Lesson Summary - Chapter 11 - "The Life of Christ"

Gospel Principles - Chapter 11 - "The Life of Christ"

There are times when we have lessons, and as I think about what I will write about, I feel really inadequate.  I feel that I won't be able to convey the beautiful message in a way that will be beneficial and really do the topic justice.  This would be one of those times.  Our lesson today was on the life of Christ.  I actually had the privilege to hear this lesson twice because last week I was in a different ward, and they were a lesson ahead of my own ward.  Lucky me.  :)  It's a really great lesson, and I invite you to read it on your own--especially the part about the Atonement.  Ponder the words and concentrate on how it makes you feel.

Sometimes reading about it isn't enough for me.  One of the great advantages to living in the technologically-advanced world we live in today is that we have access to uplifting videos right at our fingertips.  I found this video on MormonMessages.org today that has depictions of the pain and sufferings Christ went through for us and also the joy of his resurrection.




I'd like to add my testimony to those already stated in this video.  I know that my Savior lives.  I know that he suffered all, and that if I turn to him my suffering can be taken away.  He did that for ME!  And he did that for you.  Turn to him.  Take your pains to him.  When my dear, sweet daughter was sick as a newborn and in so much pain from hunger and surgery, I prayed for him to take away her pain, and he did!  I have a firm testimony of the power of the Atonement.  I KNOW that my Savior loves me because he made the ultimate sacrifice.  I learned in this lesson that because he had Heavenly Father as his father, he could not die unless he chose to do so. And he did.  Also, because Mary was his mother, he had to suffer the same pains we do as mortals.  What he did wasn't easy, but he did it because he cares for us so much.  I am so grateful for a loving Savior who was willing to die, and a loving Heavenly Father who was willing to sacrifice his Only Begotten so that the rest of his children could live.

"Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ" - Elder Robert D. Hales

"Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ" - Elder Robert D. Hales

Sometimes after I read these talks, I just want to write on here, "Go read it.  The end," because it's THAT good.  This is one of those talks.  It's so very powerful and a call to action.  Read it.  Please.

But then what would be the point of having this blog if I'm just going to tell you to go read something else? :)

I recently watched a movie that was set in a world where no one could lie about anything.  Eventually, one guy was able to tell something that wasn't--the first lie.  It made for a pretty funny movie with lots of crazy scenarios, but in one scene, the makers of that film really made quite a statement.  When his mother died, he told her that she would go to heaven so that she wouldn't be so scared about dying.  After that everyone came to him asking about this after-life, and he began to explain about God.

Did you catch that?  The man who was lying was explaining to the people about God.

This really got to me, and I thought about it a lot afterwards.  In Elder Hales' talk, he says, "As prophesied, we live in a time when the darkness of secularism is deepening around us.  Belief in God is widely questioned and even attacked in the name of political, social, and even religious causes.  Atheism, or the doctrine that there is no God, is fast spreading across the world."  It's spreading so fast that I can't even watch a movie without it being thrown in my face.

However, I'm in the mindset that no one is truly an Atheist as they claim to be.  I heard a quote recently that said, "They may go in the foxhole an Atheist, but they don't come out one."  My brother-in-law just recently came back from Afghanistan, and he said everybody was praying over there.  He also said that he saw many instances when he knew God was watching out for him and the others there.

How do I know there is a God?  Even if I hadn't felt the Holy Ghost bear witness to me that he is real, I don't think I could look at this beautiful Earth and believe that it just appeared here by chance.  The Earth we live on is so amazing.  Our own bodies are so amazing.  Scientists have tried to create artificial intelligence but have yet to succeed in making anything as complex as our brains.  How could something so complex just have happened?  No, our magnificent bodies have been created by a Supreme Being--Our Heavenly Father.

Another point that Elder Hales mentions that I felt was important was that we are created after his image.  That means that Heavenly Father has a body of flesh and bones.  Elder Hales says, "Some people may be surprised that we look like God.  One prominent religious scholar has even taught that imagining God in the form of man is creating a graven image and is idolatrous and blasphemous. But God himself said, 'Let us make  man in our image, after our likeness.'"

At the end of his talk, he gives us a call to action:

If you cannot remember believing in God or if you have ceased to believe or if you believe but without real conviction, I invite you to seek a testimony of God now. Do not be afraid of ridicule. The strength and peace that come from knowing God and having the comforting companionship of His Spirit will make your efforts eternally worthwhile.

Even more, with your own testimony of God, you will be able to bless your family, your posterity, your friends, your own life—all those you love. Your personal knowledge of God is not only the greatest gift you will ever give, but it will bring you the greatest joy you will ever have.

If you feel as though you've lost your testimony or if you're not even sure you have one, take his challenge!  Do not be afraid.  Ask with sincere intent, and you will know.

Please know that our Father in Heaven loves you.  He cares about you so much.  For proof, in Moses 7:28 it says, "And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept."  He wants you to be happy.  When you're sad, he is sad.  He weeps with you.

Come to him.  Speak with him.  Discover that eternal love he has for you.  You're never too far gone to speak with him.  Whatever your state in life, you can always turn to him.  He will listen, and he will answer.

New Member Profiles on Mormon.org

Ever had a desire to share your own personal conversion story and testimony with others but wasn't sure how?  Mormon.org has launched a new profile site where YOU can upload your picture and share your testimony and answer questions.  This is their official statement about it:

Mormons come from diverse backgrounds and experiences who all share a deep commitment to Jesus Christ and to each other. The new Mormon.org is designed for visitors to learn more about members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Each profile is a collection of stories and testimonies from Mormons. Participation is optional, but you must be a member of the Church to create a profile. The profiles will be made public this summer when the new site will launch. English-only profiles will be available this year; other languages will follow after.

