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!