Life really does seem to get in the way with these blog posts. If I could post with thoughts and post through my mind then I'd be posting almost everyday with how Heavenly Father blessed me that day. People need to get on that. Well I hope everyone that reads this is doing well and that you are all strengthening your testimonies as I am mine. It grows every day. And Satan cannot stop that. He thinks he can. But we were reserved for this time because the Lord trusted us. We proved ourselves capable of living down here today and we can definitely do it.
Tonight I was able to go to an appointment with the missionaries. They wanted me to arrive a little early and I did not know I was arriving early until I got there and they just sat and talked to me and what they said was inspired and exactly what I needed to here. Our lesson we had with our friend was fantastic! She has come so far! Going out with the missionaries you are not only attempting to convert those they are meeting with but your testimony is strengthened as well. Tonight the Spirit was there and told me what I needed to hear. It was so simple of an experience but I love that so much. It was not complicated. It meant so much to me. That is how I know this Church is true.
The Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith and he was a prophet. Thomas S. Monson is our prophet on the Earth today. I know that Heavenly Father loves each and every one of us. Every day I need his help. He has a specific plan for me and I am a witness to that and to imagine that He knows everyone else just as well as He knows me is breathtaking and so great. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints brings happiness and joy into my life that is everlasting. I know that I will be with my family forever and my friends. I know that Jesus Christ will come again. And I long for that day. I know that Jesus Christ took upon every one of our sins and that we can be cleansed if we come unto Him. I assure you all that there is an easier way out there. There is a way out of anything that you are struggling with whether it be spiritually, physically, emotionally, or mentally; it is through our Savior, Jesus Christ.
When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"
"How Great Thou Art"
I love Christ's Church. I love the order it brings into my life. Without it, I would be lost and totally confused, and I would not even know it. I say these things in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Hello everyone! Life has been super crazy! It really feels great to be blogging again. I hope that everything is going well in all of your lives that you are depending on your Savior Jesus Christ to lift you up through all of your trials.
Just yesterday, I got my feet wet again in spreading the gospel. I first went out with the sister missionaries to a less-actives and I am continuing to strengthen my testimony in just loving others for who they are, our brothers and sister in Christ. We started the lesson with a prayer and I immediately felt the Spirit. The missionaries out in the world today are the strongest that the world has seen. They work their butts off and it makes me want to be like them and spread the word to all that are open to this great message of peace, love, and joy. The sisters taught with power and with the Spirit. If any of you ever get an opportunity to go out with missionaries, DO NOT HESITATE. My testimony has had some its greatest uplifts when I was with these representatives of Jesus Christ. I left the lesson with joy that fills you from head to toe! I also went out with the elders in my ward just two hours later (Great idea to put them close together. You're on a spiritual high the rest of the night).
I arrived at the church a little early and waited for the elders to arrive. We arrived at the appointment a little late but that didn't matter. We met with a women who I will call Emily. She welcomed us in and had many questions about the Book of Mormon. We started with a prayer, once again bringing in the Spirit and it just felt good in that room. She began to tell us her confusion between the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon because they did not match up with the verses in Isaiah. It was so great to help answer her questions. We began reading in 2 Nephi 8 and she would read aloud the verses and pause. She would then say something along the lines of "That is very powerful. Look at that!" Before, I never paid much attention to the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon because the stereotype is that they are hard to get through and so when I read the Book of Mormon I read it, but didn't give it the full pondering that these scriptures needed. It was so great to be able to learn from her, a less active, about the importance and sacredness of the scriptures.
She also expressed concern because she had talked to her old pastor recently who was saying that Mormons were going to hell and would be damned. And she thought to herself, no! She knew that he was wrong because the Book of Mormon is just like the Bible. It is full of love, joy, and peace. It is a happy message. It was so cool to see her have spiritual experiences right before our eyes. At one point, she was so excited and full of the Spirit that she said she wanted to go to church and tell everyone, "GOD LOVES YOU!!!!!!" I just started laughing because she is just amazing! A couple months ago, other elders that have been transferred now, stopped by Emily's place and she did not answer the door. Seeing where she has come from really is great to know that God has a plan. He has a timetable of when things are supposed to happen and there are no coincidences. Okay back to the lesson. She was reading the chapter and realized that the things she was reading was exactly what she had experienced over the couple weeks that the elders couldn't meet with her. She is so great and I know that Emily will continue to progress. I love seeing people change. I think it is so great how the Lord does His work. We all have a mission to help someone in some way and only we can do that. The investigator told all three of us that if the two elders had not come knocking on the door that day, she wouldn't be where she is today.