I, for one, am really excited about it, and I'm already working on my very own profile page.  Since most of us are on social networking sites like Facebook anyway, why not make your own Mormon profile?  Your testimony could help someone searching for answers.

You'll need a LDS Account to log in.  If you already have a log-in for the stake and ward websites, you're set!  Use it to log in.  If not, you can talk to your ward clerk to get your membership record number and your confirmation date.

I can't wait to see what develops from this.  :)  Visit Mormon.org today!

Finding Time for the Bible

Every once in awhile, we get a newsletter in the mail from our local Church of Christ.  I always look through it because I figure that if our church sent out stuff to people, I would want them to read it, so I should do the same for other churches.  This last one we got had a little section called "Finding Time for the Bible."  I really liked it because I've made a goal this year to read the Old Testament, and I often find it difficult to find time to do it.  With kids interrupting me every five seconds or me wanting to catch just five more minutes of sleep, sometimes the Bible gets set aside.  I actually cut it out and put it on my fridge as a reminder. If you're like me and need to find some time to read, here's some tips they suggest:

• Put a Bible under your pillow to read each night before you go to sleep.
• Wake up ten minutes earlier each morning.
• Turn off the TV at 8:00pm each night and read to your children.
• Read a few verses at mealtime when the family is together.
• Talk less to have a few more minutes to read.
• Keep a Bible in the kitchen, to read while waiting for food to cook or for water to boil, or near the phone, to read while on hold.
• Carry a Bible in your purse or pocket to read while waiting in line for doctors or when arriving early.
• Take a Bible on trips and read on a plane or in a hotel.

Of course, this can apply to any set of scriptures.  Who says we have to read scriptures on a set schedule?  We can read any time! Often I use extra minutes in my day to check my e-mail or read a novel, but what if I used that time to read a chapter in the Bible or the Book of Mormon?  I would be much better off, don't you think?

I'll leave you with the last words of the article:  Don't just own a Bible--read it!

Our Roles as Parents

This week we did a kind of switch-a-roo.   We would normally learn from the Gospel Principles this week, but we had a special visitor from LDS Family Services give a combined lesson with the Priesthood about parenting.

I don't know if you noticed it or not, but in April's General Conference, there were A LOT of talks about teaching children and youth the gospel and keeping them on the right path.  Maybe it's because I've been thinking about how I should be teaching my own children lately that I felt like they were talking about it so much.  My favorite that I've read so far is "Mothers Teaching Children in the Home" by Elder L. Tom Perry.  If you're a mother, you should definitely check that one out.

So with all this talk lately about raising children up in Christ, I'm thinking that it must be pretty important.  Maybe we should start taking note...  if the Lord's prophets are telling us that we need to teach our children, they must know something about the future that is going to require our children to be unwavering in their testimonies.

Our teacher shared lots of quotes with us today.  I wasn't able to copy them down word for word (my hands only move so quickly), but I was able to get a little bit.  These things do not only apply to parents.  These tips can be useful for Primary and youth leaders, mentors, teachers, and whoever else deals with young people on a regular basis. Here's a few things I learned today:

• We need to bear our testimonies in our homes.  Often we teach principles, but how often do we actually bear our testimonies to our children?  I know I haven't.
• Parents have the main responsibility to to train our children because we're farther along in our development, but truly we all work together to build each other up.  Sometimes (okay, many times) our children teach US!
• We need to really listen to our children when they talk to us.  I'm very guilty of tuning my son out because he talks non-stop, but when I actually do listen, he surprises me with what he knows and asks me very intelligent questions.
• In a talk by M. Russell Ballard he encourages fathers to have the big talks with their sons.  There's so much immorality in the world that they need that rock to cling to when they're faced with it.  I'm pretty sure that this applies to more than just fathers, too. 
• Pray, pray, pray!  Not just as a family, but with your children individually to teach them. Pray for family members.
• Teach children to WORK!  It's never to early to start.  For that matter, it's never too late.  The best thing my Mom and Dad ever did for me was teaching me that I had to work to get through life.  They not only taught me to work but instilled in me a desire to my work well.  Work together with your children.  Not only does the job get done faster, but it's more fun, too.
• Education is a commandment, so continuously learn to teach our children.
• Teach a child confidence by giving them praise.  Teach them it's okay to fail.
• Avoid anger.  Is it possible to feel the Spirit while angry?  No!  Learn self-control.
• If we want our children to honor us, we need to honor our own parents.  How can we expect our children to treat us with respect if we show our parents disrespect?  Our children learn by watching us. Monkey see, monkey do, right?  :)

These are just a few points that hit home for me.  Some of you reading are in different stages of parenthood in your own lives, so these may not be as helpful.  I encourage you to read the words of the prophets from our last General Conference to get the guidance you need to help your own children.

Lesson Summary - Chapter 7 - The Holy Ghost

Gospel Principles - Chapter 7 - The Holy Ghost

I don't know about you, but I really like these short lessons that are in the Gospel Principles manual.  I can read them so quickly and feel like I actually accomplished something spiritual.  It's pretty nice.  I don't know if the teachers are such huge fans of it because then they have less material to teach, but as a student, it's the best.  :)  I read this lesson in the short span of time between Sunday School and Relief Society.  Yes, I probably shouldn't do that, but at least I could say I read it! ha!

