Priorities in Life!

This time of year always makes me reflect on the past year and how the Lord has blessed me. I also reflect on the things I didn't do that I should have and the things I can do to be better. Since this is the time we celebrate the birth of Christ, what a better way to do that then to think about our own lives and try to make our lives more like his. One of the most important things in doing that is to evaluate and see what things you have as your priorities. In the Oct. general confrence President Uchtdorf gave a talk title " Of Things That Matter Most." It was such a good talk and it really hit me to take a step back and see what I hold as priorities in my own life. He says that, "If life and its rushed pace and many stresses have made it difficult for you to feel like rejoicing, then perhaps now is a good time to refocus on what matters most." Then he goes on to say that it is a good idea to slow down, steady our course, and focus on the essentials. I think that is so interesting how just by focusing on the basic's and essentials, that will make all the difference. For me personally the essentials are family and friends, food, clothes, water, shelter, and the gospel. As long as I have those things, I am just fine. I am so grateful for this time of year, in which I have to reflect on the things that matter most. My prayer is that all of us will take this time to truly think about the things that matter most to us, and then everything else will fall into place. In the words of Leonardo da Vinci, " Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." Let us all strive to live more simply in this complex and crazy world.

The Sacrament!!!

Why is it so important for us to partake of the Sacrament each week? That is a question that many people ask, and the scriptures have the answer for us. In 3rd Nephi chapter 18 and Matthew 26 it tells us that the bread and water represent the body and blood of Christ. What a wonderful thing Christ did for us, by bleeding from every pore in Gethsemane for our sins, dying on the cross for us, and then his ressurection three days later. The Sacrament is important, because it is a constant reminder for us to always remember what Christ did for us and so that we can strive to be like him. When we are baptized we make a promise with Heavenly Father to always remember Christ, keep the commandments, and that we are willing to take Christ's name upon us. That means that we bare eachothers burdens, comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and being good examples for others. We are not perfect and we all make mistakes, and that is why it is so important for us to repent when we make the mistake, but also every Sunday when we partake of the Sacrament we can have that same feeling of renewal just like we had when we were baptized. I know that partaking of the sacrament is so important, and I know that my weeks were crazy when I didn't take it. I feel so much better after I have taken the sacrament. I am so grateful for the Savior, Jesus Christ, and for all he did for me. I am grateful that he has given me the wonderful oppertunity to take the sacrament each week and get that renewal.

Christmas!!!!

We all know the true meaning of Christmas. Tis better to give then to recieve, but I wonder how many of us really have that in our hearts. I know that at times I don't. I think of the presents I will get, the people that will give me presents, and wither or not I will like them. I have to constantly remind myself that the reason we celebrate Christmas is Christ's birth. If the savior Jesus Christ is who we are supposed to be like, then how Christ like am I if I am thinking about me and not others? It is interesting how being away from your family can make you think twice about what matters most at Christmas. It is truly about giving to others, and not focusing on ourselves. I have come to a greater apreciation for the things most of us take for granted. Like being able to call your family, hanging out with friends, and just being able to sit a home and relaxing. I am so grateful for this time of year and how it helps me to relfect on the year and the reason for the season. That reflection helps me to truly live the way the savior would, not only during this season of giving, but all year round. May we all reflect on the our the past year, and the real reason we celebrate this Christmas season. May that reflection help all of us to live that way everyday of the year. 

Hero's!!!!

When you hear the word hero what comes to your mind? To some it maybe a sports icon, a singer, or an actor or actress. Others may think of super hero's. I have to admit that my favorite super hero is Superman. That is not what comes to mind for me though, when I hear the word hero. When I think of hero's, I think of the many men and women in my life that have helped me learn, grow, and helped build my faith and testimony. The first one that comes to mind are my parents. They have set such an awesome example for me, and their sacrifice for their children is something I am trying to do for others now. They are my number one fans, and I love them very much. Other hero's include Young Women leaders, Bishops, all parents, and other's that are sacrificing for others. To me a hero is someone that is willing to sacrifice for the benefit of others. I have run into many of those people, and each have helped me become the person I am today. Jesus Christ is the ultimate hero, because of his perfect example and unconditional love for everyone. He gave his life freely for the benefit of others. At this time of year and all year may we constantly be grateful for those special people in our lives who have helped us in any way. May all the hero's that don't get recognition know that they are loved and that they are doing so much good. You never know who may think of you as a hero, so let us live more like Christ and do good continually. That way we will able to help those that are in need of our help. If we all do that we can all be hero's.