I know that we can have these experiences, whether they be simple or humongous, like the one I was lucky enough to witness, that it will impact others for good. You can do anything through Christ. So, what's holding you back? There are enough bullies, enough tragedies, and enough bad news. Let us spread the good news! GOD LOVES YOU. :) And he knows you! He wants you to return to live with Him for eternity! I cannot think of a greater blessing. Knowing that I have a Heavenly Father that loves me and wants me to be righteous. I can talk to Him whenever I need to and He has provided me with the best tools possible to return home. I love this Gospel and the love that is in it. I am grateful for the missionaries that go out of their way to help other families and people, find their way back on the path to our Heavenly Father. I know that there is a living prophet on the Earth today that talks with God. I also know if we follow His counsel, we will be happier. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
This morning I was studying my scriptures and I had the thought of working on my Duty to God a little bit. I love the new format! It really does prepare the young men for our missions. Anyways, I was studying about the sacrament prayer and it came to my mind that this would be a good blog post to do! I feel like sometimes some members of the Church (and even me), take this sacred ordinance for granted. We get to receive a cleansing of our sins every week! That's so awesome! I'm so grateful for that. We start off our week with a new start. I love it. So to understand what really happens I thought I would include the sacrament prayers and discuss them a little.
Doctrine and Covenants 20:77,79:
"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he has given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen."
"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen."
So, these prayers are really powerful if you study them closely. When we partake of the bread and drink of the water, we promise to always remember Him, keep His commandments, and take His name upon us. In return, if we do this, we will always have His spirit to be with us! Isn't that sweet!?! And we are not perfect, so as long as we are willing and striving to do these things, we will have the Holy Ghost with us.
In today's world there are so many distractions and it can be hard to always remember Jesus Christ. Luckily, the Church has numerous resources and helpful reminders! I ordered my own CTR ring (Choose the Right), and it always helps me remember who I am representing and who I am indebted to for giving me the opportunity to live with God again. Jesus Christ paved the way for you and I, and without Him, there would be no way to return. I am eternally grateful that Heavenly Father was willing to give up His Only Begotten Son. For ME! :) Another resource is seminary for youth. It's so awesome waking up every morning and hearing a message about the Gospel. My day is different without it. Those who aren't in seminary? Set aside a time each day to study your scriptures. Whether it's for 5 minutes or 20, that time spent will give you the power and the strength to get through your day.
One of my favorite ways to receive strength and one that I lean on the most is through prayer. The Bible Dictionary gives great insight on prayer: "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God, then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part. Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them."
And when we use these many things that God has given us to get through our hard weeks, we will still fall short. We will still sin. But, we need not be ashamed. Because last that I heard, our Church isn't for perfect people. We are all imperfect. We strengthen each other as we work our way back home. Dieter F. Uchtdorf says it much better than I can: "Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely. ... He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken.”
I know that we can receive strength through the sacrament prayer. If we are just willing to do those three things, we will be blessed with the Spirit. And with the Spirit, nothing can stop us. I know that Christ is my Redeemer. Without Him I would be lost forever. I'm so grateful for how much Heavenly Father loves me, though I have imperfections. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
It's funny how often I need this reminder. With the busyness of life and everything that goes on around all of us, it's easy to feel lost and confused. You wonder if it'll ever get easier. And I'll tell you now, it doesn't. It does become more manageable when you recognize that you have a loving Heavenly Father. He, the Most Supreme Being in the universe, wants the best for YOU. He knows your name, and knows more about you than you do. He wants us to return to Him so that we can become like Him! He has sent us so many helpers along the way back too!
1. He Loves You - He gave His Only Begotten Son
This
scripture is seen during big sporting events, but think of the true meaning of
it. Imagine that you are God, that you gave your only son up.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosever believeth in him should not perish, but shall have everlasting life.”
He
did it for you. He gave up His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we all have the
opportunity and choice to follow God. Without Christ, we would be forever cut
off from His presence. Christ was perfect and an example that we strive to
follow. We can pray to our Heavenly Father for the Chirstlike attributes of
love, patience, humility, and forgiveness. We can become disciples of Christ
and truly be an example of the believers (1 Timothy 4:12).