The Holy Ghost has been such a blessing in my own life.  I remember realizing for the first time that what I was feeling was actually the Holy Ghost.  It was at a youth conference when I was about 14.  I had never felt my heart feel so full, and that was when I first realized that I cry like a baby whenever I feel the Spirit.  :)

I received the Gift of the Holy Ghost when I was eight years old.  I know that is the age of accountability, but I don't think I realized what a blessing it was to have that gift until I was much older.  I do remember a few instances as a child when I would pray to find my beloved stuffed elephant, Lottie, and find it shortly after and knew it was the Spirit, but that was the extent of my relationship with the Holy Ghost.  Receiving the Holy Ghost at such a young age kind of makes you take it for granted.  I don't know what it's like to live without it.

I did have an experience when I was a teenager where I went into a casino in Las Vegas and felt the Spirit immediately leave.  It was bizarre.  I didn't like the feeling at all and have never forgotten it.  It's driven me to strive always to stand in holy places and live so that I can have that guidance with me always.

There were several experiences with the Holy Ghost shared in Relief Society by my fellow sisters'.  I don't think it's my place to share their personal experiences with the world, but I always think it's neat to hear other people's testimonies and perspectives.  Thanks to those who were brave enough to share!

Here's some quotes from the lesson that I really liked:

"As [the spirit children] came to earth, the memory of their heavenly home was taken from them.  But our Father did not shut them away from His influence.  He sent the Holy Ghost to comfort and help and guide all of His spirit children" (31).

I love this quote because it shows what a loving Heavenly Father we have.  He didn't send us here empty handed.  We can have the Holy Ghost--a member of the Godhead--with us always to guide us and bear witness to us of our Father's love and His truth.

"Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient" (Moses 5:11).

This quotes is from Eve.  I really admire Eve, and I think about her perspective a lot.  This is optimism at its finest.  I tell myself all the time that bad things happen so that we can know and recognize the good things.  I try really hard to follow her example of looking on the bright side of life.  I also love this quote because Adam and Eve didn't understand at first why they were cast out, but after they received the Holy Ghost, he explained to them why so that they could understand.  Sometimes things happen in our lives that we don't understand, but through the Holy Ghost, we can gain a better understanding of why.

"When a man has the manifestation from the Holy Ghost, it leaves and indelible impression on his soul, one that is not easily erased.  It is Spirit speaking to spirit, and it comes with convincing force. A manifestation of an angel, or even the Son of God himself, would impress the eye and mind, and eventually become dimmed, but the impressions of the Holy Ghost sink deeper into the soul and are more difficult to erase" (Joseph Fielding Smith, 33).

"Through the Holy Ghost the truth is woven into the very fibre and sinews of the body so that it cannot be forgotten" (Joseph Fielding Smith, 33).  

I can testify that this is truth.  There have been times when the Spirit has been felt so strong in my heart, and I have never forgotten them. When I think of those times, the Spirit comes back and bears witness yet again that what I felt then was right and good.  Sometimes because of the influence of the world, we may forget what we felt at one time.  I've seen it happen to many people, and they fall away.  It really makes me sad because I know, and they know, what they felt at one time.  If they could just somehow get a reminder--a small inkling--of what they once felt, the Spirit would bear witness to them, as it has to me time and time again, that what they felt before was right and true.

That is why Visiting Teaching is so important.  Those sisters who may have forgotten need that reminder, and we have the capacity to help them remember.

I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost's influence in my life.  It's true that sometimes I do take it for granted because I received that gift so long ago, but I have had so many exhilarating experiences to remind me of the blessing it truly is.

Lesson Summary - "What Have I Done For Someone Today?" - President Thomas S. Monson

"What Have I Done For Someone Today?" - President Thomas S. Monson

President Monson has such a great story telling voice. I can't help but be enraptured every time he speaks.  You can listen to part of this talk in the following video.






As I was watching this video, I recalled a couple of instances where I experienced the joys of service.  One where I was the server, and another where I was the served. These are very personal experiences that are very dear to me, so please keep that in mind as you read. I am sharing very special memories.

The first happened while I was in college.  I was far from home, and a couple in my ward with several small children were very kind to me.  They invited me to their apartment to eat often and always checked up on me.  I just loved them.  Every time I went to their home, I could feel the Spirit so strong.  They were such good people. Always willing to help someone in need.  As I went to their home to eat, though, I noticed that their apartment was much smaller than mine.  They didn't have much furniture.  Their kids' clothes were old and worn.  I wanted to do something for them.  I wanted to help them because they had been so kind to me.  As I thought about what I could do, I realized that my sister's children were just older than theirs.  I called up my sister and asked her if there were any clothes that her children couldn't wear anymore that I could give to these people.  My wonderful sister took on the task, and the next time I went to visit her, I got a huge garbage bag full of clothes.  I was so excited to give them to this family.  The next Sunday, I told this family about the clothes and helped them put them in their car.  We didn't get to say much because we were both in a hurry that day.  Later that week, I got a call from her while I was taking a nap.  She left a voicemail on my phone that I'll never forget.  She told me that they had been praying for a way to afford new clothes for their children and what I gave them was exactly what they needed--the right sizes, the right type of clothes.  After hearing that message, I jumped out of bed and did a dance in my room because I was SO happy!  It felt so good to help someone else.