Forever Friends!!!!

How many of you have heard someone say that they will be friends forever? How many of us have told that to someone? I know I have, and for a while I thought that was just a way of telling someone you wont forget them, but if you don't keep in touch you will still be friends. I believe that is true, but I have found a much deeper meaning of having a friendship that can last forever. In Alma 17 verses 1 and 2 says:

1 And now it came to pass that as Alma was journeying from the land of Gideon southward, away to the land of ^aManti, behold, to his astonishment, he ^bmet with the ^csons of Mosiah journeying towards the land of Zarahemla.

  2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel ^afirst appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had ^bsearched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.

 

I love the part in verse 2 where it says that what added more to his joy was that they were still his brethren in the lord. That is such a powerful line about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can form friendships that can last forever. I know that to be true. I have made many dear friends who have similar beliefs and I know that those friends will truely be my friends forever.

What is Conversion?

When you hear the word conversion what comes to mind? Do words like hard, long, and time consuming come to mind. I don't know about you, but when I think of conversion I think of my favorite story in the Book of Mormon about Alma the Younger. From Alma the Younger's stroy we come to find out what conversion is. Alma the Younger was the son of the prophet, and he went about leading people away from the church with 4 of his friends. Then one day an angel appered to him and told him to stop what he was doing and to go about doing good and seeking to build up the church. Alma was then struck dumb and for 2 days and 2 nights he lay not moving at all. After those 2 days he stood up and told the people what had happened in Mosiah 27 verses 23-26.
23 And it came to pass after they had fasted and prayed for the space of ^atwo days and two nights, the limbs of Alma received their strength, and he stood up and began to speak unto them, bidding them to be of good comfort:

  24 For, said he, I have repented of my sins, and have been ^aredeemed of the Lord; behold I am born of the Spirit.

  25 And the Lord said unto me: Marvel not that all mankind, yea, men and women, all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be ^aborn again; yea, ^bborn of God, ^cchanged from their carnal and ^dfallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his ^esons and daughters;

  26 And thus they become new creatures; and unless they do this, they can in ^anowise inherit the kingdom of God.

Conversion includes a change in behavior, but it goes beyond behavior; it is a change in our very nature. This kind of experience doesn't happen often. Most of the time conversion is a process that happens over time. When we come to understand the atonement of Christ and truly want to help others, then we are converted just like Alma. After we have been converted we need to strive to do our best to live the way we need to, so that we can have eternal life.

Diciples of Chirst!!!

One of my friends gave me a quote that I absolutly love. It is titled "The Fellowship of the Unashamed." It was given by an african preacher who was killed not long after saying it. " I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The dye has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recongnized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on his presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, ore meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear." I hope to have the same conviction as this man. We are all diciples of Christ and I hope that we will do our best to be like him.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ!!!

What is the gospel of Jesus Christ? That is a good question, and have wondered that myself. Here are a few principles that the scriptures tell us about what the gospel of Jesus Christ really is. In John 3:16-17 it states:

16. For ^aGod so ^bloved the ^cworld, that he ^dgave his ^eonly begotten ^fSon, that whosoever ^gbelieveth in him should not perish, but have ^heverlasting ⁱlife.

