

Let's see if I made it to the gym this time or not?

I would not present you with this seemingly impossible option of reporting to the Lord for duty, if I didn’t know with 200% certainty that it would bless your life in so many ways. You might be thinking, how can we possibly serve when we are feeling like this? I can barely get out of bed or even brush my teeth. I KNOW THAT FEELING SO WELL! When we are facing the literal jaws of hell it’s easy to feel defeated.

Elder Neil L. Andersen said, "The wounded who nurse the wounds of others are God's angels on the earth." And through this whole process of healing and recovery we have been nursed by many wounded warrior angels who put themselves out there to serve us when they were broken too. 

I’ll end with this from Elder M. Russell Ballard - “Between now and the day the Lord comes again, He needs women in every family, in every ward, in every community, in every nation who will step forward in righteousness and say by their words and their actions, ‘Here am I, send me.’ “My question is, ‘Will you be one of those women?’”

Before we report for duty, let’s first observe the signs of places where we might be needed! I’m sure you’ve noticed there are so many “help wanted” signs right now around your town because everyone is hiring!

In a talk from sis Linda K Burton she said:

"Imagine with me some of the possible spiritual “help wanted” signs related to the work of salvation:

As true disciples, may we offer our willing hearts and our helping hands to hasten His work.”

Prayer, Scripture Study and Temple Attendance are just the first steps to healing and Connecting with Christ but as we connect we can then be in a place to #hearHim calling us to act on what we are learning. When the Lord calls, do it! YES, it’s so hard sometimes, but when we don’t act there is a disconnect.

Bishop L Todd Budge said,  “Something is made holy—whether it be our lives, our possessions, our time, or our talents—not simply by giving it up but rather by consecrating it to the Lord….Sacrifice is less about GIVING UP and more about GIVING TO the Lord.”

Elder Ronald A Rasband in a 2003 Ensign Article he said, “The Lord made it clear that it is not good enough for us simply to return to Him the talents He has given us. We are to improve upon and add to our talents. He has promised that if we multiply our talents we will receive eternal joy. In modern revelation the Lord affirmed the principles in this parable: “But with some I am not well pleased, for … they hide the talent which I have given unto them, because of the fear of man. … Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known” (D&C 60:2, 13).”

Here are The 4 Cans or CAN DOs that we can aim for when discovering & developing our talents and skills.

Yesterday, we planned to spend time with a weapon we love, by hitting our "Favorite Can" but now, CAN we set aside sometime time this week to practice using one of the other weapons? Practice makes progress, progress makes us stronger and strength allows us the freedom to do more things, especially to heal.

Do you remember the in the Disney Movie, "Brave," when 3 clans will try to win Merida’s hand by skill of archery?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote: “Each person in this life is endowed with those talents and capacities which his pre-earth life entitle him to receive. Some by obedience to law acquired one talent and some another.”

Challenge: Go back to the God given thing which you love so much, no matter what others say about it, there is a reason the Lord gave you THAT thing! I promise there is healing there waiting for you! Schedule at least 1 hour of your week or if you choose to be BRAVE (see what I did there;) schedule 1 hour a day this week to work on it or with one of those weapons you just love to use! 

Bro. Lewis Howes from the Book “the School of Greatness” says, “The key to happiness is really progress and growth and constantly working on yourself and developing something.”

A quote that reminds me to play big and get out there is Marianne Williamson’s most famous passage, she says,  “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.”

Let go of the lies the adversary keeps telling you which are holding you back. Unearth your God given weapons, we might need to dig deep to uncover our gifts, we can find them in the places you least expected, but for sure you can also find them in the routine and mundane places as well and get curious about others you want. Listen to the episode with the 99 God Given Weapons and write down the ones that resonate with you for some reason or another. 

#StrengthenOurSistersChallenge: Noticing a gift in others might be easier than noticing a gift in yourself. Thats ok, then do this for someone else instead and share the 99 Weapons Episode with them and let them do the same for you after you've given them their list. Have fun with this!

President Russell M Nelson says, “We all need to remember: men are that they might have joy—not guilt trips!”

These are best used when you recite them out loud, you can do them during your morning routine or before bed or whenever you feel you need them. Even if you can’t say them out loud at first that’s ok just read them to yourself and then move onto reciting them out loud after a few tries.

Here we go, listen for 24 Affirmations or Shielding Statements to Combat Mom Guilt!

One of my favorite BYU Speeches is from a mental strength coach Bro. Craig L Manning, he says, “faith begins with how you talk to yourself.”

Now, I know I am not the only one that has had this experience, there are a lot of articles out there describing “mom guilt” from women who use their God given weapons from home or from work and even mom guilt from women who just want to take an hour to go to the gym. The guilt trips are always there! So the pattern here is not that I am actually neglecting my family but that the adversary doesn’t like us using our God given weapons or improve ourselves in any way or help others, no matter where we are. So if he is gonna give us the same messages everywhere then it’s not us, it’s him!

Elder Jeffrey R Holland has shared with us, he said: “Except in the case of His only perfect Begotten Son, imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. That must be terribly frustrating to Him, but He deals with it. So should we.”

So let’s be kind and patient with ourselves no matter where we choose to use our weapons. 

And remember the only thing that matters is, “What thinks Christ of me?”

“deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.” - Moroni 10:8

Elder Bruce R McConkie tells us that the gifts of the spirit are “infinite in number and endless in their manifestations because God himself is infinite and endless, and because the needs of those who receive them are as numerous, varied, and different as there are people in the kingdom.”

The adversary doesn’t want us to discover our gifts because he knows they are the keys to strengthening our relationship with Christ but also in fighting back.

I have compiled a list of 99 spiritual gifts or 99 God Given Weapons from Scriptures, Scripture Stories and inspired words from Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but you can also reference your patriarchal blessing for specific gifts you have been given, this is to get you started, get you excited and get you thinking of your own gifts. 

Here we go, these are The Weapons of...