God Still Speaks to Us

In this episode, Cydni and Sher explore how God still speaks to us as His beloved children. Through personal stories, scripture, and laughter, they share insights on recognizing His voice, finding comfort through the Holy Ghost, and staying strong in faith. This episode is, "God Still Speaks to Us" and we are so glad you're here!

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Show Notes

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Transcript

Episode 94 - God Still Speaks to Us

Cydni: [00:00:00] this is Cydni 

Sher: and I'm Sher. And each week we get together to share with you a message of hope.

Cydni: It is through our own study and our personal experiences that we offer the reminder to not only seek the light, 

Sher: but be the light. You can find peace and there is hope

Cydni: and as long as one of us is slightly caffeinated, there will be laughter. 

Sher: today's episode is God still speaks to us. 

Cydni: And we're so glad you are here 

Sher: okay, Cydni, today we're going to discuss that God still speaks to us and He wants to do this because we're His children, so of course He wants to speak to us, but we need to be part of this in order to make it possible for God to be able to speak to us. 

Cydni: I cannot help but think of my children right now because I want to speak to my children sometimes and I will yell for them like any good mom. Only sometimes. Yeah. I [00:01:00] tried to really illustrate that part just in case they listen. I don't want them to like be around me all the time, just sometimes, sometimes. Sometimes. And so when I do, Yell for them across the house like Titus, which is a clear and obvious come here, but then he just says What? And then I have to say, come here, which is a second clear and obvious, come here. And then once again, I have to say, come here so I don't have to yell like that. And he still doesn't come. I just relate to that. Like sometimes I feel so upset sometimes that they didn't just like clearly pick up the signs to come when I called them. And then I'm like, Oh, but what if God did that to me? I'm sure I've never got that wrong though. 

Sher: I'm sure none of us have ever got that wrong. We're always obedient. He calls, we just are right there. I probably don't hear it 90 percent of the time. 

Cydni: No, probably not. You know, Sher, we're probably going to find out that there were angels that actually came face to face with us that told [00:02:00] us clear messages and we will be so shocked. Like, I didn't pick up on that. 

Sher: They're jumping up and down, waving their arms back and forth, yelling at us and we just don't even clue in. 

Cydni: I know. I just imagine our. Angels are clocking in for the day, just devastated. They're like, Oh my gosh, I cannot do this one more day. And they down their caffeine and they're just like, I don't even know their commute. They're listening to positive affirmations. I could be a great guardian angel. I'm good at this. It's OK that she doesn't listen ever. It's OK. I still have value like that. That's just what's coming to mind. 

The end of the day they're crying. They're like, when can I clock out? Is it the weekend? No time off for you. Just let Satan have her. Just for a week.

Sher: I suddenly empathy for angels. I feel so bad for them. 

Cydni: I just don't think they know what they signed up for. I think what's worse is someone who wants to be good and is trying to be good, but it's a complete disaster because then you're like, okay, well I've got to help her, but [00:03:00] she keeps dropping the ball. I'd rather just like, Hey, look, he's drinking again. 

Sher: So the first option you were literally describing us, 

Cydni: right? And maybe also the second things have changed since I recorded. 

Sher: Anyway, back to the point. We wanted to first talk about that we are His children. In Acts chapter 17 verse 29, it says, for as much then as we are the offspring of God. Then in Romans chapter 8 verse 16 it says The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God so from those two scriptures We have learned really quickly that we are the offspring of God and that we are the children of God , and because we are His, this is how He feels about us. We can find that answer in Luke chapter 12, verses 6 through 7.

Cydni: Okay, wait, before you do that, I was just thinking, you know how sometimes when one parent is upset with the kids because they're out of control, and so they're like, your child like, , I would probably say to Ben, your child does not listen. [00:04:00] We could actually do that now because all of my children are God's offspring. And so the ball is in your court. So God's children Get them to do the things that they're supposed to do. Do you see what I'm saying? What I'm trying to illustrate here?

Sher: Yeah, . I do see what you're saying, but I don't know if we want the consequences from God because they usually seem to be pretty, like, eventful, ending. 

Cydni: The consequences of His children. 

Sher: No, the consequences of Dad putting His foot down. Oh, on those kids. On all of us.

Cydni: I was thinking of everyone but me. 

