6 November 2012

I am thankful for. . .

Our Church Leaders

I am so grateful for the service that is and has been given to us by all of our church leaders. Many of them give countless hours of service to our church for no compensation whatsoever! The things that they have accomplished collectively, as well as individually have been a blessing in my life. I am so grateful to know that there are still people out there that are willing to give so much of themselves and expect nothing in return. 

5 November 2012

I am thankful for. . .

Tithing

The principle of tithing has been a major blessing in my life. The Lord asks that we give Him 10% of our income; if you think about it that really isn't a lot of money and He has promised to bless us exponentially! As I have been away at school, I have had the ability to see this principle in action. I have seen how much I make each check and what my bills are and I am amazed at how I am able to skate by. Things at the grocery store will be on sale; utilities will not cost as much as I had planned, etc. The list goes on! If you think about it, the Lord is the one that has given us everything; is it really that hard for us to give Him back 10%? 

4 November 2012

I'm thankful for. . . .

Stake Conference

I find that I absolutely LOVE Stake Conference; I was able to attend Stake Conference with Jacey, Nic, Sidney, and Dan today. It was so awesome, even though it was in a Married ward, many of the things were/are still applicable in my life as well as many of yours. Enjoy the notes!

Talk #1

Take an inventory of your life and look at all the blessings that we have been given. 

     Read Henry B. Eyrings talk "Oh remember, remember!"

     Pray; thank the Lord for all that He has bestowed upon you. 

     Attend the temple regularly; it will bless your life in so many ways.

     Listen to the prophets words; do all that He asks of us.

Talk #2

Temple attendance can bring about so many blessings/ It will improve your relationships with others and God, help you become more spiritually powerful, and life will feel more manageable. Make temple attendance a priority. 

Talk #3

Every person makes mistakes; especially parenting mistakes. If you hold regular Family Home Evenings not one of your children will 100% go astray from the Gospel. Start now by gathering things for Family Home Evening, be it lessons, games, or treat ideas; make the commitment now to hold Family Home Evening regularly. They do not need to be long or elaborate. It will bring you many blessings; angels will visit your home. 

Talk #4

There are some moral absolutes, one being change! The Lord does not want us to be the same as we were one year ago. We should constantly be growing spiritually. 

By renewing our baptismal covenants by partaking of the Sacrament, we are not taking Christ's name upon us, but rather that we are willing to take His name upon us. We can only take Christ's name upon us in the temple; by participating in temple ordinances. You will find that you are converted to the church by attending the temple. You will change so much by attending the temple regularly. 

Talk #5

There is no such thing as individual exaltation; family is the basics of the church. You will not be exalted without your spouse. The husband is to preside over the family; lovingly guide their families. They will not dictate or have their vote be more than his wife. He will bring the family together for Family Home Evenings, family prayer, or family/spouse scripture study. You can have a celestial marriage by doing the following:

1. "I will make it work" attitude. The couples who divorce, usually have the same problems as those who stay together because they are committed to one another. They are willing to work out their differences and not run from one another. 
2. "Is it I?" principle--are some of the problems in your relationship your spouses fault or your fault? Are you willing to make the changes necessary for your marriage to work? 
3. Morning and evening prayers with your spouse are important. Many couples will not have problems participating in evening prayers with their spouse, it is usually the prayer in the morning. If you make the commitment to prayer every morning and evening with your spouse, you will find that your days will improve. 
4. Make your spouse happy. In a recently taken survey, it was found that they number one thing that made a wife happy was when her husband helped out with the household chores. Do not stop holding hands after you are married, and never be afraid to tell your spouse how much you love them! Do not love "things" more than your spouse. We make a commitment to be loyal to our spouses; pornography is not only toxic waste to our spirituality but it is also being unfaithful to your spouse. Do not participate in this activity. 
5. There must be NO secrets between spouses. If there are, you will find that they will come to bite you when you least expect them to!
6. Do not put off having children because of money or education. You will find that the Lord will bless you with the ability to finish school or have enough money to support a family when you do begin to have children. 
7. Live without debt--stay away from it. You will find that debt will cause many problems in a marriage.
8. Study the scriptures individually and  collectively with your spouse. Study the scriptures on the days that you want to eat (so everyday naturally). Stick to the scriptures; feast upon them and they will tell you all that you need to do.
9. Speak kind works and in kind tones to one another; tell your wife she is beautiful--tell your husband he is handsome. 
10. Be sealed in the temple to one another. It is impossible to have a celestial marriage upon this Earth if you have not been sealed together in the temple for time and all eternity. 

That last talk was obviously geared towards married people, however they are applicable to our dating lives. Keep these in mind and work on the things you know you are having a hard time with--this will help you be one step closer when you do find your eternal companion. 

3 November 2012

I am thankful for...

 Missionary Effort/Work

I am so thankful to those that have chosen to dedicate their time to furthering the Lord's work (nothing against those of us that have not served missions). Some have postponed receiving or finishing their education so that they may spread the Gospel; they are leaving behind worldly things, families, and friends. Many that will come home will have changed so much; they will be better employees, students, sons/daughters, friends, future spouses, and parents. They will find that many of their loved ones will have grown up, however not much will have changed. 

There are currently 58,000 missionaries out there serving the Lord; many more will be joining their ranks due to the age change (boys may now leave at 18 and girls can leave at 19). I have many friends and family members that are out there serving missions right now, and I would like to thank Elder Zach Dustin, Elder Jeremy Brock, Elder Ryan Honey, Elder Jaromy Holland, Elder Jordan Kofurd, Elder John Gillis. I also want to thank those that have already served missions; your service to the Lord will not and has not gone unnoticed. For those of you that are working on your papers or are waiting for them, thank you for being worthy to serve and being willing to "put your life on hold" so to speak, you will find it worth it. Your families will be so blessed while you are serving. 

I always used to get upset when someone would say that missions are hard, and for some it will be their undoing. However, as I began to think about it they are right. Of course I have never served a mission, but I always love hearing mission stories (they fascinate me). If you decide to serve a mission, you will have the mantle of the Lord placed upon you. He will help you do things you would think are impossible, and only through Him are they made possible. You will meet people from all walks of life, be they investigators, members of the ward you are serving, or your companion. You will get to see people come to the knowledge of the Gospel and all it has to offer. It will be incredible. 