2. He Loves You - He gave us the Holy Ghost
We are also blessed with the third member of the Godhead, TWENTY FOUR SEVEN. That's pretty monumental when you realize what it really means. The Holy Ghost is awesome. He is always there if we are making the right decisions. He's the best friend that never leaves, the coach that pushes you to do your best, and your parental unit that makes you feel guilty when you know you shouldn't be doing something. It's pretty cool! He's our tour guide. We've been dropped in from a plane into Afghanistan and He knows how to safely get out of the battleground. That way is the Gospel. That way is Christ. Don't take for granted one of the greatest gifts that God has given us. If we recognize that we are being led by the Spirit, we will become more obedient, more loving, and will be filled with more light! In some of my toughest days, the Holy Ghost reminds me to read my scriptures, or ironically, write a blog post. And I feel like I can conquer any temptation after I do these things. It brings me an inner peace that is unmatched.
"And I will send upon him the Comforter, which shall
teach him the truth and the way whither he shall go;" (D&C 79:2)
3. He Loves You - He gave you a Family
Families are so great. My sister makes me laugh on an every day basis. My brothers are serving full-time missions and they couldn't be a greater example. My oldest sister has a 7-month old angel and she is an example to me in how families should be. My other brother (big family) served an honorable full-time mission and is always looking to have a good time. I wouldn't have my family any other way. I think that goes the same for all of us. He is the perfect match-maker! :) I love that families can be together forever and that I will be with mine for eternity. In a booklet for the youth of the church it states:
"Being part of a family is a great blessing. Your
family can provide you with companionship and happiness, help you learn correct
principles in a loving atmosphere, and help you prepare for eternal life." - For the Strength of Youth
I hope that we all go to our family if we are ever feeling down or alone. Ask for a father's blessing or just ask to talk to your parents. I'm 101% sure they will say yes! As you can see, there are so many sources of comfort that our Heavenly Father gave us. I'm not even close to naming them all! He does this because He Loves You.
4. He Loves You - He gave us the Scriptures
"Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word,
and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall
have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of
men." (D&C 11:21). He gave us the scriptures so that we can learn more of Him. He gave us the scriptures so that we can learn, understand, gain a sure testimony, and strengthen others through our own knowledge of the divine truths in it. The prophets of old and today are great examples of their love to others and to God. They understood that God loved them and they wanted/want to share that with the whole world! The scriptures hold the keys to spiritual protection. In 1 Nephi 15:24 we see that: "...whoso would hearken unto and would
hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the
fiery darts of the adversary overpower them to lead them away to destruction."
5. He Loves You - He gave you Friends
I have never met anyone who doesn't need friends. We all need people in our lives to laugh with, someone we can count on, and someone we can use as a shoulder to cry on. Life is hard, and friends ease that burden. In my experiences, friends have either gone through what you have and know what to say, or they just telepathically know what to say, and it kind of shocks you how cool they are. I have realized that as I have been growing up that my friend pool has diminished. My standards haven't. Those that weren't respecting for who I was and what I believe in were distracting me from what I really want for my future. To serve a full-time mission and marry in the temple with my beautiful bride-to-be (whoever that is). Friends are there to help you back up. Let's make the scriptures our friend. Let's make our famlies our close friends. Let's make the Holy Ghost our spirit friend. Let's make Christ our BEST friend.
I know that this Church is true and that God loves YOU. He knows you by name. He knows you and me. We are one in billions but He loves us! Never forget that. And if you need anything, you can ALWAYS pray. I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Happy New Year! I hope everyone has had a great holiday. But we're back to the hustle and bustle of our lives. What are your New Year's Resolutions? I think for me this year I just want to focus on a couple things. I feel that if we all just have one or two simple, straight-forward goals, then we will be more likely to accomplish them! I want to be more humble and love people more. These traits are hard to master and I know that I will never master them completely. However, if I include Christ and God in my goals, praying to Him to help me do so, I know that mine, and your efforts will be more successful! Whether you choose humility or love, all goals apply.
"Your success and happiness lies in you, resolve to keep happy and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties." - Helen Keller
"People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou
May we all face this new year with a sense of vigor to do what's right. Forget what happened to last years resolutions and go after the ones this year! With God, nothing is impossible. Continue to be a light to those around you. Help them to become a better person because they knew you.
"Who can say if I've been changed for the better. I do believe I have been changed for the better.
Because I knew you I have been changed... For good."
