Master the Tempest is Raging

This is one of my favorite hymns. I feel right now like the tempests are raging in my life. I long for peace and tranquility.

I have decided last week that Elizabeth and I will read one scripture, at least, every night, and we would do the scriptures listed for the values in her Personal Progress for church for the girls 12-18. The first value taught is faith. This is a value I struggle with. Our scripture last night:

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

There are a lot of things in my life right now that I wish I could see as opposed to just hope for, so that's probably why I was led to this scripture. It's not just one thing that is causing my anxiety, but many things, some of which are financial, but I will just keep paying my tithing, and praying. I know I've been blessed recently for paying my tithing in being able to stretch our resources.

So this morning I was reading Boyd K. Packer's talk "Do Not Fear" from the April 2004conference. He says "Fear is the opposite of faith". "As a grandfather who has lived a long time, I counsel you to have faith. Things have a way of working out. Stay close to the Church. Keep your children close to the Church" "Find happiness in ordinary things, and keep your sense of humor" "Life will not be free from challenges, some of them bitter and hard to bear. We may wish to be spared all the trials of life, but that would be contrary to the great plan of happiness, 'for it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things' (2 Ne. 2:11). This testing is the source of our strength."