The one thing we must all remember though is that missionary work does not end when your mission does; rather it is only the beginning. "Every member a missionary!" We can all further the Lords work by sharing the Gospel with friends, acquaintances, and even complete strangers. We don't need to serve a mission in order to further the work. Strive to lead a Christlike life; live your life so that others want to know why you are different, so that they will want to have that for themselves. You will be surprised just how many people really are watching you!

1 and 2 November 2012

I am so grateful for the Gospel and all that it has done for me. I had the luck of basically being born into a family that was a part of the church. My mother found out she was pregnant with me shortly after her 20th birthday. As soon as she found out, she realized that if she wanted to provide a good life for me that she needed to make some changes in her life. She prayed and prayed to Heavenly Father that He might help her in raising this child all by herself.

Fast-forward a few years. . .

My mother met the her husband in Biology 100 at UAA in Anchorage, Alaska. He was the one that was able to share the Gospel with my mother and therefore myself as well (I was like 2 when this happened). She went through the discussions and found that she did in fact believe that Joseph Smith did restore the gospel to this Earth after praying to Heavenly Father. She became baptized into the church and shortly thereafter she married my dad.

I learned through my Dad's example that church was important. When I was little my Dad was very prone to migraines (he still is), however I remember him getting us up for 9 AM church every Sunday morning. Even though he didn't feel good, he knew that we needed to be at church. Later, when I was deciding whether to be baptized I remember my Dad telling me that I was making a commitment to my Heavenly Father by joining His church. If I chose to become baptized I was making the commitment to be a good Latter-day Saint; that I would from then on be a representative of Christ.

I am so grateful that I chose to do so. I have the sure knowledge that Christ did die for all of us on the cross and that He did in fact rise again on the third morning. I know that even though God's church was not on the Earth after the Apostasy, it was in fact restored by Joseph Smith. I know that if I do everything that I am asked to by my Heavenly Father; if I do not shirk on my duties, that I will have eternal life with the companion of MY choosing. These things I know, as well as many more because of I made the decision as an 8 year old child to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I have never regretted making that decision, nor will I ever do so.

28 October 2012

Ward Conference

Bishop Zalanka

You never know the impact you have on people. You are constantly being watched by others whether you know it or not, so you must be a good representative of Christ's church; be approachable so that if people have questions, they feel comfortable coming to you to ask. 

Look to the leaders of our church for advice. Recently we just got to listen to the Apostles and Prophet's words of wisdom; go back and read their words for answers to questions. Have a thankful heart for all that they do for us. Their words are truly inspired by God--they are for US!

Sister Wilkinson

Have my shoes taken me anywhere that I might be able to bear testimony of Christ? Your feet take you many places--school, church, work, the temple, or to do your home/visiting teaching, etc. 

In the Bible, Christ washed His Apostles feet to show that He was willing to do anything for them and that He expected them to do the same for Him. Mary washed Christ's feet with her tears. 

Will our feet be calloused in the last days because of our efforts to serve others? Will we have done all we were asked to do? 

President Wilkinson

Are we valiant in our testimony of Christ? Those in the Terrestial kingdom will have been valiant in their testimony's of Christ, but not of the Father. They will have paid their tithing, gone to church, etc. To reach the Celestial kingdom, we must have courage in every day life--a fundamental courage. Have faith in the Lord in big things, as well as the little things. 

We have a need for courage; we receive feedback on all things from the world but nothing for spiritual nourishment. If you were to go and look at the Top 40 Music Hits right now, you would be hard-pressed to find any song with lyrics that are appropriate. Now short of cutting all worldly things out of our lives, we can learn to balance worldly things with spiritual things. After watching a television show, ask everyone to whip out their phones/scriptures and read a scripture on something that might have been presented (Word of Wisdom, benefits of keeping the law of chastity, etc.) Have the courage to suggest watching the Bible videos on LDS.org or something along those lines) Take the opportunity to bear your testimony whenever possible; have the courage for the little things (for those are what truly matter). 

President Robinson

Improve spiritually by being modest and by being sexually pure (Stake goal)

The Lord misses us, He wants all of us to come home to Him. Are we doing all that we can do to return to the Lord? It's the little things that we need to focus on continually. God is in the details of our lives; we do not need to wait until something major is going on in our lives to ask for His help. Instead we should be asking Him for help in all that we do, literally in every little thing. He loves us and wants to know what is happening in our lives at all time!

We are loved; our Bishoprics are in constant contact with the Stake Presidency about what is going on in our lives. They love and care for us; we must remember to return the favor. 

14 October 2012

Sacrament Meeting

If we exercise even a particle of faith, our testimony will grow. The Lord will sometimes push your faith to the limit before fulfilling promised blessings. We must continue to nourish our faith; read your scriptures, pray, follow the prompting of the Holy Ghost. 

Look for the good in others, stop wasting time by tearing other people down. Remember what is truly important in life; is being a successful career woman (not that there is anything wrong with being a successful career woman) important or is being there for your kids/raising the next generation important. Do not allow things or events dictate your happiness. If you are going to school, love it! Do not bash on it saying that you can't wait to graduate, but rather enjoy every experience that you have while going. If you are single, don't be down and melancholy about it, but rather enjoy all the things that you can do. "Don't count the days, make the days count." If you go through life counting the days, you will never stop to truly enjoy them, whereas if you were to wake up each day and try to do something meaningful or worthwhile, your days will be completely different. External circumstances should not dictate our happiness, we dictate our happiness (Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

October 2012 General Conference Sunday Session

Elder Robert D. Hales
A Christian has faith in Christ, and believes in His Atonement. To be a Christian, you must take upon you the name of Christ, be baptized, and receive the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands.

Remember that the Godhead is composed of three separate beings (God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost) that are all united in one purpose; helping us receive exaltation.

As Christians today, we are called upon to forsake our nets as Peter and Paul did and go spread forth the gospel. We must forsake our sins; repent and leave them at the door. In times of hardships, we must have faith and NOT return to our old habits. Come, recognize and follow the Lord's voice. "Feed my lands, feed my sheep." We feed his lands by praying, reading our scriptures, and following His commandments; we feed his sheep by completing our home/visiting teaching, serving missions, fulfilling callings, etc.