17 For God ^asent not his Son into the world to ^bcondemn the world; but that the world through him might be ^csaved.

 

How do we show that we believe in Christ? Christ is not with us on earth today and to have faith means to believe in something that you can't see. We also know that faith leads to action, because faith without works is dead. The way we show that we believe in Christ and are truly wanting to follow him is by Repentence. What does it mean to Repent? It simply means to change. We first need to admit that we have made a mistake and feel sorry for what we have done. Then we need to make it right and apologize, but that is not all after we have done that we need to do our best to not do it again. We need to constantly be repenting and changing. The next step in showing that we believe in Jesus Christ is to be baptized by proper authority. Jesus went to John the Baptist, because John had the proper priesthood authority. The only way for us to be able to enter into the presence of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is to be baptized like Jesus was. Once we are baptized we have Priesthood holders lay their hands on our heads and give us the gift of the Holy Ghost.  The gift of the Holy Ghost can bring us comfort, peace, help us make the right choices, and warn us of danger. Baptism and recieving the gift of the Holy Ghost is not the end, we need to Endure to the End. We need to strive to follow Christ until the end of our lives. I know that if we do we will be able to live with him again.

Personal Revelation!!!!

I was talking to the Elders after our district meeting on Wednesday and they wanted to know why I decided to come on a mission. The answer is a pretty easy and simple one. Ever since I can remember I have always wanted to serve a mission. In fact, I would dress up in my dad's suit and wear his name tag pretending to be a missionary. Then when I was in high school my seminary teacher would have the return missionaries speak to our seminary class, and during my 4 years of seminary only 2 girls served missions. When they spoke to our seminary class I felt a wonderful and peaceful feeling come to me as they spoke. One would later serve as my Releif Society president at the singles ward I attended and the other became my neighor. Their examples and talks with me will never be forgotten. While at college I took quite a few institute classees, but the one that I will never forget is Sister Atkinson's Old Testament class. It was around confrence time and she challenged us to have a few questions we wanted answers to and then to take notes as we watched confrence to find our answers. I decided to take the challenge and what I found was the answers I was looking for. I got my answer from the talk by Silvia H. Allred who is a counselor in the General Relief Society. Her talk was called, " Go Ye Therefore," and she talked about how she came into the church, her own mission, and the importance of missionary work. As I was listening I felt a warmth come over me and I knew then that serving a mission was the right choice for me. You might wonder what all this has to do with personal revelation? The first step in recieving personal revelation is to have a desire and once you have that desire seek for experiences that will help you learn more. The last part is to pray to know if the decision is right and then search for the answer. I know that if you do those steps that you will recieve answers to questions and prayers.

Our own Liahona!!!

What can we do to return to our Father in Heaven? How can we know where to go and what to do? There is a story in the Book of Mormon about Lehi. Lehi was a prophet who took his family into the wilderness at the time Jerusalem was a bout to be destroyed. As they were traveling in the wilderness he went outside his tent and found a ball of curious workmanship with pointers that pointed the way that they should go. There were also things written from time to time on the ball. This ball was called the Liahona. Wouldn't it be awesome if we had a liahona to guide us today? I am here to tell you that we do have a liahona today. The liahona we have is the Prophet and the scriptures. The prophet tells us the things that our Heavenly Father wants us to do and so do the scriptures. Together they are our own personal liahona. The liahona didn't always work for Lehi and his family. It only worked according to the faith, diligence, and heed that they gave unto it. The same is true for us. If we don't have faith and are not diligent in heeding the things the prophet and scriptures tell us to do then they can not guide us back to Heavenly Father. We are so blessed to have a prophet today and the scritures to help us along the way as well. I hope that all of us will do our best to heed the things the scriptures and prophet tell us. I know that if we do, we will be guided back to our heavenly home, where we can have joy and rest from all our cares.

The Truth!!!

We have all heard the saying, " The truth shall set you free." That is all well and good, but what does it really mean? I have thought about this and have come up with a few ideas. The first idea, is that when we are honest and tell the truth then we are free from guilt. When we lie there is a guilt that we feel for knowing we are lieing. I don't know about you, but I always feel better when I just tell the truth. The second idea, is that when we tell the truth we are free from having to lie even more. There is a popular saying,  " oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to decieve." That is a great picture of what lieing can do to you. If you tell one lie you most likely have to tell another one and it just gets messier and messier. When you tell the truth, you are free from lieing period. The last idea, is that we become free from doubt. Think of the little boy who cried wolf. After three times of saying there was a wolf when there really wasn't then the people doubted him when he really was telling the truth. I don' t know of many of us that would believe someone who tells lies most of the time. If we tell the truth though, people will trust us and listen to what we have to say.  There were a group of people in the Book of Mormon who were known for their honesty. In Alma 27 verse 27 it says:

 And they were among the people of Nephi, and also numbered among the people who were of the church of God. And they were also distinguished for their ^azeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly ^bhonest and upright in all things; and they were ^cfirm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end.

