Knowing what is important

Heather is grateful for the protection and blessings of Heavenly Father today.  Brandon layed his motorbike onto the road to avoid being hit by a fast car that did not stop or slow down at an intersection out in the country.  Covered with blood, he was taken to the Lubbock hospital with a concussion and shock.  However, he only has skin damage, and is expected to recover soon.  His home teachers will give him a blessing tomorrow.  Heather says, "everything is fine, we know it could have been much worse".

Heather is taking time off from work to stay with Brandon while it is so hard to walk and he is in so much pain.  "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:19-21).

The "grim reality" of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan has caught the attention of the people of Ecuador.  People who came to the temple seeking safety and peace were told by Security: "the temple is closed for maintenance, your home is the holy place where you should teach and protect your family".

Wherefore, stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly, saith the Lord. Amen. (Doctrine and Covenants 87:8)

"The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean bhands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation (Psalm 24:1-5).

Heather and Brandon are very happy with the nurses, physicians, physical therapists, and all who are taking care of him.  Spring Break just started, so he will not even miss school.

The bishops in Ecuador are reminding the people to listen to the prophets and have supplies on hand for emergencies, but not to value possessions.  There are other values much higher.  "If we are poor, and have not as much as our neighbor possesses, do not envy him, and do not worry about it.  As I said in the beginning of my remarks, there is an eternity before us, and we shall always be ourselves, and nobody else, and what we do not gain today we will gain tomorrow, or some other time" (The Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, p. 131).

Like Brandon and the people of Japan, we are all at risk every moment of every day.  "We are all in it together, all of us, and we have a great work to do.  Every teacher can be a better teacher than he or she is today.  Every officer can be a better officer than he or she is today. Every father can be a better father, every mother a better mother, every husband can be a better husband, every wife a better wife, every child a better child.  We are on the road that leads to immortality and eternal life and today is a part of it.  Let us never forget it" (The Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 582).

To us what is important is our family and our friends.  "For this cause we also . . . do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:9-11).