Christ taught that Christians cannot contend with other Christians; we must forgive others of their trespasses. Remember we have no right to judge/cast judgement upon others, that is Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ's job. Every person will be justly dealt with in the eternities so do not let that hold you back.

Christians endure to the end; Christ continued to follow the Lord's commandments until the day He was crucified. We must do the same, if He could endure through all the things He did then we can surly make it through our life. Remember to call upon Them to help you, they want you to make it but we have to ask for their help.

Elder Richard G. Scott
Every prophet since Joseph Smith has stressed the importance of Family History and Temple work. Everyone can do at least one of two parts of genealogy; if you are not close to a temple then you can prepare or index names, if you are close to the temple then you need to go as often as possible to preform the work for those that have passed on.

What a shame it is for those on the other side that must wait for their ordinances to be performed after they have accepted the Gospel. If you have too many names for you to do, allow others to help you perform the work.

You don't have to be a Genealogist to do genealogical work; there are people that will help you if you need it. Be a part of this powerful work, do not shirk your duty!

 Russell Oglethorpe
We must act for ourselves and help others do so as well. Spiritual growth is not a sudden thing but rather a gradual process. It is the same learning for ones self as it is when helping others, we must apologize.

We draw on sacred texts to build up testimony's, whether for ourselves or others. The Book of Mormon works hand in hand with the Bible, The Doctrine and Covenants, Teaching: No Greater Call, etc. so we must use them. Return home and ponder on the things that we have learned and then ask the Lrod to help you understand all that was/has been taught.

Marcus B. Nash
Our mortal journey is a perilous one. We must have faith to anchor ourselves when times are rough. Faith brings us the power of the Lord when we are in need. We must remember that nothing is impossible with the Lord's power/help. The Lord will answer all our please within His time. We must take on the shield of faith; remember that fear and doubt come from Satan. Faith will succeed and overpower all.

 Look unto Christ in all things; "doubt not, fear not." Do not let fear stop you from accomplishing the impossible. The Lord will give us power and protection based on our faith. Our futures are as bright as our faith.

Daniel L. Johnson
We declared ourselves disciples of Christ by becoming baptized and confirmed members of this church. We renew this promise every week by partaking of the sacrament. This is the beginning of a lifelong challenge of trying to become like Christ. This is not an easy task' there are many forces acting against us, however we must remember that trials and hardships are given to us so that we might grow and learn.

The greatest test is what we do when we are in dire straights; do we wallow and give up or do we rely upon the Lord to help us? Do we become obedient to all that He commands us to do?

Don R. Clarke
Sacrament meeting and specifically the passing of the Sacrament is time for us to reflect and think of Christ; it is the most important meeting of the day according to Spencer W. Kimball.

When we partake of the Sacrament, we are renewing our covenants. The Sacrament prayers are a reminder of this; memorization of these prayers can allow you to understand them more readily.

We should come to Sacrament meeting with questions/problems that you need help with. Humbly ask the Lord so that He may help you, teach you. Partake of His knowledge that He is ready to share.

David A. Bednar
A testimony is a gift from God and is readily available to all those who seek one. True conversion is a change in ones very nature; anyone readily willing can achieve conversion. The Book of Mormon contains many stories of conversion (Alma the older and younger, Samuel the Lamanite) and the Bible does as well (Malachi, Simon-Peter, Saul-Paul).

Conversion requires patience and endurance. A testimony is what starts ones initial conversion, however it is not enough to withstand all trials. You must be truly converted to the gospel in order to surpass all trials. Be converted to the Lord and His doctrine wholeheartedly. Knowing the Gospel is the heart of a/your testimony while living the Gospel is the heart of a/your conversion. We must know AND live the Gospel. It is our responsibility to continue to develop your testimony as well as continue upon our conversion process.

Thomas S. Monson
Many truths have been taught and re-emphasized. Go back and read the talks that were given more thoroughly; learn all that you can. Emulate Christ's example so that you can return to live with your Father again.

The Book of Mormon

Last Sunday I was approached by the First Counselor in my Branch Presidency asking my if I would give a talk the following Sunday. He said that it was "Bring Your Friend to Church" (we are always allowed to bring friends to church, however this is a specific Sunday that is greared more towards people that are not of our faith) and that my talk should fall within those lines. So I went and took a look at some Ensigns and decided that I wanted to talk about the Book of Mormon. What could be a better topic than to cover some of the things people disagreed with of the Book of Mormon, and to explain why it is so important to us.

The Book of Mormon has often been referred to as the keystone of our religion; but for those of other faiths it is often a source of contention. Many people think that this was a book that was entirely made up by Joseph Smith, an uneducated man; they will say “A Bible, a Bible, we have a Bible.” But what they fail to understand is that The Book of Mormon is not another Bible, but rather it is another testament of Jesus Christ. When writing my talk, I decided to work from several different articles and have broken it up into two topics that branch out.

First

A Witness with the Bible

In 2 Corinthians 13:1 it states that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” The Book of Mormon and the Bible are both testaments of Christ and the principles that were taught by Him. Elder Russell M. Nelson said that “scriptural witnesses authenticate each other. This concept was explained long ago when a prophet wrote that the Book of Mormon was ‘written for the intent that ye may believe [the Bible]; and if ye believe [the Bible] ye will believe [the Book of Mormon] also’ [Mormon 7:9]. Each book refers to the other. Each book stands as evidence that God lives and speaks to His children by revelation to His prophets.”

Here are some of the fundamental doctrines that are taught in the Bible and have an additional witness in the Book of Mormon.

We have a Loving Father in Heaven

Acts 17:28 “For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”

Psalms 82:6 says “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”

Now turn to The Book of Mormon and it will say:

1 Nephi 11:17 “I know that [God] loveth his children.

In 1 Nephi 17:36 “Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it.”

Resurrection

Job 19:26: “That though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.”

Ezekiel 37:12 “Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.”

In the Book of Mormon we read:

2 Nephi 9:4 “I know that ye know that our flesh must waste away and die; nevertheless, in our bodies we shall see God.”

Alma 40:23 “The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.”

Blessings and Obedience

Deuteronomy 6:24-25 “And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the Lord our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive...And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments.”

These same teachings are mirrored in the Book of Mormon;

Mosiah 2:22 “He has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.”

Tithing

Malachi 3:10 “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house.”

