A QUEENLY QUEST: A Queen of Hearts

Hearts! Hearts! Hearts!
There are endless analogies and sayings of hearts.

Home is where the heart is.
Follow your heart.
Heart to Heart.
Have a heart.

The heart seems to be the center and focus of so much. The heart is the very center of our soul, the seat of our emotions and affections. The condition of our heart affects us in every way possible. Truly, the hearts have it!
As women & mothers who are the Queens of the home & family, we are truly the heart of the family....hence, the Queen of Hearts!!!

The human heart is the organ that keeps the whole body functioning. To everything temporal there is a spiritual parallel. The spiritual heart is also what keeps the spirit alive and functioning. The scriptures are full of admonitions about the condition of our hearts, and why it is so central to life and to the gospel plan.
Here are some things we can learn about the heart from the scriptures:

Doctrine & Covenants 64:33-34 "The Lord requireth the heart & a willing mind." Though the heart be a small part of the body, "Out of small things proceedeth that which is great."

Matthew 23:37 "Love the Lord with all thine heart."

Deuteronomy 4:29 "...thou shalt find Him (God), if thou seek him with all thine heart and with all thy soul."

Psalms 69:32 "Your heart shall live that seek God."

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart..."

1 Samuel 7:3 "Prepare your heart unto the Lord."

Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart."

1 Corinthians 2:9 "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither entered into the heart the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."

2 Nephi 31:13 "Follow the Son with full purpose of heart."

Doctrine & Covenants 6:16 "God knows the intents of the heart."

Psalms 24:3,4 "Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart."

Proverbs 2:2 "Apply thy heart to understanding."

Matthew 6:21 "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Ephesians 3:17 "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith..."

Alma 34:27 "Let your heart be drawn out in prayer..."

Doctrine & Covenants 8:2 "Yeah, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart."

Matthew 11:18 "Lay up my words in your heart."

Psalms 64:6 "...both the inward thought...and the heart, is deep."

Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine."

Matthew 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

1 Peter 1:22 "Love one another with a pure heart."

Helaman 12:4 "...they were quick to set their hearts upon the vain things of this world."

Doctrine & Covenants 59:15 "...do these things with cheerful hearts & countenance."

Psalms 147:3 "He healeth the broken heart."

Matthew 11:29 "Be meek & lowly in heart."

Proverbs 15:13 "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance."

3 Nephi 9:20 "And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit."

Mormon 9:27 "Come unto the Lord with all your heart..."

Doctrine & Covenants 25:12 "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart..."

Proverbs 17:3 "The Lord trieth the heart."

Matthew 16:15 "God knoweth your heart."

Proverbs 21:2 "....the Lord pondereth the hearts."

Doctrine & Covenants 11:26 "Treasure up in your heart..."

Mormon 10:3 "...receive these things and ponder it in your heart."

Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he."

Romans 6:4 "Yield your hearts to God."

If you type "heart" into the search engine in the scriptures on lds.org you get 729 results! The condition of our hearts is indeed important to the Lord, and central to His plan.

Elder David A. Bednar gave a great conference address in the November 2007 Ensign on page 80 entitled "Clean Hands and a Pure Heart"
He said that "Hearts are purified as we receive His strengthening power to do good & become better."
It's about what we will do with our lives and what we will become as a result of our choices. It reminds me of the parable of the Ten Virgins, the ones who were prepared had enough oil and to spare to fill their lamps and keep them burning at the late arrival of the Bridegroom. The oil was not to be shared. Neither can the condition of our hearts be shared or changed by anyone but ourselves. It's almost as though our heart is the house in which our soul resides. Only one soul can reside per heart.

We also hear about Zion being the pure in heart. Zion is known to be a spiritual, perfect place. Do you ever yearn for a "Zion" place in these troubled times in which we live? Some place that is safe, and pure and peaceful. I once wrote in my journal, "My soul has constant yearnings to find Zion---but since Zion is the pure in heart I will have to do my best to find Zion in my own heart." How do we find Zion in our own heart? These were some of the thoughts I had of what the perfect Zion in my heart would be:

a heart full of peace
a heart full of forgiveness
a humble heart
a repentant heart
an honest heart, being true to myself, to others, and to God
a true heart, true blue through and through
a loving heart
a faithful heart
a hopeful heart
a joyful heart
a merciful heart
a strong heart
a courageous heart
a willing heart
a meek heart
an open heart
a fearless heart
a charitable heart
an obedient heart

I'm sure the list could go on. As wonderful as it sounds, in our fumbling mortal ways, it seems pretty hard. But if there's one thing I have on that list it is a faithful heart. I believe with all my heart that the Atonement will work for me and it will work for you. I have faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ, that He paid the price. That He is willing to meet me where I am at. As long as I am willingly striving to do all the things I know I should, as long as I am making progress as I pray and study the scriptures and obey the commandments and serve, as long as I am making that line upon line progress, even small, but steady progress, He will be there to meet me on the path. He will lead the way and guide me. Of this I am absolutely certain. Why? Because I have felt His guiding presence in my life often.

I read a really good book, twice, called "The Burning Within" by Danielle Wallace. She said, "The reality of life is found within the heart, within the home, within the arms of a Heavenly Father's embrace." Danielle's trials in life, which were greater than many of us will ever endure, taught her some valuable lessons that I'm sure she would not trade for anything. I learned a ton from reading her story. I could hardly put the book down. It was horrifying and fascinating all at the same time.

I love this quote by Elder Orson F. Whitney:
“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven”
Note he does not omit our Mother in Heaven. The ultimate Queen of Hearts! So, remember, when you are suffering more than seems endurable, that all of it will help us to gain the education that will make us more like Heavenly Father and Mother!

In the post "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall" I talked about our inner beauty. I think it is worth making a note that though man looks on the outward appearance, the Lord looks on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

There are wonderful quotes and sayings about the heart. I've collected a few to share with you.

Your heart is free, have the courage to follow it. -Braveheart
Happiness is in the heart, not the circumstance. -unknown
The mind forgets but the heart always remembers. -anon
The worst prison would be a closed heart. -unknown
Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart. -Confucius
A joyful heart is the inevitable result of a heart burning with love. -Mother Teresa
Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye. -unknown
A smile is a light in the window indicating that the heart is home. -unknown
If you haven't got any charity in your heart you have the worst kind of heart trouble. -Bob Hope
Seeds, like hearts, must open to grow. -Carol Horas
A person's world is only as big as their heart. -Tonya Amore
Smile, it is the key that fits the lock of everyone's heart. -Anthony J D'Angelo
Nobody has ever measured how much the heart can hold. -Zelda Fitzgerald
The heart has eyes which the brain knows nothing of. -Helen Keller
The heart that loves is always young. -Greek proverb
Gratitude is the heart's memory. -French proverb
The mother's heart is the child's school room. -Henry Ward Beecher
All the knowledge I possess everyone can acquire, but my heart is all my own. -Goeth
There is no instinct like that of the heart. -Lord Byron