Sher: Of course you were. All right, so w in Luke chapter 12 verses 6 through 7, it talks about how God feels about us. It says, Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. So the first question I have is, how do you count all the hairs on your head? Every strand. That's pretty amazing.

Cydni: I feel like if I were to take the [00:05:00] greys out, it wouldn't be that hard. I'd be like, seven, eight.

Sher: You're looking at me. I'm the one with gray hair. You have no gray hair.

Cydni: I do. I color it. , I think I would still win. Well, yeah, that's probably true, but I still color it. 

Sher: Okay, seriously it says very clearly that if a sparrow is sold, God knows about it, and He's not going to forget about it. And if He knows about a sparrow and what's going on with a bird, then how much more value do we have? He loves and He cares for us. In fact, God loves us so much that He sent His Son here to earth. Jesus Christ is perfect. Is a God He didn't need to come here to earth, but our Father and our Brother didn't want to lose us.

So an eternal and willing sacrifice was needed and Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father loved us so much that God was willing to send His son and Jesus Christ was willing to make that sacrifice. Certainly, if our Father is willing to do all of that [00:06:00] for us, then Of course He wants to speak to us.

Elder Uchtdorf said when we feel insignificant, cast off, and forgotten we learn that we may be assured that God has not forgotten us. In fact, That he offers to all of His children, something unimaginable to become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, that we will live forever, receive a fullness of joy and have the potential to inherent thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers. It is so humbling to know that this magnificent and supernal future is possible, not because of who we are, but because of who God is. Knowing this, how could we ever murmur or remain embittered? How could we ever keep our eyes on the ground when the King of Kings invites us to take flight into an unimaginable future of divine happiness? 

 So, when we know who we are, it does make it easier to find and pursue. Happiness. We have no reason to keep our head [00:07:00] down. , but we do have every reason in the world to look up.

Cydni: This reminds me of a story I recently heard in a speech I was listening to. The man shared a story about a young woman who had unfortunately caused us very serious accident. He said just a few days before the accident happened, she was standing at church saying, we are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us. And then a few days later, she caused an accident that took the life of someone's mother. And she could no longer believe that she really was God's child. She believed that He would not claim her, that she'd made such a horrible mistake that she no longer could claim to be one of God's children. And it put her into a very deep depression. And it took a couple of counselors and a few years, but one counselor said, what I want you to do is every single day write down this phrase. I am a child of God. And then I want you to say it out loud ten times. At first, she could write it down, but she could not verbalize those words, but [00:08:00] then, after a couple of months, she started to be able to verbalize, I am a child of God.

And one thing that I'm thinking as we talk about this, is that, All of this is really beautiful, but it's so critical that we believe it. And if we don't believe it, it's critical that we do some spiritual work to have that testimony for ourselves. Not for me to look at Sher and say, she is a child of God, or to look at my children and understand how much He loves them. But to spend time understanding how much God loves me and that I am His daughter. And in doing that, that will affect every action going forward. Because once we understand who we are, then we know how we're supposed to act. It gives us access to so much heavenly power that we don't understand until we fill it, and I thought if this young woman could go through this horrible situation and feel completely devastated to then believing and hoping to knowing again that she is God's child [00:09:00] and He does love her and that there's a way and a path back to Him, no matter where we are, that reminds me of President Boyd K. Packer's words. He says, you are a child of God. He is the Father of your spirit. Spiritually, you are of noble birth, the offspring of the King of Heaven. Fix that truth in your mind and hold to it. However many generations and you're mortal. Ancestry, no matter what race or people you represent, the pedigree of your spirit can be written on a single line. You are a child of God.

Sher: As you were telling that story, I wondered why do we do that? . I think often to myself that, Cydni is definitely a daughter of God and you know, people I know and people I love, they're definitely children of God, but do I believe that? Why is it so hard to understand that I am a daughter of God, and then believe it. It's easier to believe you are. 

Cydni: I agree with you, and I think we're not the only ones to struggle with this. I think it's because of how important it is, it is our divine identity is attacked. And I think [00:10:00] that where maybe we have that one guardian angel doing his best to clock in and clock out, I think we have seven monstrous demons surrounding us that don't mind attacking us 24 seven. And I think if I were Satan that I'd really want you to doubt that. Because I would understand how important you are and I would understand how detrimental to my plan it would be if you knew it. 