Turning back to the Book of Mormon we will see

Alma 13:15 “It was this same Melchizedek to whom Abraham paid tithes; yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed.”

Baptism and Holy Ghost

John 3:5 “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

Both principles are taught in the Book of Mormon as well,

3 Nephi 27:20 “Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day.”

Atoned for Our Sins

Matthew 26:28 “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

It was prophesied in the Book of Mormon that, “Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit.” (2 Nephi 2:7)

Bore our Sorrows

Isaiah 53:4 “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.”

This is again reconfirmed in the Book of Mormon in Alma 7:11-12 where it says “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind;…that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.”

Prophets

Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”

Biblical people had a prophet as did the people that were on what is now the American continent.

1 Nephi 22:2 “By the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets.”

The Twelve

Luke 6:13 “He called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.”

After Christ’s resurrection, He came to the America’s to establish His church so that the gospel might be spread across the world. In 3 Nephi 12:1 Christ stated: “Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you.”

Second

The Keystone of our Religion

According to President Ezra Taft Benson, The Book of Mormon is “the most significant gifts given to the world in modern times. . . [It] is more important than any of the inventions that have come out of the industrial and technological revolutions. [It] is a gift of greater value to mankind than even the many wonderful advances we have seen in modern medicine. It is of greater worth to mankind than the development of flight or space travel.”

 In the Doctrine and Covenants, Christ bears witness to seven truths of The Book of Mormon:

First Christ bares his testimony of the Book of Mormon and tells us that it is a divine gift in Doctrine and Covenants 17:6 “And he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true.”

Second, Christ tells us that the Book of Mormon does in fact contain truth and His words. Doctrine and Covenants 19:26 states “And again, I command thee that thou shalt not covet thine own property, but impart it freely to the printing of the Book of Mormon, which contains the truth and the word of God—“

Third, we are told that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God. Doctrine and Covenants 20:8 says “And gave him power from on high, by the means which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon;”

Fourth, we are told that the Book of Mormon does contain the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In Doctrine and Covenants 20:9 is states “Which contains a record of a fallen people, and the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;”

Fifth, the Lord reveals that the Book of Mormon was given by inspiration and confirmed by the ministering of angels in Doctrine and Covenants 20:10.

Sixth, we learn that the Book of Mormon gives evidence that holy scriptures are true in Doctrine and Covenants 20:11 by saying “Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are true, and that God does inspire men and call them to his holy work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old;”

Finally, we are told that those who receive the Book of Mormon in faith shall receive eternal life in Doctrine and Covenants 20:14.

The prophet Joseph Smith was the first person to say that the Book of Mormon is the keystone of the Mormon religion. He testified that “the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion.” The Book of Mormon is the keystone of our witness of Christ; our doctrine, and of our testimony.

President Ezra Taft Benson stated:

“The Book of Mormon is the keystone in our witness of Jesus Christ, who is Himself the cornerstone of everything we do. It bears witness of His reality with power and clarity . . . the Book of Mormon came from writer to reader in just one inspired step of translation. Therefore, the testimony of the Master is clear, undiluted, and full of power. But it does even more . . . The Book of Mormon teaches in plain and unmistakable terms about the truth of [His miraculous birth, His perfect life, and the reality of His glorious Resurrection. It also provides the most complete explanation of the doctrine of the Atonement. Truly, this divinely inspired book is a keystone in bearing witness to the world that Jesus is the Christ.”

I would like to bear my testimony that I know this Church is true; I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God and that he leads and guides righteously. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God; I know that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon only through the power of God. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

16 September 2012

Sacrament Meeting

Tithing

God's purpose in giving us commandments is not to punish us but rather to bless us. We need to be able to obey the commandments that our Heavenly Father has given us so that we might be able to God's and Goddess's of our own worlds. If we cannot obey the commandments given to us here, we will feel inadequate in the Celestial kingdom and thus we will be placed in a lower Kingdom.

The blessings that come from paying our tithing can be temporal and they can be spiritual; it depends upon what we NEED. By paying tithing we will be prepared to pay the higher law in eternity.

Tithing will help us to achieve the blessings we are in need of. When my parents were first married money was really tight; Daddy was a car salesman (pay was based on commission) and unfortunately not many people were buying cars at the time. There were bills to pay, money needed to buy food, and tithing to pay. Food was bought and all of the bills were paid except for one; my parents were faced with a choice of either paying the bill off or paying their tithing. My parents decided to pay their tithing and within the next couple of days they received a random check in the mail for the exact amount of their bill that was in need of being paid. My parents had an immense amount of faith that Heavenly Father was going to provide for them and because of that, they were rewarded. Tithing is a great blessing to us; it can give us the confidence that we need to know that the Lord will bless us.

Those that pay their tithing help us to love our Heavenly Father more. Blessings come from obeying commandments that are hard!  If you want to be happy you must pray, pay your tithing, study, and attend all your meetings. When you pay an honest tithe, it is an exercise of faith.

By being obedient, we are freeing ourselves to receive the blessings our Heavenly Father wants to shower upon us.

Faith

What is faith? The Fourth Article of Faith states that we must first have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Bible Dictionary is says "Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true, and must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation. To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone."

It does not take money to pay tithing but rather faith. Just because we pay our tithing does not mean that we will ever go hungry--we pay our tithing because of faith. When a farmer plants his seeds, he must have faith that they will grow into crops to harvest; when a God gives us children he is trusting that we will take care of them and raise them righteously. It is easy to say you will have faith, however when we are placed into situations that are meant to test our faith how will we react? We must remember that these tests of faith are to increase our faith and see what we are capable of.

We must remember that we chose to come here; we understood the big picture. While we are here, Satan is fightingso hard to destroy our faith so that we will not be able to return to live with our Heavenly Father; he wants us to be miserable like unto himself.

By small and simple things the Lord brings great things to pass. It takes faith for us to even follow the commandments; the world tells us that we shouldn't keep the Word of Wisdom or that it's okay to have pre-marital sex. We keep the commandments that the Lord gives us because He told us to--we have faith that we will be blessed in the end with eternal life for doing so. The more times you exercise your faith the easier it becomes. The Lord has given us many talents--these talents can make exercising our faith so much easier. We must be careful not to forget to see the Lord's hand in our lives; we must remember that man is nothing compared to God.

