Homestead Family

It has been almost a year since we have joined the Homestead family. As I study history with my children I realize that our modern day homesteading is not the same as it was in the past where people lived on their land for a predetermined amount of time in order to own the land, and yet I understand that as we live on our land we start to build a bond with our land that helps us to own it in a different sense of the word. We don't know what the future holds for us but the past year has been a year of changes and learning.

When I read the scriptures I feel comfort as I read about the tender mercies of the Lord and as I recognize them in my life. In the Book of Mormon there is a group of people who are following Alma. They have determined to apply the Atonement in their lives and do all they can to keep the commandments of the Lord. However their circumstances become difficult as another group of people find and enslave them. The people however plead with the Lord for help and although their trials are not immediately removed their burdens are made lighter and they are able to bear them.

This is how I feel about my life right now. My husband lost his job at the beginning of the year, and although he has not been able to find full time employment our burdens have been made light and we have felt the constant comfort of the Lord. When our funds run out we are able to find another solution and keep going. I know that Heavenly Father knows us by name and loves us and is helping us through this time. Like the people who followed Alma we do not know how long this particular trial will last but we do know that our Heavenly Father hears our prayers and is lightening our burdens so that we can bear them and continue on.

I am thankful for our homestead and I am thankful that we can feel some independence as we live here off grid. We were able to install our fireplace and now we have the ability to keep our home warm without purchasing propane. We can wash our clothes and hang them on the clothesline to dry. We use our solar energy to run everything except our propane stove and water heater. We have a long way to go to be living off our land, but we have so much that I am super grateful.