Sher: I love the advice that her counselor gave of Writing it down. I am a child of God and then saying it and doing that every day I think that is really important because Satan does want to destroy that connection between us and our Heavenly Father.

Cydni: I think it illustrates perfectly saying I am a child of God out loud. It changes. Your belief system with it. 

Sher: we need to get to that place where it's not hope or faith it's beyond hope and faith. There's no doubt We know 

Cydni: that old school saying that be the kind of person when you wake up in the morning Satan says, oh, no, she's awake I have not gone to that level He's like wake her up However, [00:11:00] do some damage dang it 

Sher: We're on the same level so let's talk about those trials and those times where you just don't feel good about yourself and you're really struggling to know that you are a child of God, let alone work on being happy. In Job chapter five, verse 17, it says, behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth, therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty. Now, I don't want to read this. Because that doesn't sound fun to me. 

Cydni: Okay, but I might have something to help you a little bit. Because you know how when you're going through a hard time, and you think of, are you yet as Job? You know that? Yeah, yeah. I always am like, okay, but did Job have PMS? If Job was actually like Julia, In the Bible, like Julia lost everything and she had PMS I think it would hit harder, but I feel like it gives me a little space to be like, well, I do have a period and he doesn't. 

Sher: That was a really good point. Thank you. Fair point, Cydni. Bring in the Spirit. Yeah, [00:12:00] absolutely. I love the Bible. When I was reading this scripture, I'm like, honestly, this sounds ridiculous. Until you actually, for real, I'll joking aside, see it in action. 

A few weeks ago, I went to the hospital to say goodbye to my dear sweet uncle when I got there, his family was there, and everyone was in the waiting room because you could only go in just a few at a time to see him and there was this deep sadness. it was heavy. it was like thick because everyone was so sad, but everyone was also still smiling and everyone was still laughing and you could just feel the love in the air. So although it felt heavy, it also felt like there was a warm hug around you, there was like an embrace. that was our Father speaking to everyone there through the power of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.

So it does work, even in times of trial. God will find a way to speak to us. Now, maybe He wasn't literally speaking [00:13:00] words to us at that time, but you definitely could feel His embrace. You could feel it. He was speaking and comforting everybody there. And that is why even in a time when you know that this probably was the last time that I was going to be able to talk to my uncle on this earth. There was still happiness in the room. There was joy in his life. And joy with each other. And you could feel it. And that is possible through the power of the Holy Ghost. 

Cydni: Could I just add, Sher, that your Uncle Doug's funeral service was one of the most beautiful I've ever been to. And it gave me a whole new level of hope for this world because I was so lucky to be in a room full of people who love God so much and love laughter just as much. Was such a beautiful tribute to what families could and should be. A bunch of people together who laughed as hard as they cried. It was a beautiful experience. And what you said about joy reminds me of a story that Elder Suarez once shared after he lost his second child. He [00:14:00] said he was completely devastated and he was in a state of God. How am I supposed to move on from this? How am I supposed to move on and be who I'm supposed to be for my wife and the other children that we have? And he said he heard. A voice and what he heard was just keep your joy, my son. And he talks about how even in the most devastating situations that we're not alone. And we have the hope that is provided through our Savior and that we are allowed to keep our joy. And I loved the idea. Just keep your joy. 

Sher: And all of that is possible through. The power of the comforter in John chapter 14 verses 26 through 27, it says, but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance peace. I leave with you . My peace I give unto you. And this is what we can have. This is how the Lord can speak to us through the power of the [00:15:00] Comforter. He can send the Holy Ghost to bring that peace and comfort us in times that are difficult and challenging and not only fill your heart with hope during times of sorrow, but joy. And I did experience this with my uncle because I did feel joy saying goodbye to him because I was so happy for him and my heart was filled with joy knowing where my uncle was going to be Soon knowing that he was not only going to be with my parents and my grandparents But that he was going to be with our Savior Jesus Christ and he was going to be healed and truly even though My heart was sad. It was also full of joy and hope. I was excited for him knowing that he had lived a life worthy to be with our Savior, Jesus Christ. So in times of trial, Our Heavenly Father does want to speak to us through the Comforter how do we get this to happen? If we want the Comforter to be with us to help us in good times and [00:16:00] definitely in bad times, then we need to be the ones to take action to make this happen. Last week we talked about pursuing happiness, and we discussed that our Founding Fathers understood that the pursuit of happiness meant living up to our godly potential. willingly submitting to God, and going on the journey that God wants us to go on. Not the journey that we feel is important, but following God's plan for us. Our founders the word that they used over and over again was virtuous. There are so many quotes, feel free to look them up. There are a ton of them that the Founding Fathers wrote about being virtuous and happy and free.