The second instance I thought of was also in college.  I'm sure you're all familiar with the term "starving college student."  It's pretty common.  I was working two jobs my last year in college to make ends meet.  I had a great job at the university library and got a chance to meet some truly wonderful people there.  I remember one time one of the ladies that worked there saw me shivering at my desk.  We started talking about how cold it was that time of year, and she asked me why I didn't wear gloves when I walked to work.  I told her I didn't own any gloves.  A week or so later was the Christmas holidays.  I came into work one morning to find two pairs of gloves with a note that simply said "From Santa."  I couldn't believe that she thought enough of me to buy those for me.  I was so grateful!  I'm pretty sure I still have at least one set of those.  Every time I wear them, I think of her sweet gesture to a poor, cold college student.  It really brightened my day and warmed my... hands.  :)

I truly do believe that we can become happier by serving others and allowing others to serve us.  I have been on both ends of the spectrum, and it is beautiful.  I really feel that if we spend less time worrying about our problems and more time finding ways to help others with theirs that there would be less sorrow in this world.  Our acts of service don't have to be huge.  A smile or a phone call could make someone feel ten times better than they did.

So let's all "raise up and do something more than dream of [our] mansion above"  Doing good IS a pleasure.  What have YOU done for someone today?

Lesson Summary - Chapter 5 - "The Creation"

Gospel Principles - Chapter 5 - "The Creation"

One thing that really struck me today while listening to this lesson was the gratitude we should feel for all the beautiful things our God has created for us.  Our teacher asked us what creations we loved and appreciated.  It got me to thinking about all the little things for which I am grateful.  I wanted to share those with you, but I didn't want to just tell you.  I wanted to show you, so that you can see what I see when I view the world.

Flowers.  I love them.

I love them after the rain.

I love them before they even bloom.

I love them no matter how small.

Or how fuzzy.

I especially love them when they're given to me.  :)

I think moss on trees is beautiful.

The best kind of waterfalls are the ones I find in the ditch of our front yard.

Red is the most beautiful when it appears naturally.

How does God make dying leaves so breathtaking?

It's always fun to find unusual moments in nature.

Hot chocolate on a cold day is one of God's greatest creations. :)

So are warm days after way too many cold ones.

I'm so grateful God created my loving husband and wonderful son.

And I'm even grateful for messy little girls.  :)

I hope that as we all go through life that we remember all the big things as well as the little things that God created just for us.  If you're ever doubting God's love for you, just look around.  All of these creations... the sun... moon... stars... they're just for you.  

"The Lord's Earthquake Warning"

I'm sure we all heard about the terrible earthquake in Chile recently.  I can't even imagine how scary that must've been for those people.  Not long after it happened, I received an e-mail with a story about the missionaries in Chile.  This story shows what can happen when we follow the promptings of the Spirit.  It is a letter from the Mission President's wife in Santiago Chile East Mission.  You can read the full article with photos at Meridian Magazine's website.  Here are a few excerpts that I especially loved:

"When we were set apart for this calling, Elder Scott of the Council of the Twelve Apostles taught us many important lessons. He spoke from personal experience when he was a mission president in Argentina. One message that he shared with us is this: 'At times, during your mission, you will be awakened in the middle of the night or the early morning hours with thoughts of specific things you should do for certain missionaries. Do not ignore these thoughts. They are promptings from the Holy Ghost who will communicate with you in the stillness of the night or the peace of the early morning hours. He will speak to you then because that is when you are still enough to hear.'

"Nearly two-and-one-half weeks ago, I was awakened at around 4:00 AM by just such a prompting. I did not hear a voice, but the thought was as clear as if it had been in the form of spoken words: 'There is going to be an earthquake. Prepare your missionaries.' I sat up in bed and immediately remembered Elder Scott's counsel. That morning I told Larry what had happened. He immediately set to work organizing our missionaries to prepare for an earthquake.

"We set a goal and arranged our schedule so that we could visit every apartment in the mission to check for safety and to review with our missionaries what to do in case of an earth quake. What a wonderful experience we have had as we have met with them and shared scriptures with them about being spiritually and physically prepared. '...if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear (D&C 38:30).

"When the earthquake came, we were prepared. We did not experience the panic that many felt. We knew we were prepared. 

"Today, we attended a strong ward where Larry was invited to speak. The entire chapel and beyond was filled. People were so humble and so teachable. Larry taught the importance of doing the small things. He taught about Jesus Christ and the opportunity we have to love one another and to share what we have with others.

"It was a great blessing for us to be with these beautiful Chilean people. Some have lost their homes...or at least parts of their homes. But they are strong and they want to serve the Lord.

"Our hearts are filled to the brim with gratitude for all of the blessings we have received in the Chile Santiago East Mission. We see miracles every day. In the midst of great pain and suffering, we can always find our Savior. He stands with His arms open, pleading for all of us to humble ourselves and come unto Him. He loves us. He invites us to accept His gift...the atonement."

I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who, if we are prepared to listen, will give us promptings and warnings, so that we may be safe.  I love, LOVE this story!  I think it is proof that our God is still a God of Miracles.  :)

The Infinite Power of Hope

Today we had a message from our Relief Society President about Hope.  Instead of me talking about it, I thought I'd share a couple of videos with you.  These and other beautifully made videos on gospel topics can be found at MormonMessages.org.  Enjoy!

THANK YOU!

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all those who came to our Service Night last night.  Because of your help and your donations, we were able to assemble 48 hygiene kits!  AND with just a few more items, we can complete 36 more!  That's 84 hygiene kits!  That's way more than I even thought possible.  Just think of all those people in Haiti that are going to benefit from this little act of service we did. We were also able to tie 5 quilts last night!  I'm telling ya, ladies, you all are completely awesome.  :)  We were few in number last night, but the results were amazing.  