I hope that all of us may be distinguished for our honesty and that people will trust us enough to tell them the truth.

The importance of Unity!!!

There are billions of people in this world. We are all unique and indviduals, with our own thoughts and opinions. This is the way it is supposed to be. If there are that many people in the world, how do we ever become unified? Why would we need to be unified? I believe the answer is that more work and learning gets done when we are united on the same goal. When I think of a people that were united I think of Enoch and the city of Enoch. The people in the city of Enoch were so united, and because of it their city was taken up into heaven. In Moses chapter 7 verse 18 it says:

18 And the Lord called his people ^aZion, because they were of ^bone heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.

Now the question is how do we become united? We become unified by looking to help others. I think of how at Christmas time or Thanksgiving we are all thinking more about others. There is a feeling of unity felt at that time of year then at anyother. If we were looking out for the poor, needy, and hungery all the year I believe that we would be unified. I hope that as we look at our lives we may look for the things that will help us make our famlies, communities, and countries united. We can still be ourselves and be united and that is something I am working on.

Gratitude!!!

When I think of Gratitude I think of the words "thank you." This to me is one of the most important sayings in any language. The only one greater would be " I love you." President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives.”<sup>3      

When I think of Gratitude I think of the 10 lepers that were cleanesed by Christ. Only one came back to thank him. Isn't that amazing how out of 1o, 1 said thank you. How many of us are like the 10. Are there people in our lives who have done something for us, without thanks from us? There have been times in my life where I have forgotten to say thanks to someone who has helped me, and I am now doing everything I can to walk with gratitude everyday.</sup>

President Thomas S. Monson said, "We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others." May we all walk with gratitude in our hearts and try our best to find things every day to be greatful for.

Why Patience!!!!

We have all heard the saying "patience is a virtue", but how many of us believe that? How many of us are truly patient? I know that I am not, that is something I have had to learn the hard way. Most of the people I look up to are able to realize that if you are impatient, it doesn't make anything happen any sooner. My dad is a great example of this. My dad and I golf alot together, and if golfing doesn't teach you patience I don't know what will. The hard thing about golf is that when you hit a bad shot, if you get mad or if people in front of you are slow then you play worse. My dad would just stand there and talk to me if there were slow people in front of us and I realized that those are great oppertunities to talk to each other. If we are impatient and are focused on the people playing faster, then we miss out on some wonderful time to talk and get to know each other. The Lord has given us a promise if we are patient. In Alma 32 verse 43 it says:

Then, my brethren, ye shall ^areap the ^brewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth ^cfruit unto you.

Here Alma is talking about prayer and scripture study and that if we are patitent and diligent in doing those two things, then we will feel good. We will feel the love of God and it will be fruit for our soul. It will make us happy beyond belief. That to me shows how important patience really is. My hope for all of us is that we will learn to stop and smell the roses, and appricate the time when we have to wait.

Look for the Good!!!

One of my favorite stories was told by Thomas S. Monson, who is the prophet of the church. It is about this elderly woman who passed away and had three canaries. Two of them were beautiful yellow color and were to be given to her friends. The third one was yellow, with gray on it's wings. No one wanted it, but the woman left a note for President Monson to make sure that this canarie go to a good home. She said while it might not look beautiful, it had the best song. He goes on to say that when Christ was on earth he was constantly found among those who would be considered poor, loners, and people who were looked down on because of their outward apperance. How many of us judge someone by the way they look on the outside? I know I do sometimes, and that is why this really made me think. One scripture that also has made me think of this is in 1st Samuel 16 verse 7, which says:

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord ^aseeth not as ^bman seeth; for man looketh on the outward ^cappearance, but the ^dLord looketh on the ^eheart.