I'm just going to use a little paragraph I found that kind of merged a bunch of them together. it says, happiness is the aim of life. Jefferson declared. But virtue is the foundation of happiness. Virtue and happiness are mother and daughter, Benjamin Franklin agreed. John Adams was equally clear. All sober inquirers, [00:17:00] after truth, he insisted, ancient and modern, pagan and Christian have declared that the happiness of man as well as his Dignity consists in virtue. To understand what the founders are saying there is that in order to be happy We need to pursue being virtuous.

That is the foundation of all of it. As Jefferson said, happiness is our goal. It's what we're shooting for, but virtue is that foundation. So if you want to be happy, you need to be good. We need to be obedient to our covenants and faithfully follow the commandments of the gospel. We need to be kind, charitable, peacemakers, have high moral all the things. . That's virtuous. Pursuing virtue is what will allow us to have the comforter with us. So God through the Holy Ghost can speak to us, and God wants to do that. He's our Father. He wants to do all those things for us. But he can't send. The Holy Ghost to us if we're not worthy of it. 

Cydni: Can we just get a amen to the pursue virtue? you don't have to be perfect at those things. Right, right. [00:18:00] Share, right, right. Thank goodness. So what I'm understanding is that when I call my children, they should come. To wrap this all the way back around. When I yell, it's an obvious they need to come to where I am. I'm so glad we had this conversation to confirm what I already knew, but I do have one more thought that I just wanted to share that recently our family made a pretty big decision that people were okay with it. And also not okay with it, but it was to benefit our family so much. And in this decision, There were a little bit of tears, but not that many, but there were some. And one evening Iyana came to me to be comforted. And of course I was more than willing to comfort her. And I wanted to because of the decision that was made. And sometimes when I'm parenting my own child, I feel like God blesses me with an experience to parent me or give me a whole different perspective or insight that I haven't had before.

 And there Yana was. Willing to admit the decision was right and she knew it, but she was still sad and that was okay. But she [00:19:00] wanted to be comforted. And I did think to myself, if I can change this, shouldn't I? Because it's making her sad and it's making her hurt, but it wasn't the right decision. Long term it was the right decision. Short term, there was going to be hurt and pain. How many times have I been in a situation where I feel hurt and pain because of what's going on in my life, and how lucky and blessed am I to know that I can go to God who understands everything, who's willing to comfort me, but he's not willing to change it. He could change it, but , it wouldn't benefit me, and to have a loving and stern Heavenly Father who is willing to parent me the exact way that I need for the greater good. We are his child and no matter what we're going through, He understands and He can comfort. Can he change it? Of course. Will he always know, , but it's like what Jeffrey R. Holland says that you could have what you want. Or you could have something so much better. and if we can spend time understanding our actual connection to God and who we are, then we [00:20:00] can have something so much better.

Sher: This brings us to our final thoughts. We are God's children we are deeply loved and valued by our Father in Heaven as shown through His willingness to send His Son as an eternal sacrifice to save all of us because of this love, God speaks to us and desires to guide us Through the power of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, however, for us to feel His presence and receive His we must take action by pursuing keeping our covenants, and striving to live with high moral standards. As we align our lives with His will, we open ourselves to His divine comfort, peace, and the unimaginable happiness He has prepared for us. 

Cydni: This week, we challenge you to write down, I am a child of God, and say it out loud 10 times. This is our prayer. From Cydni and Sher [00:21:00] so funny and mean. Heartless. God, control your child over here. My gosh. Made me feel emotional, actually. That's why I stopped. I don't want any of that in here. I wasn't planning on sharing this, but I wasn't planning anything as usual someone does not know our schedule.

Sher: But he can't and he can't send the hope.

I'll wait till he's done barking. 

Cydni: Gotta let his voice be heard.

Sher: I can't believe. Don't judge me. I'm not 

Cydni: telling people. they're just going to have to wonder.