Doctrine and Covenants 121: 44-46 state:
   "That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.
     Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine fo the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.
    The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion and thy scepter an unchaging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever."

My Temple

This past week temples have really been on my mind. It's been six months since I have been able to attend the temple (right now my closest temple is 300 miles away) and I sorely miss it. I know that a temple is a temple, they all have the same purpose, but there are some that I seem drawn to more than others.

When I was in highschool my favorite temple was the San Diego temple; in Young Women's we made tiled pictures of our favorite temples and every time I was sad, depressed, or needing a lift up I would look at that picture and know that every thing would be okay. It was the temple that I wanted to be sealed for time and all eternity to my future husband. When I moved to Utah, I packed my picture in my carry on to ensure that nothing happened to my picture. I always have it in room so that I can be reminded the importance of a temple marriage.




San Diego Temple

 When I was visiting in Arizona I had the privilege of being able to do Baptisms for the Dead at the Mesa, Arizona temple. Let me preface this, before going there I had only been in four other temples. They were all beautiful, however I had never claimed them as MY temple. That place was still held by the San Diego temple, even though I had never actually seen it in person. However that all changed the second I stepped into the baptistry at the Mesa temple. Never before have I felt such a sense of peace and homecoming as I did when I stepped in that room; it was truly humbling! I immediately knew that THIS was my temple and always would be.

Mesa, Arizona temple

When I was a little girl, my parents were sealed in the Portland, Oregon temple. At the time, that was the closest temple. I was 3 years old when they were married in a civil ceremony; to this day, I remember nothing of the ceremony at all and I was their flower girl (my mother is a convert to the church). However, when they were sealed in the temple when I was 5 I remember everything, looking into the mirrors of eternity, and really being a family. It still brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

Portland, Oregon temple

Growing up I remembered that feeling of happiness and new that I would only be married in temple, at the right time, in the right place, by the right authority, and to the many of MY choosing! In the past six months I have had 6 friends that have been married in the temple; unfortunately because I am not endowed I was not able to be there for the actual ceremony (for 5 of these marriages I wasn't even in the state). They are all so happy, I'm not saying that their lives are going to be easy just because they were sealed in the temple, however they know that they will be sealed to their families for time and all eternity. I cannot wait for when it is my turn to experience that, and I will be lucky enough to have my family and friends with me.

The Blessings of Hearing from our Beloved Prophet and Apostles

181st Annual General Conference

April 2nd, 2011

Saturday Morning Session

Thomas S. Monson:

         

Three new temples are to be built; one in Colorado, one in Idaho and one in Winnepeg, Canada.

Welfare programs; Aide in Japan after the earthquake, scooters for those who don't have cars and need to go places that are too far to walk too. Overall, there has been 40,000 hours of service that has been done for those in Japan.

Misionary work is the lifeblood of the kingdom. Good job to those of you that are out there serving your mission boys!!!!

L. Tom Perry:

Treasure reading the New Testament, relish in it!

"Be thou an example of the believers..."

Remember to keep the Sabbath Day holy. There are suppose to be 6 days of work, and the seventh is a day of rest. God even told the people of Israel this as well.

"...if ye remember me, ye shall have my spirit to be with you..."

Keep yourself unspotted.

Go to the house of prayer.

Rest from our labors.

When your Sunday dress begins to deteriorate, our words and actions will quickly follow as well.

On the Sabbath, you are to give up your sins, you are to confess them.

Be willing to always remember Him, keep His commandments and He will always be with you, no matter what!

Satan wins when you cease to follow the Lord.

Parents are to instill in their children to be examples of the believers; to arise and shine forth, that their lights will be a standard to the nations.

Keep the Sabbath day holy!

Jean A. Stevens:

There is so much that you can learn from little children. Christ was the first to tell us that we must be lke children.

What can we learn from children? They are the first to love, the first to forgive, they are the most perceptive to the Holy Ghost, and they are teachable.

The simple testimony of little children can make a vast change on any of us.

Little children's optimism is contagious, it spreads like wildfire.

Become like a child; submissive, meek, patient and full of love.

The Savior spoke with the little childen, He prayed for them, and told their parents to "behold" them.

God gave us families to help us become who we are. Childen can help you change-for the better.

Walter F. Gonzalez:

Righteousness has come from heaven' truthfulness has come from the earth to testify of Christ.

We follow Christ because of love; in this, we are exemplifying Christ.

Under any circumstances we must follow Christ. If we do, He will be there for us always!

"Lovest thou me? Then follow me." ~Christ

We must follow and keep the commandments, just like Christ.

Even in heaven, we made covenants. Making covenants shows our love for Christ when kept. Keeping the covenants, reading scriptures and attending the temple shows our love.

We are happier when we follow the Lord.

Kent F. Richards:

Pain is a gauge of our healing process. Pain helps us become more patient. The healing of spiritual matters is much like physically healing after surgery. Someone else inflicts the pain upon us, but we

must do the actual healing.

The Atonement was given to us to help us heal, whether it is because other's have sinned against us, or we have sinned ourselves.

Christ healed all, no one was or is turned away. All souls can be healed through Christ.

Behold ye are little children, you cannot bear all things. We must patiently wait to be healed.

Quentin L. Cook:

"Our LDS women are incredible." Women in any faith are proven to be more faithful.

"We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us and we love Him..."

Much of what we do is from women's selfless acts.

Sister's play a key role, whether it's in the family or in the church. We may not be economically paid, but we as women are richly blessed. LDS women are unique in that we are satisfied with the church leadership, we do not ask for more.

In the church, when women are given more demanding callings, the husband will be given a less demanding role/calling so that he may be there for the family.

No woman should ever apologize for being a mother; for putting their lives on hold so that they may raise their children.

No blessing with ever be withheld from single women.

Be thankful for all women in your life: mothers, sisters, grandmothers, aunts, friends, leaders, etc.

Henry B. Eyring:

God loves His children. He hears the prayers of everyone, but especially those who are hungry, poor, needy, etc. He feels their pain and the compassion from those that want to help.

God has invited and commanded us to lift up those in need.

"Have I Done Any Good (Hymn)?"

"When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God."

Everyone feels happier when they can be there for/help themselves, their family and others.

You cannot give a crust without receiving a loaf.

The Lord reunites us with those that we are working with as we are serving.

Draw your family to work with you.

Follow the scriptural demand to look for someone to serve/help.