The world is filled with yellow canaries with gray on their wings. The pity is that so precious few have learned to sing. Let us be more mindful of those yellow canaries with gray on their wings, and help them. Just like the Savior would.

People of Integrity!!!

I have been thinking a lot about what integrity is and how we devolope integrity? Like most people I was curious and was looking through the scriptures for an answer. I was so excited that I found my answer that I want to share it with everyone. I was reading in the Old Testament about a woman by the name of Ester. Ester is a jew and the king not knowing she was a jew chose her to be queen. What an honor to be queen and especially since she was a jew. Well, the king's adviser Hammon didn't really like the jews and gets the king to approve a decree that says the jews are to be killed. Ester knowing this has the terrifying resposiblity of telling the king that she is a jew and about Hammon's plan. Doing this could cost her her life, but for the benefit of her people and because it it the right thing to do she does it. After reading this I have come to know that integrity is doing whats right no matter what everyone else says or does. How many of us could do what Ester did? I know it would be hard for me, but with the lord's help we can do anything. Before Ester goes to the king she and all the jews pray for help. If we pray for the strength to do whats right no matter what, I know that we will be blessed and be able to have integrity just like Ester. 

The Plan

Have you ever wondered where we came from? Why are we here? Where do I go when I die? If you have, then I am here to tell you that there are answers to these questions. The Plan of Salvation is the answer. Before we came to earth we lived with Heavenly Father in Heaven. We didn't have a body like him, and we wanted to be like him. He came up with a plan for us to gain a body, and then return to him. We accepted this plan and Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ created the earth for us. Adam and Eve were the first people on earth. We know that Satan tempted them and they used their angency and chose to eat of the forbidden fruit. That chose caused them to be cast out of the Garden. This needed to happen, and in 2nd Nephi it tells us why.

22 And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.
23 And they would have had no ^achildren; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no ^bjoy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no ^csin.
24 But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who ^aknoweth all things.
25 ^aAdam ^bfell that men might be; and men ^care, that they might have ^djoy.

We all have agency or the power to chose and because Heavenly Father knew that and that we would make mistakes he sent his son Jesus Christ to perform the atonement, so that we could repent of our sins and return to live with him. After we die our bodies stay here and our spirits go to the spirit world to await the ressurection and final judgement.  After judgement we will be placed in 1 of 3 kingdoms of glory. The Celestial Kingdom, where Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ live. The Terrestial Kingdom, or the Terrestial Kingdom.

Love and Obedience!!!

My mom always told me that love is an action word. You can tell someone you love them, but it doesn't mean anything if there is no action to support that. I have come to know for myself that my mom is so right. I was reading in John about Christ and he is the perfect example of all things. There is a verse in that really struck me. Verse 21 says:

He that hath my commandments, and ^akeepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be ^bloved of my Father, and I will love him, and will ^cmanifest myself to him.

How interesting to think that love and obedience go hand in hand. I know that we have the commandments to protect us, and I know that if we are obedient to them we will be happy. We will also be showing our love to Christ and our Heavenly Father. May we all strive to show our love by being obedient is my prayer. I am so greatful for the commandments and being able to show my love by following them.

The Unseen Battle!!!

In Ephesians chapter 6 it talks about the battle that we are in today. It is unseen by many people, however it is very real. In Ephesians it talks about how we fight not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world. That sounds pretty scary to me. It would be a lot easier to battle against flesh and blood rather than Satan and his followers. How do we protect ourselves from the evils of the world and become prepared to battle against Satan? Ephesians chapter 6 also gives us the answer. We are to put on the whole armor of God. Now you may be wondering how you do that? Well, the best thing to do to put on the armor of God is to pray, read scriptures, and spend time together as a family. I know that these things are so important and that if you do them you will be prepared everyday to battle the unseen battle against Satan. Do we want him to win? I know I don't and I will go to battle everyday so that doesn't happen. That way when the battle is over I can say as did Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 4  verses 7 and 8.

 7 I have fought a good ^afight, I have ^bfinished my course, I have kept the faith:

 

 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a ^acrown of ^brighteousness, which the Lord, the righteous ^cjudge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

 

My hope is that all of us will be able to say that, because we have done all we can to conquer and fight the unseen battle agaist Satan.

Being like Ruth!!!

One of the stories in the Old Testament that I really like is the story of Ruth. The biggest reason is probably because it is one of the few stories about a woman in the scriptures. Ruth is a woman that shows to me the importance of being charitable. In the face of losing her husband, father-in-law, and brother-in-law she willingly agreed to leave her own family to take care of her mother-in-law. I love her response in Ruth 1 verse 16 and 17 which says:

 

16 And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from ^afollowing after thee: for whither thou goest, I will ^bgo; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy ^cpeople shall be my people, and thy God my ^dGod:

  17 Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.

 

How many of us would be willing to give up something that means something to us to help someone else? I think that if we were all a little bit more like Ruth, this world would be a better place. I am trying to do my best to be like Ruth and I know that with the Lord's help we can all strive to have more charity and compassion for others.  

The importance of Agency!!

Agency is the ability and privilege God gives us to choose and to act for ourselves. Agency is essential in the plan of salvation. Without it, we would not be able to learn or progress or follow the Savior. There is an awesome scripture in  2nd Nephi chapter 2 verse 27 that says, "Wherefore, men are ^afree according to the ^bflesh; and ^call things are ^dgiven them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to ^echoose ^fliberty and eternal ^glife, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be ^hmiserable like unto himself."  Why would God give us this privilege and ability? Why wouldn't he just tell us everything, so that we could return to live with him again. He did this because he loves us and wanted us to learn and grow. If it was all given to us there would be no reason for us to be here. I know that each of us have the oppertunity to choose for ourselves, because we are all God's children and he loves us all very much. May all of us strive today to choose those things that will bring us joy and happiness and help us return to our Heavenly Father.

A living Prophet!!!!!

A prophet is someone who talks to God and tells us what God would like us to do so that we can return to live with him.  I think that is so cool that the Lord us so much that he would send us a prophet. If we didn't have a prophet to lead and guide us, I don't know where we would be. Why is it important to have a prophet?  There are many scriptures that explain that well. In Amos 3:7 it says, " Surely the Lord God will do nothing, ^abut he ^brevealeth his ^csecret unto his servants the ^dprophets." This is one of my favorite scriptures, because it shows that there are somethings that Heavenly Father wants to tell us all, and the easiest way to do that is to have a prophet who is here on earth to help the church go forward tell us. I think of Noah and how he warnd the people that there was going to be a flood, and because they didn't listen to the prophet they were not spared.  I know that we have a prophet today, just like Noah, Moses, and others in the Bible. I know that if we listen to his counsel which comes from the lord we will be blessed and live much happier lives. What a wonderful oppertunity we have to hear from the prophet this weekend. I am so excited and I hope that we all will strive to watch and listen to the prophet.

Whats the point of Prayer?

For a very long time, people have been praying. They pray for many different reasons. Some pray for guidence, comfort, because we are supposed to, or because that is the way they were raised. Whatever the reason may be for praying, the fact that we do it is very important. We have a loving Heavenly Father who loves us very much and wants to hear from us. When we pray we are showing him that we love him. We can talk to him just like we would to our own parents or friends. In the scriptures we are commanded to pray always. We are also told in the scriptures that we can pray anytime and anywhere we would like. We can pray in vocally or silently and we are also to have a prayer in our hearts. This to me shows how important praying is. I know from experience that when we pray to our Father in Heaven he does hear and answer our prayers. It may not be when we want or the way we want, but he always answers. I hope that we can all remember the importance of prayer and know that we can turn to our Heavenly Father no matter what.

Forgiving Others and Ourselves!!!

We are commanded to forgive everyone, no matter what they did or how many times they have offended us. I know for me personally it is easier to forgive others, but harder to forgive myself. This is something I think that takes a lot of patience. Most of us are the hardest on ourselves, and that is a good thing and a bad thing. It is a good thing when it helps us grow and change to be a better person. It is bad when it keeps us from moving on a living life to the fullest.  We are promised in the Doctrine and Covanents section 58 verse 42 that the lord will forgive those who repent and that he will remember them no more. What a great promise!! I know that sounds too good to be true, but I know from experience that this is true. It took me a while to really forgive myself and move on, but knowing that Christ remembers them no more is a huge help and comfort. I still work everyday at learning to forgive myself, and I know that all of us who learn to forgive ourselves will be happy.

The Power of our Example!!!

One of my favorite scriptures is in Helaman 5:6-7.

"Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first ^aparents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were ^bgood. "
"Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good, that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them."

 In this chpater and particualy these verses Alma is talking to his son's Nephi and Lehi. Alma is telling them that he named them after Nephi and Lehi who left Jerusalem and came to the America's. He tells them that the reason he gave them those names is so that they would remember their forefathers and their works and how people spoke highly of them and loved them. He then tells them that he hopes that they will do the same and so that when people remember them they will remember their good works and the good people they were. That is the same for us. When people hear our names, what is the first thing that comes to their minds? Our examples are more powerful than we think. My mom started to learn about the gospel, because of the example of her friend. She has never forgotten that friend, and when she hears that friends name a smile comes to her face. How will people remember us? My prayer is that our example to others is a ray of light, and that people want to be around us. May we always be good examples, and may we live in a way that when people hear our name and start to talk about us they too will have a smile on their face.

The Atonement and Our lives!!!

One of the greatest things that Christ did while he was on the earth, was perform the atonement. The atonement is made up of three parts. The 1st is when he suffered and bled from every pore in Gethsemane for our sins. This act enables us to repent when we make a mistake and become clean, so that we can live with him and Heavenly Father forever after we die. The 2nd part of the atonement was that he died on the cross. The 3rd and final part of the atonement is tht he was resurrected three days after he died on the cross. This is important, because it showed that he could overcome death, and because he could overcome death we would be resurrected when he comes again. This is something that has helped me so much in my life. It has also given me hope for a better world to come. I know that the atonement is real. Christ did really come and do all that, because he loves us and wants us to return to him. My prayer is that we all come to a knowledge of the importance of the atonement in our own lives, so that we all can strive to return home to his presence.

Joy and Change!!!!

Some of you might be wondering how joy and change go hand in hand. I can't say that I don't blame you, but they do. My favorite quote is, "Life is about change. Sometimes it's painful. Sometimes it's beautiful. Most of the time it's both." That is so true. Change comes in many different forms and situations. It could be the expectation of a newborn, the expectation of getting married, the passing of a loved one, or the change in seasons. No matter what the change is, we can deal with them if we pray to Our loving Heavenly Father. He wants us to be happy, because we are his children. He wanted us to learn and grow, and if we didn't have change then we would never grow or learn to appreciate the good things in our lives. Keeping a sense of humor and learning to laugh is very important when these tough times come. I know from personal experience that if we turn to Heavenly Father in prayer that he will help us through the changes in our lives, wither good or hard. I know that he wants to hear from us, just like our earthly parents like hearing from us. Our Heavenly Father loves and knows us better than anyone.

My Personal Testimony

I know this church is true. I know it without a doubt in my mind. It has brought my family so much joy and happiness. Not the kind of joy you would think, but the inner joy which comes from knowing where you came from, why we are here, and where we are going. These are questions we all have and I know that there are answers. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. Along with the Bible it helps give us the answers to these questions and manu more.  I now that Joseph Smith was a prophet who established the same church that Christ established when he was on the earth. I know that we have a living prophet today, just like Moses, Abraham, and Noah of ancient times. I know that if we heed his counsel we can come closer to Christ and we will find that inner joy. I know that Christ came down and suffered for us in Gethsemane, on the cross he was killed, and then three days later he was resurrected. I know that if it weren't for him doing that we would not be able to live with him again and be with our families forever. I know all this is true and that you can find this out for yourselves as well. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.