I found this great quote on service that I'd like to share with you.  I hope you enjoy it!

"Service to others deepens and sweetens this life while we are preparing to live in a better world. It is by serving that we learn to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves! In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves!" 

--Spencer W. Kimball, "Speaks Out on Service to Others", New Era, Mar. 1981, 47

The Space Between

My brother commented on my last entry, and I thought I would share what he said because I loved it.

The famous Austrian psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl said: "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."

I shared this quote with the Priest Quorum today. No matter how small that space is, we can choose how we react to it. We can choose to be bitter, to complain, to overreact, to get revenge, to escape, to fight, to forgive, to ignore, to be kind, to improve the situation, to fix the problem, to pass the blame... anything! Its our choice! And we can choose what that choice is. We should be in control. Once we give in to the stimulus, we allow it to control us.

Go back and read the Frankl quote above. Now, imagine this coming from someone who survived several holocaust concentration camps... including Aushwitz! He saw and experienced horrible things, however he found that you can endure anything if you have the right mindset. In their case, the right frame of mind could be the difference between survival and death.He said, "If a prisoner felt that he could no longer endure the realities of camp life, he found a way out in his mental life– an invaluable opportunity to dwell in the spiritual domain, the one that the SS were unable to destroy. Spiritual life strengthened the prisoner, helped him adapt, and thereby improved his chances of survival." 

Now that is using your ability to choose!! Remember the space that exists between stimulus and response... that is where greatness lies!

Lesson Summary - Chapter 4 - The Freedom to Choose

Gospel Principles - Chapter 4 - The Freedom to Choose

I want to state that this was the first time I read the lesson before we had it! Ha! I even underlined stuff. Crazy, huh? There's hope for me yet! :)

For today, I'm going to copy a few things that I underlined and explain why I thought it was important.

"We are happier doing things when we have made our own choices."
This is such a true statement. I hate it when people make me do stuff.  Could you imagine what life would've been like if Satan's plan had actually happened?  It would be so completely miserable!  True, we all would've made it back to the Celestial Kingdom, but it wouldn't be a very satisfying journey.  I imagine it would feel like winning because you cheated.  The victory seems shallow.  And I imagine we'd all feel like an emo teenager--"I'm here because they made me be here."  I am SO grateful to a Heavenly Father who understands that we need to make our own choices in order to be truly happy and for a Savior who was willing to follow his plan so that we could.

"Right choices increase our power to make more right choices."
We talked about this in our class today.  Our teacher asked why we thought that was true.  One sister said she felt like it was the spirit.  If we make right choices, then the feelings of the Spirit will increase, so that when we are faced with another temptation, the promptings to make the right choice will be stronger.  She said the same goes for making wrong choices.  If we make a wrong choice, then when we are faced with another temptation, making a wrong choice will be even easier.  Also, I feel that if we've made one right decision, then when we're faced with another problem, that we can look back on it and remind ourselves that we've done the right thing before, so we can do it again!  Another sister quoted from our manual saying, "As we obey each of our Father's commandments, we grow in wisdom and strength of character.  Our faith increases. We find it easier to make right choices."  The fact of the matter is choosing the right feels GOOD!  When we feel that good, we can't help but want to do it again!

"[Satan] does not love us."
There's a scriptures in 2 Nephi that says that Satan "seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."  Satan is angry that we have a body, and he doesn't.  He despises us.  Anything that he wants us to do will only hurt us.  He could care less if we cry.  He probably laughs when we're hurting because of some sin we committed.   Fortunately, we have a loving Heavenly Father and brother Jesus Christ who love us.  There's a scripture in Moses that I love that talks of the Lord crying because his children are being wicked, and he is having to punish them. I imagine that this isn't the only time God weeps for his people.  I like to think that when I am sad and going to him in prayer for comfort that he is crying right along with me because he has compassion on me and my plight.  I am eternally grateful for a God who loves us and cares for us.

"When we follow the temptations of Satan, we limit our choices."
Growing up in the LDS faith, I've been told a lot that my church is too restrictive.  I can't do anything.  Most of these comments were in reference to the Word of Wisdom.  When I look at the lives of those who follow the Word of Wisdom compared to those who don't, I can see who is truly free.  While we can choose to drink alcohol, we lose our agency when we get so drunk that we don't know what we're doing. We can make the choice to smoke cigarettes, but when we finally make the decision to quit, our bodies and minds won't let us do it so easily.  We can make the choice to use drugs, but eventually we become slaves to them.  These are extremes, but even giving in to smaller temptations can limit our choices and eventually lead to bigger temptations.

"Our Heavenly Father will not allow us to be tempted beyond our power to resist."
I find this statement very comforting.  When I'm feeling very overwhelmed and like I can't handle anything else, it makes me feel better to know that Heavenly Father knows I can handle this.  I have the strength to do so.  He has faith in me.  However, as one sister pointed out, even though Heavenly Father won't allow us to be tempted beyond our power, that doesn't mean that we won't put ourselves into situations of temptation.  For example, if there's a party where you know there will be alcohol, the Holy Ghost is going to tell you to not go!  But if you don't heed his advice and go anyway, then you're setting yourself up to be tempted.  Heavenly Father can only protect us if we follow his commandments and heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

In closing, I wanted to share this poem by Robert Frost called "The Road Not Taken."  Remember that the road back to our Heavenly Father is not going to be the most popular road or the easiest, but if we choose to follow him, it will make all the difference.

The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Mormons Made Simple

I don't know about you, but I'm all about easy ways to share the gospel.  Being a stay-at-home mom, I don't get out much, so it's kinda hard for me to share the gospel with my friends when the only social interaction I get is at church.  Oh, and on social networking sites like Facebook.

But, wait!  What's that?  There's a way to share the gospel on Facebook?!  Gasp!

This is where the site Mormons Made Simple comes in.  I've had the link on the right side of my blog for awhile but completely forgot about it until today when a sister in our Relief Society mentioned it as a missionary moment.  This site has fun, easy to understand videos about a few key points and frequently asked questions people may have about our religion.  I even learned a few things I didn't know before.

So how exactly does this work? Well, up in the top right hand corner of their page is a box that says "Facebook Missionary Challenge."  This is what you do:

1. You sign up
2. They send you an e-mail with a video
3. You post it on Facebook

That's it!  You just shared the gospel with the 400 gazillion friends you have on Facebook.  How neat is that?!  And you thought you couldn't do it... I knew you had it in ya.  :)

Happy missionary-ing!

Lesson Summary - Chapter 3 - Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior

Gospel Principles - Chapter 3 - Jesus Christ, Our Chosen Leader and Savior
"Jesus Christ is Central to Heavenly Father's Plan" - Feb 2010 Ensign

Since this is my blog, and I can technically do what I want, I'm going to do something different today.

First off, above are a couple of great links you should check out.  The first is our actual lesson from today, and the second is an article that our teacher referenced from this month's Ensign.  You can read those if you like.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way... As I was sitting in Relief Society today, my mind drifted to what I would actually write about in this here blog.  Yeah, my mind wanders a lot.  I'm working on that.  While it was wandering, I thought about the topic of today's lesson--Jesus Christ.  Just three pages (four if you count his picture) are in this lesson.  Three.  That doesn't seem like enough to encompass everything that is Jesus Christ.  And now that I think about it, I suppose we all have a slightly different perspective on who Jesus Christ is because of our own experiences.  His atonement affects everyone, but in different ways.   That's why I love hearing others' testimonies because its so neat to hear a fresh perspective on what I thought I already knew.  So with that in mind, I am going to share my own testimony of Jesus Christ.  Maybe there will be some things that you already knew, but maybe... just maybe... there will be something you hadn't thought of before that will strengthen your own testimony of Jesus Christ and his beautiful atonement.

I was raised in the church.  From an early age, I was taught of Jesus Christ.  I knew a lot about him.  Stories and miracles and such.  I always knew the right answers, and I always did as I was told. I was even told by my friends as I grew older that I was the little voice in their head that told them to do good things.  Funny, huh?  I thought I had a pretty strong testimony of the Savior.

Then, I went to college.  This was my first experience away from home and living with people who did not by any stretch of the imagination grow up learning the same standards that I did.  I was thrown head first into "the world," as we Mormons like to call it.  During that first year away at college, I became friends with a boy named Blake.  He was a great friend to me, although you may not think so after this next statement.  Blake made me question my religion.  He would ask me questions about it out of nowhere.  I remember one time in particular when I was talking about how I was getting the chance to see Gordon B. Hinckley speak, he said, "Do you really believe he's a prophet?"  Whoa... what?  I don't think anyone had asked me that before.  I didn't really know what to say, but I said "Yes," because that's what I was supposed to say, right?

Now, I don't want you to think that Blake was a bad person because he wasn't. He respected me for my beliefs.  He told me I was a good person.  I am extremely grateful to him for what he did.  Really.

So after many questions from him and from my own brain, I was left in a state of confusion.  What did I believe?  I remember feeling this way on a long drive back to college from home.  It was a Sunday.  I had been listening to music, but I was tired of it.  I turned it off and thought to myself, "I should be listening to church music today."  I started singing a song called "I Heard Him Come."  As I sang it, I realized that all that stuff I "thought" I knew about Jesus Christ was really true.  He really lived.  This is the first time I remember actually feeling and knowing that Jesus Christ loved me and sacrificed himself for ME!

Since then, I have had many experiences that have helped me understand the atonement and the immense love the Savior has for me.  I know that people are probably tired of hearing me talk about it, but my most recent experience with my daughter being in the hospital was probably the biggest testimony builder I've ever had of Jesus Christ.  It was then that I learned as I watched my daughter suffer from hunger knowing that it was the only way her body could heal how hard it must have been for Heavenly Father to watch his Son suffer knowing that it was the only way we could heal.  It was then that I prayed so very hard that the atonement would take away the pains and sufferings of my little girl and watched it happen.  I am so, SO very grateful for that beautiful sacrifice that he made so that not only I, but my loved ones might live.  And not just live... but live in happiness.  Live without pain.

Today I watched the movie The Testaments.  As I listened and watched the terrible way they treated him, it was all I could do not to cry.  It is hard to believe that someone would love me that much--so much that he would not just die, but suffer.  But the amazing thing is that it actually happened.  He is real.  He is alive.  He has suffered all so that we don't have to.

I know my Savior lives.  I feel it in my heart.  I feel it all over.  He saved my little girl.  I know that is the only reason she is alive today.  I know it.  He is my salvation.  And he can be yours.  I hope that if you don't know already that you will pray to learn for yourself that Jesus Christ is your Savior.  I am so grateful I did.

Lesson Summary - "The Past Way of Facing the Future" - L. Tom Perry

"The Past Way of Facing the Future" - L. Tom Perry

First of all, you should read this talk.  The apostles always do a better job than I do of explaining the gospel--probably because they're apostles.  :)  Elder Perry talks a great deal about the Manti temple. I've never been there, but it sounds really neat.  I especially liked the tidbit about the roof being a ship turned upside down.  Yeah, go read it.  It's cool.  

Towards the end of the talk, Elder Perry speaks mostly of missionary work and OUR responsibilities as members:

Some years ago we eliminated stake missions and shifted the focus of our efforts to the ward mission organization....We have discovered that ward-based missionary work increases member involvement in finding and teaching investigators. Often investigators are invited to receive the missionary lessons in members’ homes. Ward members become more excited to share their precious knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ when they directly experience the sweet blessings of missionary service and they receive more regular reminders from their ward leaders. Members become more inclusive as they ponder and pray about sharing the gospel with friends, neighbors, and family members of other faiths.

 Our family has been so blessed lately to experience this very scenario.  We decided that we needed to be more involved in missionary work and prayed for an opportunity to share the gospel.  It seemed that the opportunities just fell in our laps after that!  It was amazing!  We have since been able to teach two different people in our home on a regular basis.  It is exactly as Elder Perry says.  I became more excited to share the gospel and now that our investigator has become a member (yay!), I'm desperately trying to find someone else to teach so that we can continue to have the missionaries in our home.  

Sisters, I promise you that if you engage yourself in missionary work, it will make you stronger in the gospel.  It's true that the person will not always get baptized, and that's okay.  You've planted a seed that may one day bloom with the help of another.  However, the seed that is in your own heart will grow with the spiritual nourishment you give it as you strive to become a better missionary.

Our teacher also quoted from a talk by Silvia H. Allred, first counselor in the General Relief Society Presidency, called "Go Ye Therefore."  In it, she gives suggestions on how we can become better missionaries:

[Be] more specific in your missionary efforts. Let me suggest some ideas. You might find two or three that work for you:

• If you have children at home, help prepare them for missionary service.

• Prepare yourself for missionary service.

• Invite family and friends to listen to the missionaries or to attend our Church meetings and activities.

• Accompany the missionaries to investigators’ homes, or invite the missionaries to teach nonmembers in your home.

• Invite people to a family home evening in your home.

• Invite people to a family history center, or help them do family history research.

• Give referrals to the missionaries. Members can be the greatest and best source of referrals.       

• Share your beliefs and testimony with nonmember friends and family.

• Seek for opportunities to reach out to others.

• Extend friendship to investigators and new converts.

• Give your best efforts to finding those who are seeking the truth.

• If you have family members or friends on missions, send them letters of love and encouragement, and pray for them.

You will experience joy in the fruits of your labor. A greater enthusiasm for missionary work will strengthen your entire ward or branch. The whole Church will feel the effects of your labor.

Maybe you have some different ways in which you've been a member missionary.  It's a good idea to set some goals for yourself.  One sister in our Relief Society said she tries to invite one person to church every week.  That may seem difficult, but she says it's not always her friends.  Sometimes she invites people she talks to in the store or at work.  What a great goal!  Also, being in the Bible Belt of the South, it's customary for people to invite each other to church.  When I first moved back to Alabama, I had several people of different faiths invite me to their church. I was really impressed with their courage.

If that idea makes you a little nervous, maybe you could start out with a goal of talking to one person each week about a gospel principle.  Maybe someone you know is struggling with a problem.  Suggest that they pray and teach them how to say a simple prayer.  Maybe your neighbor lost a family member.  Talk to them about forever families.  I bet if we all paid attention, we'd find lots of opportunities to share the gospel. 

And don't forget about the wonderful tool I wrote about last week, the Ministers Among Us program the missionaries of the Alabama Birmingham Mission have set up.  I know for a fact that the missionaries in our ward are dying to visit your friends and teach them in your homes.  Give them that opportunity!

My brother told me this week that he felt that if he didn't share his knowledge of the gospel with others, who would?  And he's right.  If we don't do it, who will?  If we aren't standing up for what we believe in, who will?  If we don't declare our faith, then those who are wanting to know will have to turn to other sources that may not be true.

I'd love to know some of your experiences with sharing the gospel.  Or maybe you've set some goals for yourself and would like to share them.  Feel free to comment!

Ministers Among Us

I learned something new today that I thought I'd share.  The missionaries in the Alabama Birmingham Mission informed me today that they have a great missionary tool called MinistersAmongUs.com.  Apparently, it's been around for awhile, but I didn't know about it.  So you might already know about it, but I thought it was new and awesome.  I'm also going to add it to my list of links on the right side of the page, so you can access it more easily.

To use the site, you first have to meet with the missionaries and have them set up an account for you.  After that you can use it to make referrals of friends, coworkers, family members, whoever that you would like to share the gospel with.  They will then make a sleeve for a copy of the Book of Mormon with that person's name on it and deliver it to their home explaining that they have a special gift for them from YOU!

Missionary work couldn't be easier, right?  So contact your local missionaries and set it up!  I know I'm going to!  :D

Career Assistance - Combined Lesson

LDSJobs.org - Helping Members Find Employment

I'd just like to say right off the bat that I think our Church is amazing. I love that it not only strives to uplift us spiritually, but emotionally, socially, and temporally, as well. Today we had a combined lesson with the Priesthood on Career Assistance. I thought it was neat because there are so many people without jobs or maybe about to lose a job due to the economy, and our Church leaders are trying to help us be prepared so that we can get the best job we possibly can.

We received a 25 page packet on making a resume, acing a job interview, and networking. 25 pages! That's a lot o' job searching help!

I think I'm just going to list some facts and tips that I thought were important.

Resumes

• The resume gets you the interview while the interview gets you the job!
• A successful resume will not list what you did at your job, but what you accomplished. What goals did you help them reach at your last job?
• Every resume should have a career objective at the top.
• Don't make your resume a novel. Keep it simple--1 to 2 pages is plenty. That's what the interview is for!
• A resume is your time to shine, so work it! :)
• For more great tips on resume writing, go here.

Job Interviews

• Spend more time preparing for the interview than the interview will actually last.
• Study the organization your interviewing with. Learn as much as you can about the company, your desired position, etc.
• Anticipate what questions you're likely to be asked. Here's a few examples.
• Dress appropriately for the interview. If in doubt, wear your Sunday best.
• Arrive 15 minutes early. Showing up late for an interview just gives the impression that you don't take the job seriously enough to be on time.
• TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE!!
• The first five minutes are the most important!
• Ask lots of questions. You're interviewing them, as well. Just keep the questions job related.
• After the interview, ask for a business card, follow up, and send a Thank You card.

Networking

• Networking is simply who you know. A network could be your friends, coworkers, fellow church members, whoever! If you're looking for a job, use your network to help you find one.
• The internet offers lots of ways you can search for jobs. I'll post links to those sites at the end of the post.
• Social networking sites like Facebook or Myspace can also be used to find jobs. For example, I know a guy who used a status update on Facebook to say he could fix frozen pipes and got several jobs that way. So now you can tell the naysayers that you ARE doing something productive on Facebook. :)

This is what we talked about in a nutshell. I really enjoyed it but thinking about getting a job makes me nervous. I've been a stay at home mom for 3 years now and plan to be one for awhile so going back in the working world scares me. Hopefully, I can remember these awesome tips when I go back on the job market in the future.

Happy job hunting!

Job Searching Websites
Employmentguide.com
Indeed.com
Craigslist.com
Americajobs.com
I-hire.com
Monster.com
Alabamajobs.com
Careerbuilder.com
TheLadders.com
Tva.gov
Usajobs.com
Google
Yahoo

Social Networking Sites
Facebook
My Space
Linked In

Other Helpful Websites
Times Daily
Salaries.com

Chapter 1 - Summary

Chapter 1 - Our Heavenly Father

Since it's a new year, we're starting a new set of lessons in Relief Society. We're taking a break from Teachings of the Presidents of the Church and learning from the Gospel Principles manual, instead. This manual is generally used for the Gospel Principles class which is taught to investigators and new members during the Sunday School hour of church. The book has recently been updated and revised, which hasn't happened for over 30 years! To read more about the updates and why we're studying them in Relief Society/Priesthood, go here. Russell M. Nelson does a wonderful job of explaining it.

As usual, I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off, so I missed part of the lesson. What I did hear was wonderful, though. This manual teaches very simple truths. We have a Heavenly Father. I have always known that, but it's good to be reminded of his love for me.

The part that I loved the most was at the end. These lessons are really short (so we have no excuse to NOT read them haha), so we had some extra time. Our teacher bore her testimony about how she loves Heavenly Father, and then turned the time over to the sisters to share their testimonies of Heavenly Father.

The first testimony was my own. I know that God is a God of miracles. Early last year my daughter was born. She started her life with double pneumonia from miconium aspiration. The x-rays of her lungs were really bad. So bad, in fact, that she could've died. My husband and his father were able to give her a priesthood blessing. The very next day, she was out of the NICU and in a recovering unit. During the doctor's rounds, I heard one of the doctors say, "Oh, yes, I remember this baby. She is the baby that got miraculously better." So, yes, I believe in miracles.

Not long after that experience, she was in the hospital again for a condition called NEC. It was scary stuff. As part of the treatment, she couldn't eat for 10 days. I remember one night after a long day of watching my baby suffer and not being able to help her getting on my knees and asking God why she had to suffer so much. I knew that ultimately her suffering now would help her later, but it was still really hard to watch. As I was praying, I realized that our Heavenly Father had a similar experience. He watched his own Son suffer because he knew that ultimately it would make all of His children's lives better. It made me realize how much my Heavenly Father must love me to allow his own Son to suffer so that we might live.

After my testimony, another sister stood and talked about her trials with having a child with Down Syndrome. She said that she knew God answered prayers even though they might not always be in the way we wanted it to happen. When she was pregnant with her first child, she prayed for two things: that her daughter would be healthy and intelligent. After her daughter was born with Down Syndrome she said that most people would say that her prayers were not answered. She said that she remembered reading in John 9 about Jesus and his disciples coming upon a man who was blind, and his disciples asked him who had sinned that this man was born blind. Jesus answered and told them that no one had sinned but that he was born blind so that the works of God may be made manifest in him. He then healed the man. She said that she had read that scripture so many times and thought nothing of it. This time when she read it, she thought of her dear daughter. She shared some experiences of when the greatness of God had been made manifest through her. Her daughter is my niece, and I completely agree. She then testified that she knows that Heavenly Father loves and knows each of us individually. It was such a strong witness. I loved it.

If you'd like to read the lesson, I've put a link at the very top of this post. It's very simple, but it speaks such great truths.