Service Project

1. Prepare yourself
2. Choose people within the kingdom or in the community who need help the most!
3. Ask for help from auxilaries, be united, for the unity will last long after the project has ended.

This session of General Conference was very moving. I had the privilege of getting to be in the third row of seating for this session. Even though my friends and I were late, we ended up getting better seating then we were supposed to in the first place. It was truly a miracle, and incredible! I am so thankful to have been able to attend this session as well as the Sunday afternoon session. I will post my notes from that session tomorrow. Thank you to those who have taken the time to read my notes. I am afraid I didn't do the talks justice, but alas I am only human.

The Blessings of Hearing from our Beloved Prophet and Apostles Continued

181st Annual General Conference

April 3rd, 2011

Sunday Afternoon Session

Richard G. Scott:

Two vital things to help Heavenly Father's plan: marriage and family.

Boys, show some ingenuity!!!!

Express your love, whether they "know it" or not. The reassurance does wonders for any person!

Be willing to give in; this will help to prevent many fights.

As a mother, you have been given the divine right to be mothers, nurture your children.

Have faith in the covenants, keep them so that the Lord can bless you.

D. Todd Christofferson:

It's not enough to go through the motions, you must/need to be willing to change.

Christ asks us to give Him our lives, we must dedicate ourselves to Him.

We must be willling to let Him correct us; let the Lord re-direct our paths to the right course if we have deviated.

As parents, you must teach your children by the commandments.

We must be tried of everything so that we may be able to hehold His glory. Put your trust in the Lord and you will be lifted up in the last days.

Thank you Mr. Gardner for cutting me back so that I may grow!!!! (Currant bush story)

Correction can come through others such as prophets, apostles, stake presidents and patriachs, and bishops. Correction may come from your spouse (Richard G. Scott story about looking at people in the eyes when talking to them). Parents can and must chasten/correct their children.

If we refuse correction, people-God or others-will cease to offer correction.

We must be willing to self-correct. Don't be overly critical, but know what you need to work on.

Carl B. Pratt:

We are taught by the example set by our parents.

The Lord remembers His promises, especially to those who pay a full tithe.

Let us not be accuse of cheating the Lord, pay your tithing first, before anything else, and not last. If you do so, everything that needs to be paid for, will be paid for!

Tithing isn't a matter of money, but rather it is about faith. The Lord will not always be monetary, but what we need most.

The Lord teaches us to live within our means on 90% of our income instead of 100%.

Tithing is a good prevention of divorce. Regular tithe payers are charitable and possessors of the pure love of Christ.

Lynn G. Robbins:

To be or not to be..."that is a great question!"

We must pray for faith, but we must have faith to pray.

To do's can be checked off or done, however to be's cannot be done, they must be you!

How can parents instill "to be's" in their children? Instead of congratulating your child on good grades, congratulate them on having the diligence to receive such grades. Children can learn through discipline, which come from the same root as disciple.

Our children are God's children.

Discuss Christlike attributes from your personal or family scripture study.

Be the example for your children that you want them to be.

Benjamin de Hoyos:

The name of the church was not chosen by man, but rather it was given to us from the Lord.

Even Christ had to suffer pain and trials as they come with little complaint.

C. Scott Grow:

The Savior's Atonement is available to all. He wants us to return to live with Him again.

Without the Atonement, the Plan of Happiness would not work.

The Lord not only heals the transgressor, but also the innocent who were sinned against.

Repent so you don't have to suffer for something that Christ has already suffered for. Forsake your sins!

Jeffrey R. Holland:

No one is assigned a talk; all speakers fas, pray, work, and re-work their talks, being guided by the Holy Spirit until each talk is considered "perfect." Each speaker is like a mortal messenger for angelic speakers.

Spread forth the gospel to members and non-members, children and adults, friends and family.

The gospel is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable.

-Harold B. Lee

Be ye therefore perfect as thy Father who art in heaven.

*Bedlamites=little child (Jeffrey R. Holland)

Thomas S. Monson:

May we long remember the messages we have heard.

The Future

Facing the Future with Faith

Russell M. Nelson

"We live to die, and we die to live again." When I first heard this saying, it didn't seem to make any sense, but as I thought about it some more, it makes complete sense. God gave us the chance to come down here to earth, experience life, trials, etc. and then die so that we could return to live with Him for forever.

"All that the future holds in store for each sacred child of God will be shaped by his or her parents, family, friends, and teachers. Thus, our faith now becomes part of our posterity's faith later." You must have faith, but you also must show it. Whether you realize it or not, you are an example to everyone, to your family, your friends, acquaintances and even perfect strangers. They are always watching you, waiting to see what it is that you will do. Live your life with faith. 

"We live in a time of turmoil." Satan is trying his hardest to bring us down. On those that have more faith, he works even harder to break them, causing them to have more trials. But no matter what, know that the Lord does not give us more than we can handle. Trials that seem daunting will soon pass, but you must trust in the Lord, you have to let him help you. He suffered on the cross for us, He know every sin that I have committed, every pain, every sorrow, He has felt it all. Don't let Satan win!

"You parents bear the primary responsibility to strengthen their faith. Let them feel your faith, even when sore trials come upon you...Teach that faith with deep conviction." As I said before, you are always being watched, you are an example, but the question is, are you a good example or a poor example? I never had realized just how much my little brother and sister were watching me, learning and doing what I was doing. Looking back now, I wish I had set a better example for them. They still are watching me and copying my actions, now I just hope that I am setting a better example for them. It seems funny because siblings always seem to pick up on the negative actions that I have set before them, not the good, but then again people only ever seem to remember the bad and have a harder time remembering the good.

"Teach that our sojourn in mortality is a period of probation, a time of trial and testing to see if we will do whatever the Lord commands us to do. . .picking and choosing will not work." You have a choice, it is black and white, there is no grey, you can either keep or break the commandments. It's as simple as that.

"Obedience allows God's blessings to flow without constraint." If you cannot follow the little things such as praying, reading your scriptures, keeping the commandments, then how is the Lord supposed to trust you with bigger things such as being God's and Goddess's of our own worlds? Plain and simple he can't, if we want the Lord to trust us, we must obey His commandments without question!