Wicked "For Good"
I know that we can all become better people through Christ. If we keep His commandments and are engaged in good works, we will be blessed for our efforts! I love this Gospel. It brings me so much joy! I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
http://alturl.com/8efpc - "With God Nothing Shall be Impossible"
We're finally getting a good snow in Ohio! :D And it is definitely Christmas time! Make time for Christ. I loved listening to the Christmas Devotional this past weekend. President Thomas S. Monson said, "To catch the real meaning of the Spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable and it becomes the Spirit of Christ." So drop that syllable! :)
Life is flying by so fast! I feel like just yesterday it was summer. This past month has been so uplifting and it has helped me a lot with all the chaos going on around me and all of us. You can't walk for 10 seconds and you don't hear something inappropriate. We need to keep our eyes focused on our ultimate goal of returning to Christ. Put God first. If you don't put the most important person in your life first, the adversary will have that many more chances to persuade you to sway on the path back to eternal life with our Heavenly Father.
We need to remember who, what, and how. Who should we follow? Should we follow Our Brother who set the perfect example for us and who made it possible for us to return to heaven to live with our families together for all time and eternity? Or, should we be on cruise control, and follow what we feel like? Wrong. There is no gray area anymore. We must choose. Choose who you will serve. As for me, I'm serving God. Are you going to join?
What: What are we going to do once we choose? We must become a witness of God at all times, in all things, and in all places. That is what we promised to do when we entered the waters of baptism. That we will keep His commandments. We chose to serve Him. "If you have not put the Kingdom of God first, it will make no difference what you have chosen instead." So what will you do?
How: How will you do this? There are many ways. Whenever you serve others, you are serving God. When you serve, you are filled with the light of Christ. You will choose wisely. So for me, I like to serve others. It keeps me focused because I know that that is what my Savior did for His whole time on this Earth. There are numerous ways. Find the one that helps you the most.
The key in not getting lost along the way during the last days: TGIF.
Today God Is First
"The time will come when only those who believe deeply and actively in the family will be able to preserve their family in the midst of the gathering evil around us." (Spencer W. Kimball). If you're wondering, that time HAS COME. Raise your families in righteousness. Make your home a place of refuge for your children. Make it a home of order and of love. I know since I have read this that I will not marry my wife unless she is fully devoted to raising righteous children. I suggest to those of you that have not entered the temple to be sealed yet, to join me! Write down what your standards will be for your spouse and don't compromise.
I know that we can make it. We were sent on this Earth because we were the strongest. He needed us for this time. Let's show Satan what we got! Make Christ your number one priority, and all else will be easy when you rely on Him. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Have you ever thought you were alone? That no one loves you? In everything you do, nothing ever works out? Doesn't it sound good to know that you have a Heavenly Father who loves you more than you can ever imagine? He sees you as you may become. If you are doing good things and making right choices, you can feel that love every day in your life.
Our prophet on the Earth today, Thomas S Monson once stated, "Heavenly Father wants you to check in with Him through sincere and fervent prayer. Remember, you are never alone. Never forget that you are loved.Never doubt that someone surely cares for you." Whenever you feel down or need to be lifted up, pray. Prayer is the phone number to your Heavenly Father. You have him on speed-dial and most people in this world don't even know it!
Another leader in the Church declared, "You will not feel loneliness, sorrow, pain, or discouragement forever. We have the faithful promise of God that He will never forget not forsake those that incline their hearts to Him. Have hope and faith in the promise. Learn to love your Heavenly Father and become His disciple in word and deed." (Dieter F. Uchtdorf). If we are serving Him and doing so with humility we will feel His approval from on High that we are doing the right thing. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ bless those who are disciples in their everyday lives.
In the book of Jeremiah 1:5, Heavenly Father is telling Jeremiah his
purpose. I love the first part of this verse: "Before I formed thee
in the belly I knew thee." I think this shows that if He knew
Jeremiah, He knows all of us. Think about it this way. Think of your best
friend, you know him/her a lot right? You've seen them through their hardships,
you've laughed together, you've argued, but after everything you two have gone
through, you both love each other (hopefully). Same goes with our Heavenly Father.
He knows us and wants the best for us. He loves us so much that He gave His
Only Begotten Son for all of us so we can live with our families and our loved
ones forever!! I can't think of a greater blessing.
I'd like to end with a quick quote and then a video. This great quote is by Henry B. Eyring. "We never need to feel that we are alone or unloved in The Lord's service because we never are. We can feel the love of God. The Savior has promised angels on our left and right to bear us up. And He always keeps His word."