"God's holy angels are ever on call to help us. . .'I will go before your face. I will be on you right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.'" No matter what, Christ will be there for me. He wants me to be happy; He wants me to let go of all my anger, frustration, the hate, the anguish. He has suffered all these pains and doesn't want me to hurt anymore. Trails are given to us to make us stronger, it's not to make us feel like we are not good enough!

"Unfailing faith is fortified through prayer." All the time that I was going through my trial, I couldn't help but think that I wasn't good enough, that the Lord didn't love me, that I was nothing. I quickly let my faith dwindle. Sure I still went to church, but the little things seemed to fade away, they didn't seem to matter at all. It was not until I went to school this last year, until I started surrounding myself with people that had been doing the little things. I could see the light shining in their eyes, and I wanted that for myself. For the first time in years, I realized how unhappy I was, how much I disliked the person I had become. And I knew that I needed to make some changes, the first being that I needed to start with the little things again. I needed to read my scriptures, say my prayers before I could even begin to work on forgiving those that have hurt me so much in the past. I know for a fact that the little things do in fact help. I never once faded in my church attendance, but my faith was not as strong as it could be. Now, I do my reading consistently, I can always tell when I have forgotten to do my scriptures/spiritual study, or forgotten to say a prayer.

"Know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." What am I to learn from my trials? I have always known that my Heavenly Father loves me, but now I know the Lord has been there to comfort me when every tear has been shed, every bad thought about myself, He's been there through it all!



"Why do we need such resilient faith? Because difficult days are ahead." Every day we are battered by what other people think and believe. Satan works his hardest against those that the Lord's hardest workers, His most faithful followers. Whenever you are having a hard time, a bad day, etc, ask yourself, does you day suck or does your attitude suck?

"Strength comes when you remember that you have a divine nature, an inheritance of infinite worth." I know now that I am good enough; I am so very loved by my Heavenly Father. He knows my sorrows, He knows my pains, my fears, my afflictions. I know that I am a beloved daughter of God. His greatest wish is for me to return to live with Him again. He wants me to be happy, He wants me to feel my self-worth. I thank Him every day for sending my friends to me that have helped me through all the dark times, the sad times and the good times. I am so lucky.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Elder and Sister Wood's Address to the Fairbanks YSAs

"Expect the unexpected. . ."

Right now, Africa is the place to be. The gospel is spreading like wildfire over there. Newly converted people are immediately sharing the gospel with all their friends and family members. New units/wards are being made every week, boundaries are being reconfigured daily. In the one year that President and Sister Wood were in Johannesburg, Africa, there were 28 baptism sessions that occurred with multiple people being baptized each time. Investigator classes always had at least 15 people if not more in them. In the building that the Wood's were supposed to meet, there were 180 members in a room that is normally used for 60 middle school aged children.

Fun Facts:
Outside of Johannesburg, there are little villages that are called townships. One of the townships, Etwatwa is where the Wood's frequented and many of their stories are from there. Etwatwa means machine gun. The unemployment rate in Africa is 80%. There is no trash pick-up, all of the trash is lined up along the road, left anywhere, and once in a while people will go and light all the trash on fire and burn all of the trash. The temple was a five minute walk from the mission area home, so the Wood's were able to attend the temple every week regularly and they had the privilege of being Ordinance workers every week for six months as well.
In Africa, your immediate family is important, but your extended family is as well. Children, even if they are adults, must obey their parents and families rules until they are married. There was a girl that had been investigating the church and had made the decision to become baptized. The night before she was to be baptized, her father told her that while she lives within the walls of his home, she was not allowed to be baptized into any other faith than one her family attends because he did not want conflicting viewpoints in his home. When she is married, she will have the freedom to make the decision to be baptized if she still wishes too, but not before than. She was not baptized that day, however she has faithfully attended every meeting still and is currently dating a member.
Men have to pay a 'bride-price' or a dowry which ranges from $2000 to $20,000 before they can marry the woman of their choice. New converts understand that they do need to get married, start a family, etc. however they have to wait longer so that they can pay this 'bride-price' to marry the woman that they want to spend eternity with.
Hope comes through Christ. In Moroni 7:40--41, it says:
"And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope?
And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise."
Ether 12:4 says:
"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might what surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

When you are not keeping the commandments, you will not have access to the Spirit. The Spirit cannt dwell in unclean temples.

Sunday thoughts, jots, and tittles. . .

Sacrament Meeting:
A little over a month ago was the first time I had been to the temple in almost five years. Every time a temple trip would come up, I would always have a reason not to go, volleyball, prom, school project, didn't have a ride, etc. Looking back now, I realize that they were nothing but a bunch of excuses. I wish that I had taken advantage of those temple trips before. When I walked into the Provo temple, the first feeling that assaulted me was a sense peace quickly followed by this feeling of Heavenly Father welcoming me back. It felt amazing, I knew then that my Heavenly Father loves me very much, and He is so happy that I now know that, that I know what my Individual Worth is.

We need to learn to be in the world, but not of it. The New York temple is located in the middle of the city, surrounded by sky scrappers and other buildings, with people protesting outside and cabs honking. But as soon as you step onto temple grounds, it's as if those things don't even matter, as if you can't hear anything but the sound of the spirit.

Joseph Smith did many things, but what he was best at was listening. If he hadn't listened to the spirit when reading James 1:5, he never would have restored the church to the Earth, we wouldn't have the blessings of the temple or the priesthood. Listening can be the easiest thing to do, but it can also be the hardest thing to do. People always want to share their news and talk, but people need to listen to be of help. After listening however, you must take action.

Sunday School:
Christ compares the Pharisees to being like a cup that is clean on the outside but dirty on the inside.
Matthew 21: 17-22; The fig tree gives the illusion of bearing fruit.
John 12:1-8; Judas was giving the illusion that he cared and was worried about the poor.
Matthew 21:1-11; Christ doesn't put on any pretenses. For Him, it was what it was; he was humble and meek. Christ rode a colt, the son of a donkey, the most humble of ways, to come into Jerusalem. This was a representation of who Christ is and was.
Matthew 21: 23-27; Fear of man, not God.
Matthew 21:28-32; The first son, there was no deception, there was no expectations whereas the second son said he would go and do and then did not. When we make covenants, and then balk on them when it comes down to it, God does not take that lightly. Intentions are great, but the must be followed through.

"There is so much good in the worst of us, there is so much bad in the best of us that it behooves us not to talk about the rest of us."


Young Women's:
In this life, through our journey, Heavenly Father doesn't want us to wing it, he wants us to plan it out and be prepared.

Accepting Jesus Christ isn't something that comes right off the bat, it is something that takes a lifetime to achieve.
The Lord cannot allow the slightest degree of tolerance when it comes to sin. We cannot be allowed into the Celestial Kingdom if we are sinners.
Heavenly Father has devised a plan in which he can maximize the number of children that can return to live with Him again.
Your body is like a recording device, it changes with each decision that we make. When we are resurrected, our body will reflect every decision that we have made here on Earth, what is it that my body will reflect?
To live in the Celestial Kingdom, you must be baptized, confirmed a member of the church and then married/sealed in the temple. Whether these are done in person, or done by proxy, it must be done. Everyone has the right to choose if they want to accept the gospel or not.

t|e|s|t|i|m|o|n|y

Given that today was Fast and Testimony in Sacrament meeting instead of the usual post of notes and impressions I'm just going to bear my testimony.

I know that my Heavenly Father loves me so very much. For so long I have struggled with this concept, after everything I have done, after everything I have been through, I always used to think who could love me of all people. But now that has changed, I know that He knows all my pains, my sorrows, my afflictions. He knows every little thing about me, good or bad.
I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God and that he translated the Book of Mormon. I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet of God and that he leads and guides us today.
The law of tithing is a true principle, the Lord only asks us to pay 10% of our income, it isn't much, but it seems like it is when you are actually having to pay it. But if you do, you will be eternally blessed, He will reward you more than you will be able to comprehend.
I know that Christ paid the price for my sins, as well as everyone elses. It would be such a waste for us to not take advantage of it. I am so very grateful for the gift that he has given me.
I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the only true church on this earth, and I am so grateful to be apart of it.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen

26 June 2011 Church and Fireside

Everyone has different lives therefore they must endure different trials that are unique to them. Satan would have us think that we cannot endure all things, he wants us to feel like failures, be discouraged, etc. However, you must press onward and wait for Satan's depressing spirit to leave you. Remember your past triumphs over the adversary and you will get past your trial. You must have faith that the Lord can get you through anything. If we cannot humble ourselves and ask the Lord for help, He cannot and will not help us!

Adversary=adverse; something is fighting strongly for you to do something. The Lord will comfort your and help you get past your fears. The gospel will give us patience to endure our trials. Don't be discouraged and exercise your faith. Our trials are only temporary. To know true joy and happiness, we must know what misery and unhappiness are. There must be opposition in all things.

Fireside:
Mentors are exemplary people, they are involved in peoples lives.

Do not settle for mediocrity, strive for excellence. Every person is worthy of having the best, of doing the best, we need to only work for it!

By being with people, they begin to follow your example and you being to follow them. When I lived in Wasilla, AK, my family and I were inactive in the church. Any of the friends that I had were not members of the church; some of them were good friends, however many of them were not good examples for me. By the time I was in sixth grade, I had a mouth like a sailor. My family never knew this, but when I was at school, every sentence had some form of cuss word in it. Looking back on it, I feel like an idiot, I had thought that saying those kind of things sounded cool and made me more popular. I moved to North Pole, in between sixth and seventh grade and thank goodness I did. My family started to become more active in the church and I was able to quickly make friends with a lot of the LDS kids that were my age or a little older. I can honestly say that if it was not for my friends, specifically Panika, I know I would not be where I am in the church today. Even though I experienced trials that I never thought I would while living in North Pole, I am so grateful for it and the friends that I made. I know that it made me into the person that I am today.

Being around great people does not make you less, but it in fact makes you more.

You cannot heal or help others if you cannot heal or help yourself.

Mentors do not have to say things that rub off on you. 

You have to remember that you are in charge of your life. You have to be willing to make the choice. 

People can tell you how to live your life, however you are the one who is making the ultimate decision.

If you had ten years to live, what would you want to fix/change? Who would you go to for help?

Remember, your attitude is everything, you can turn any bad situation or trial into something good by being happy and positive.

24 July 2011

Acts 1: 4-5, 8-10
    "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
      For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
      But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be winesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
      And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up: and a cloud received him out of their sight.
      And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood y them in white apparel."

Doctrine and Covenants 42: 13
     "And they shall observe the covenants and church articles to do them, and these shall be their teachings, as they shall be directed by the Spirit."

We are supposed to:
     *Be a witness/teach the gospel
     *Not teach without the Holy Ghost
              (you must have the Holy Ghost to do so though)

John 14:26
     "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, whatsoever I have said unto you."

Acts 1:22-26
     "Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
      And they appointed two, Joseph call Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
      And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou has chosen,
      That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
      And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles."
          

Acts 2: 1-11
     "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
      And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
      And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
      And they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
      And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
      Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
      And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
      And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
      Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Montus, and Asia,
      Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers in Rome, Jews and proselytes,
       Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God."
                                          (Holy Ghost)

Acts 4:6-12, 19-20
     "And Annas the high pries, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.
      And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power or by what name, have ye done this?
      Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel,
      If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole;
      Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
      This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
      Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
      But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 
      For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
                                                 (Reaction to their call)

Acts 5: 29
     "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."

Acts 2:37-47
     "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hear, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
      Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
      For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
      And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
      Then they that gladly received this word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
      And they continued stedfastly in the apostles; doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
      And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
      And all that believed were together, and had all things in common;
      And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
      And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
      Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."
Having the Holy Ghost, they were able to baptize 3,000 people. Through the Holy Ghost, the apostles were perfected.

Acts 3:2-7
     "And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
      Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
      And Peter, fastening his eye upon him with John, said, Look on us.
      And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
      Then Peter said, Silver and hold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
      And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
Miracle performed by Peter and Paul, one of many.
Acts 5:34-42
     "Then stood there up on in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space;
      And said unto them, Ye men of ISrael, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men.
      For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
      After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all , even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.
      And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
      But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.
      And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
      And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
      And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ."

Relief Society:
"Finding Joy through Loving Service"

Alma 37:6-7
     "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.
      And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls."

"By small and simple things, great things come to pass."

Matthew 22: 36-39
"Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart...soul...mind...love thy neighbor as thyself."

Love thyself:
     Accept yourself
     Love God
     Serve