I know that we all have a loving Heavenly Father. He is always watching and doing what is best for us. He knows our trials and gives us them because we can overcome them. I know that my Redeemer lives and I hope to become a great Father someday. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
In the second video, Bednar is discussing discerning the inspiration from the Holy Ghost, and just an everyday thought. He says: "Everything that entices us to do good and to be good comes from the Holy Ghost. So everyday, whenever you feel the need to help someone either by holding the door open or helping them to understand something, both of which you are not obligated to do, is the Holy Ghost. He also informs that God should not have to get our attention in obvious ways. We should always be in a place where we will be able to hear His still small voice. In this ever busy world, we need to put the Kingdom of God first. What helps me personally is asking myself what it is like for other people that don't have the Gospel. They don't know why they are actually here, where they are going after they die, and how they even came to be. But with the Gospel, we know. So let's not take that for granted. We have been chosen to be on this Earth at this time for a reason. One is to spread the gospel to our friends. You would be surprised who is watching you and needing that comfort that the Gospel brings. To get back on topic, Bednar says that "Any person, anywhere in the world can and is influenced by the Holy Ghost. He is our conscience that warns us of things that are not right and what we should do. He can also confirm spiritual truths. Like if we want to know if the Book of Mormon is true. "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not btrue; and if ye shall ask with a csincere heart, with dreal intent, having efaith in Christ, he will fmanifest thegtruth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may aknow the btruth of all things." (Moroni 10:4-5)
I know that if we are in an environment where we can feel the Spirit that the Holy Ghost will never lead us astray. He wants what is best for us. I love this Church with all of my heart. It gives me comfort beyond belief. I cannot wait for this Saturday to hear from our Living Prophet President Thomas S. Monson. I hope that you will heed to his words and to everyone's words this upcoming weekend. They have pondered over their subjects and their messages are truly inspired. And I say that in the name of my Beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
Have you ever wondered, Where we came from? Why we're here? And what the point is to life? Well I have the answer for you! In our church, we believe that we lived in the presence of God before Earth, and that we will return to him one day. In the "premortal life" as we call it, we were all spirits and living with God. Our elder brother, had a plan for us (Jesus Christ). His plan for us was to come here on this Earth, not knowing where we came from, and having agency (the right and power to choose). We would be on Earth to be tested our willingness to follow our Savior. We could choose whatever we wanted. There was not just one plan though. Satan or Lucifer, suggested that we have no agency, that we would follow Christ no matter what. All of Satan's followers were cast out of heaven and sent to outer darkness. Those who chose to follow Christ's plan, came down to Earth to receive a body and continue on our path to come back to Him. That means all of you chose to follow Christ before! Isn't that great?!?!?! LDS.org explains our mortal life very weel so I'll just quote them: "We are now experiencing mortal life. Our spirits are united with our
bodies, giving us opportunities to grow and develop in ways that were
not possible in premortal life. This part of our existence is a time of
learning in which we can prove ourselves, choose to come unto Christ,
and prepare to be worthy of eternal life. It is also a time when we can
help others find the truth and gain a testimony of the plan of
salvation." So after we die, our bodies stay on Earth and our spirits go back to heaven. In Alma 40:11 it states: "Now, concerning the astate of the soul between bdeath
and the resurrection—Behold, it has been made known unto me by an
angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they are departed from
this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, whether they be good or
evil, are ctakendhome to that God who gave them life." This is one of my favorite scriptures of all time. It just gives me so much peace. I LOVE IT. We will at this point remember premortal life! We are either in two places, Paradise, or Spirit Prison. Now it isn't actually a prison, it is where those who have not had the opportunity to hear of the Gospel have the chance to accept it, or those who did not accept it on Earth, have a second chance. Those who followed Christ on Earth, are the teachers. We get to teach others in heaven! After this, we will all be resurrected. Because Christ took upon all the sins of the World through the Atonement we can become like Him. Our bodies will reunite with our spirits and the we will be judged. Our Savior will be judging us. Now our Savior is merciful and we will be judged fairly. We will see all of our wrongdoings, and be placed into 1 of 3 kingdoms: Celestial, Terrestial, and Telestial. Celestial is the one we are aiming for. If we are in this kingdom, we will live in the presence of God forever and ever. I think everyone would want that! In this kingdom, we also can live with our families and friends for time and all eternity! And even the telestial kingdom, the lowest of the three, is greater in glory than the Earth! I cannot even begin to imagine how great that will be and I look forward to it. Our Savior's Plan gives me comfort and I am happier every day having this knowledge. I hope that we all Come unto Him and endure to the end. Through the Atonement, we can be made perfect. I know that that is true. And I love this Gospel so much. And I say that in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.
P.S. - Here is the website that explains The Plan of Happiness much better than I do! http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?locale=0&sourceId=45af9daac5d98010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=bbd508f54922d010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD
