Started In a Barn

Merry Christmas 2015! I love this time of Christmas! Hearts seem to be softened and brought closer to each other, friends and family. This year was a special one for me because it was my first one back home with my family after my mission. I was gone for two Christmas'. Today has been a day of reflection on the past Christmas' and while I have loved being home with my family for this great holiday, there is still a part of my heart in Washington, especially with all the families that become my family while I was there. I love that place!

I have had these ideas going through my head over the past week but each time I have tried to write them it never came out quit right so bear with me! Of course, with Christmas times comes so many traditions. I know for my family we have a lot of traditions through out the month of December and on Christmas Day. It was different this year with all of my older siblings being married it was just my parents and my two younger brothers. We didn't stay up as late as we usually do and the boys weren't quit as excited to get up to see what Santa had brought. It was a good day though to spend with my wonderful family!  As the sun started going down tonight the boys and I bundled up and headed out to do chores. Since coming home from my mission I have found new love for doing chores. There is something good with being outside in the air and especially during the winter,  the snow, feeding the animals and getting feed ready for the next morning. I haven't been home to help with chores for a long time so it was fun to be back to where I had grown up feeding. I love my families farm!

A few weeks ago I had come across an article in a magazine about Christmas. The author talked about taking time to think about the Saviors beginning. Not to focus on what would come in his life but on his beginning. He then invited the readers to turn their thoughts to their own beginnings and compare them to His. Tonight as I did chores I thought about his beginning in a manger. It was not extravagant in any way and wouldn't have been the place anyone would have picked for anyone to be born, but what that stable scene would come to mean to everyone who would ever live on the earth, is the real question. His beginning would lead to a life of example, mercy, and grace. And it all started in a stable! Now, I know what the barn on my families farm means to me. It is a place of learning, hard work, and family bonding. Some of my fondest memories are found working out in our barn, working with animals or hauling hay, or a number of other chores. It was the sight of numerous beginnings, for baby calves, working new show steers, or training a colt. I know that for me it was a place where I found God's love for me and his awareness of my life. It has become a sacred place. I believe each of us have places where we can connect to so many beginnings in our lives, teaching and sacred moments. As we take the time to ponder on the lessons we have learned in those places, we will find that the Lord is willing and waiting to give us many more new beginnings. It is interesting that Christmas is so close to the New Year when we make new goals for the upcoming year. I would suggest that Christmas be that time that we set new goals for ourselves and have a new beginning. There is no better day than Christmas to set a new goal and have a new beginning! I know that it is because of Jesus Christ that we can have new beginnings! I also know that as we communicate with our Heavenly Father about our desired new beginnings we will find strength beyond our own to accomplish those that are for our improvement! That is the beauty of the enabling power of the Atonement! It is become Christ was born that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father, because of the life he lived! He was born so we can be born again and be made new!

"Perfect Love Casteth Out All Fear"

This last week, I have been thinking a lot about decisions which was naturally prompted because there have been a lot of decisions that I have been contemplating, specifically about school, work, future events. Naturally during this time in anyones life there are a lot of decisions to be made and when it comes to big decisions, no one wants to go wrong. Of course Heavenly Father is your best support in any decisions because he has the birds eye view and knows what will be best. So I have thought a lot about his pattern of revelation.  I was reading in the last chapters of the Book of Mormon, Moroni 8-10 which is full of instruction about receiving revelation through the Holy Ghost but one part of these chapters that really stood out to me is how often it refers to love, our love for God and his love for us. In Moroni chapter 8 verse 16 it reads, "I fear not what man may do for perfect love casteth out all fear." I always felt that this verse met that our love for God would cast out all fear but as I read it again I am beginning to think that it could possibly be the opposite of that, Gods love for us will cast out all fear. There is another important aspect that goes along with love and that is faith. Joseph Smith stated that faith unto salvation needs three things, a true belief in Jesus Christ, a true knowledge of his attributes and character, and a firm belief that the pathway we are pursuing is pleasing to God. That last one, a belief that the path we are pursing is pleasing to God, is so important when it comes to making decisions. Having faith that when the Lord prompts or gives  instruction that His love is enough for his children to never lead down a path that will not ultimately lead to good. I am beginning to see just how much He loves his children more and more everyday and how important it is that we live worthy of the Spirit to receive his guidance on the daily basis. I cant even begin to say just how much I have felt that over these past few days as questions and decisions have come. The quiet assurance from the Holy Ghost to trust in the Lord and in my ability to follow and receive revelation. There is a great power that is given when we trust ourselves and our ability to act when prompted.  I know He does guide if we will be humble enough to ask and have the courage to act on his instruction. I know that He will never lead us wrong even when we might think otherwise. May love and faith in and from Heavenly Father always be a guiding force in your live.

I Love Airports!!

I had the opportunity this weekend of attending America Future of America leadership conference in Kansas City, Missouri. I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend the weekend with some of the brightest college students all studying agriculture from all across the country. It was pretty incredible!  I ended up flying by myself via Delta airline so I got to spend a little bit of time in the airport. I am an avid fan of people watching and airports are some of the best places to do that! It is pretty incredible the number of people that would go through a airport terminal in the matter of a few hours, everyone from every walk of life and from all situations. I love it! I was impressed today with of the love of God and just how amazing it is to think that he is so aware of each of us. What a difference it makes to know of his love and how that changes every thought and action.

At the end of the conference one the peer mentors showed a video by Kid President called the Pep Rally. In the video Kid President makes a statement that really stuck with me. He talks about team work and how we are all on the same team, then after a pause he states, then start acting like it. I thought of all the people an airport, a city, a community, any group of people, are all on the same team but how do we act like it? I know this weekend we talked a lot about being competitive and extraordinary and being above average as individuals. These terms don't bring people together but in reality cause people to do everything on their own for themselves. I know I have fallen into that mind set so many times. I also realize that in the world we live in that is required and it isn't going to go away any time soon. What needs to happen to create a unifying, team culture among those around us? I think that true unity comes as everyone is being built together. That each is working for the common good of others and as a result everyone is edified. It is so individual and requires every individual to do their part. At the conference one of the speakers told us to find a mentor that we can talk to about life situations and run ideas by, a peer that we can be real with and get feed back from, and then someone that you can invest in. That is my challenge this week, find someone that you can invest in and help to build up. Be interested in what they are doing and help them to achieve the desires that they have. I can promise that if you will do this you will find a great amount of happiness in your life and you will create a culture of unity in your community and in your own life. In building others we will be built ourselves.

Who knew you could learn so much from Billy Dean?

This weekend I had the opportunity of going to a cowboy poetry gathering with my parents and a friend. We saw a few different shows and had great time. We had the opportunity to attend a show by Billy Dean, a country singer, song writer. If you haven't heard his music I would highly recommend it! He does a great job! My dad has been working with him to come to a similar cowboy poetry gathering that goes on in Cache Valley and unlike a lot of the other big name singers Billy Dean doesn't have a manger and prefers that anyone who wants him to do a show talk directly to him about it. As my dad has been working with him he has been so impressed by how real and personable he is. Yesterday at his show, he shared a little bit of his story of how he started to play the guitar and what inspired him to pursue music. He talked about a conversation that he had with his father at a young age soon after he had started to play the guitar. His father told him to pursue his music and do it for the good of the world, to help improve the quality of the lives of those around him. I started to think about the talents that each of us have been given and specifically those talents that maybe I have neglected to develop. I often think that we get so caught up in developing new talents that the ones we already have get set aside and so we end up with a whole bunch of half developed talents. I know that is the case for me.

In Matthew 25 Jesus talks about talents in his parable of the talents, which I think gives a great example of what we should be doing with our talents. Each servant in the parable gets a different number of talents. The man leaves for a time and upon his return checks with his servants so see what they have done with their talents. Two of them doubled their talents while the one that was given the least hid his talent. The master was not pleased with this servant and quickly took the talent. Sometimes I feel really bad for that last servant because his obvious fear of loosing his talent resulted in just that. There are a lot of people out there that would look at their lives and not be able to see the talents they have been given or possibly compare their talents to someones talent that is more noticeable which would cause them to keep their talent hidden. I believe that the Lord makes it very clear when he told us to improve in our time. He doesn't care how much we improve. He just wants us to be working on the talents that he has given us and be constantly improving them. One day we will each stand before the Lord and I have a feeling he will ask us about our talents. Did we use them to bless the lives of others? Did we improve them? I know when I asked myself those questions I could see a lot of improvement. I know that the Lord has given us talents for a reason. There is no talent too small or unnoticeable. No one came here without a talent! I know that if you don't know what your talent is the Lord can help you to know. If you don't want to ask him, ask those around you! Once you find it, improve it, constantly strive to magnify it! I know that Lord will give us numerous ways to use our talents on a daily basis if we desire to!

Back to Billy Dean...he followed his fathers council and has developed his talent of music to the point that he is making a great deal of money doing it. In a conversation with him before the show he talked about how he does music for a living but that isn't his primary purpose for doing it. He has seen the way that his music has affected those around him and how when he writes it brings him closer to God. I believe that is an aspect of talents that is often over looked, there ability to bring us closer to God if we will allow them too. That is improvement. Improvement is of God. We will naturally draw closer to God as we improve our talents.

It Doesn't Have To Be A Certain Way

I have had this going through my mind for a while, I just hope it comes out in a way that is understood. I am taking a psychology class right now that I absolutely love! Recently we have been talking about development and specifically the development of our personality. How our surroundings impact who we are both for better and worse. Each experience that we have is an agent for us to develop beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. Some of these beliefs are true and some are false. Whether or not it is true or false it stays with us in our subconscious brain until proven other wise. Ultimately we develop our own reality and this reality shapes our actions. With all these beliefs that we have we tend to be closed minded whether we see it in ourselves or not. This happens because of the lens we view the world through that has a tendency to be bias towards our reality. If you think about how you view different aspects of life whether it is dating, marriage, traditions, roles in families, you have developed a normal for yourself and it becomes your "certain way."

Now let me back track and give a little back ground to this post. Yesterday I had an appointment with one of my neighbors to help me with my psychology homework. It didn't go quit as planned but I ended up talking to her husband for a while about life. We were talking about one specific aspect of my life that has required extra faith and trust right now. I was telling him about how I felt it should go and how it wasn't going at all how I had planned. He asked me if he could give me a little advice which I readily took. He simply said, "it doesn't have to look a certain way." This really hit me hard and I realized that I had been letting my reality and what I felt was true get the way of allowing it to happen the way the Lord would have it happen. I had developed a fixed belief on how people should act because it was truth to me. Individual truth is good for us, we need to have that as part of our lives but we need to be careful not to allow our truth get in the way of Gods truth and if I may add expectation for us. He asks us to have faith in him, repent, be baptized, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end. The scriptures are a great place to see how individuals lived this things. Each story is so unique but has the same core doctrine. Naturally the Lord would have requirements that need to be done a certain way, he has given us commandments that need to be followed and ordinances that are done exactly the way he has commanded, but other than those things He has given us agency to choose for ourselves how we go about living our life. 

So going back to looking a certain way. Are there aspects in your life that you feel should look a certain way? Can your recognize them? I know I thought of a few different parts of my life that I feel should look a certain way because of culture and the reality that I created, which if I may add, can be effected greatly by how we view  other people lives especially when they are experiences similar experiences. My invitation to you...take the time to look at your life, pray for the guidance of the spirit, and let go of fixed beliefs that would be keeping you from viewing your life in the way the Lord sees it. "It doesn't have to look a certain way," the Lord knows what he is doing and if we are willing to let go of whatever is keeping us from seeing his way, we will be able to see more clearly the path way HE would have us take! Our lives are so individual and unique that we cant compare them to others! It requires faith and trust in Him, that He knows best! I know that God loves us and is aware of us.The Atonement of Jesus Christ gives us the strength and hope that we can change!  He is in the details of our lives and is more than willing to give us understanding if we are willing to receive it.

You Will Be Pleasantly Surprised

"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulations worketh patience; And patience, experience, and experience hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

Romans 5:3-5

With school starting in a few weeks I have been spending more time in Logan at night as I have had a lot to get ready to be prepared for school. To add to this I have been preparing for a half marathon this weekend which has required a run every morning. This morning I had decided to run towards Logan Canyon in hopes of making it to first dam. Part of my run was up a long hill before the road drops

back down into the canyon. I didn't realize just how steep it was until I was running up it into the canyon wind. That was quit a run! As I got to the top I was so grateful when the running became much easier, even with the wind. I couldn't help but look back down the hill and feel a little like a champion for conquering the hill! I thought of this in regards to life and the trials that we see daily. It would have been so easy to turn around when my body got tired and it probably wouldn't have done any wrong for me, but the confidence I received when I realized that I had done something difficult will be something that will fortify me for ever. The same comes with trials. They teach us valuable lessons of perseverance, empathy, patience, the list goes on and on. But the one that seems to always hit me is the attribute of patience. I can honestly say that it drove me crazy when someone would say to just be patient! I was not very good being patient and letting life take its course. I loved being in control of my life and circumstances, even to the extent that to my self I had very high expectations of how others should act and what they should say, even though they had no clue about these expectations. When something didn't go as planned it would frustrate me and I began to blame myself for everything that was going "wrong" in my life. It got to the point that it was making me physically and emotionally sick. I came across an article in the August Ensign that talked about patience being more than just waiting, and too me it met that patience was allowing the Lord to take control of my life but still being actively involved. This required me to act for myself, use my agency as the Lord would have me, humbly asking him to know where I could improve and then having real intent to make the changes that he said. There are things that I have complete control over, promptness, giving my body the exercise and food that it needs, gaining an education. I came to realize that as I took control of what I could and allowed the Lord to take control of the rest than I was being patient and that is what the Lord asked me too do. I know that the Lord has a plan for each of us. He is fully aware of where we are so as we take the time to learn what we have control over and then take massive actions(quote President Anderson) you will be "pleasantly surprised" at what he can do for you in your life.

Tighten Up

Right now at our house is a little hectic. We are right in the middle of hay season so we are getting hay cut and baled and hauled just as fast as we can so we can get it in before the next rain storm. It has been pretty smooth until....the equipment breaks down and brings everything to a halt. It get it fixed takes a lot of time and work. This past week my dad and I were working on getting the baler fixed so that we can get it back on the road. The part that was broken required us to undo a whole bunch of other parts, taking them out and then once we get the drive line out and fixed putting it all back together. As we worked I was helping to screw a few pieces back in place. As I did an impression hit me. Sometimes in our lives we are "broken down." There are parts of our lives that have come unscrewed and keep us from living up fully to our potential. It is a painful place to be at because everything is not working properly. Those parts that have come unscrewed seem to shift our focus right to them, sometimes causing us to be a little discouraged; things that we know we should be doing but just don't seem to have time, or attributes that once we were ours that because of neglect we have lost. They keep us from progressing because we get so caught up in them. Can you think of one? I know that as this came I could think of a dozen that I needed to tighten up.

Now to switch gears a little bit. In Ether 12:27 the Lord tells us about the reason for these "loose screws" that we could also refer to as weaknesses. They are met to humble us, increase our faith, and help us to learn to rely on the Lord. In Doctrine and Covenants 121 He talks about adversity and afflictions giving us experience. I think that part of that experience is learning to recognize how to over come further challenges. Just like when we are screwing in a loose screw it might take a few times to find the right size or tool to get the job done. The best part about this is that there is someone who knows what tools we need and knows perfectly how to tighten up the loose screws. Because of the Atonement Jesus Christ knows how to over come anything that comes into our lives. Have you ever really sat and thought about that? He knows perfectly how to overcome because he already has. So what keeps us from going to him when we see that there are parts of our lives that might be a little unscrewed? I know that if we go to him with our concerns and with real intent pray to know what we need to do, or if we already do know what we need to do, pray that he will give strength and courage to do it. Then act in faith. I know for me one of those parts that needs to be tightened up is not sleeping too long in the morning. While it may not be a commandment I had recognized how much better I felt when I was productive earlier in the morning. At our house getting up early is the best time to get things done because it is cool outside, but it is the same way at night so we work late into the night and don't get a lot of sleep as a result. So mornings are hard for everyone. I know that as I have trusted in the Lord and asked for his support I have been able to tighten up that screw. 

Just like a broken down tractor it takes time and patience to get it back up and running. I know that there is someone who can help us each to know where we need to focus in order to function completely again. I would invite you to go to him in prayer and ask how and where you need to tighten up your screws, whether it be in scripture study or being on time too meetings, he will help you know. I can also promise that as you do a great peace of conscience will come to your mind. I know that Heavenly Father is not only concerned with our spiritual lives but with every part of our lives. He wants us to be the best we can be and He wants to help! 

Just Have It

My family has a family tradition that we ride from our house in Paradise to Lyman Wyoming, approximately 105 miles to the east as the crow flies. We have done this horse ride for about 16 years, since the time I was four years old. As you can imagine it is not easy and takes a lot of preparation for the horses and each member of our family. We are preparing to head out again in a few weeks so we have been riding the horses we will be taking every night this week. My Dad and I have been holding the fort down this last week while my brothers and mom were out of town. We are taking about 6 horses total on our ride...there are two of us...tak
ing them riding every night...we have a great time! When had gotten back from a late night ride a few nights ago and we decided to divide and conquer since there were still chores that needed to be done and the horses needed to be taken back up to where we were keeping them, out on grass. I volunteered to take all 6 of them back up while my dad finished the rest of the chores. For some reason all of the horses were very excited about something because I had the hardest time keeping them straight and making sure that we were all going in the right direction. I found myself getting very frustrated with them. That has seemed to happen a lot lately and I have been working on getting over that. A few days prior to this experience I had been talking to a very wise neighbor, who without really knowing, was an answer to my prayer of making sense of this time in my life. He made a comment that so often as people we either regret and flounder in the past or we worry and fear the future which leads us to totally forgetting about the present and the cycle starts all over again. I felt this had a lot to do with my question...so a few days later as I was struggling to take the horses up the hill to put them away a scripture came to mind. 2 Nephi 2:27, "Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy." The last part of that scripture really struck me, "that they might have joy." It could have said anything about finding joy in the future, or even digging it up from the past, but it tells us that we are to "have joy." To me that met that I could have joy now...not later or live it in the past...but now in that moment when I was struggling up that hill to put those horses away. I was missing the moment because I was failing to allow myself to enjoy the now. When else was I going to be able to work with 6 horses at one time! Not very often!  Although there is a very important part of this joy, we have to choose to live now and have the joy that will come. Those now moments come on a daily basis and sometimes we might not even remember them, but each play a critical role in molding and shaping us into the men and woman Heavenly Father would have us be. It is in the time with family or friends that bring memories. It is in the world around us that a kind and all knowing Father gave to us to learn and to grow. It is in the rain storms that brings the green back to the ground,(or just really reminds you of Washington!:) Look around, they are everywhere! Begin today to live in the moment because they only happen once! We can have joy now! We don't have to wait for it! Just have it!

Gods Hand is Always there!!

It has been a good week this week! Coming home I have been thinking of what I can do to continue to be a missionary even though i recognize that it is not the same. I guess it all comes back to our covenants. I think since I have been home it has come to my mind that i can be a missionary by keeping my covenants because ultimately it is all about relationships and helping others to bear their burdens either spiritually or physically. So my focus has changed from wanting to be a "missionary" to living my covenants to the fullest! it has been an interesting experience as that has become my focus. On Thursday I stopped by car by the garage because it had a slow leak in the tire. I had planned to just stay there since that was really the only option so i went back to the "lounge" area and sat down on a couch diagonal to another couch that faced the television. There was a lady on that couch talking to what it seemed like to be her husband. It was quit a comical conversation but when she got off the phone I felt impressed to talk to her. It was causal talk at the beginning but eventually it moved to God and what her stand was. She had grown up in the church and had moved away from it for a time but then married a man who was catholic and decided it was time to come back. In the mean time she brought her husband with her and she was preparing to go to the temple in the upcoming months. We were able to talk for a little about faith and recognizing the spirit and boy was I glad for the spirit! it directed the whole conversation and hoped her to understand a little more! I am so grateful that Heavenly Father placed her in my path to bless me with the opportunity to talk to her. She blessed my life probably more than she will know! Another experience, on Tuesday I went to the temple in the morning and decided to do a session. I was a little late for the session so...i got to ride the elevator! That is always fun!! We went to the room and I noticed a sister who was moving a few rows back and was going to sit by herself so I decided to sit by her. She whispered that she didn't like sitting in the front because its as hard to see the screen. When the session was over and we were sitting in the celestial room i have felt an urge to talk to her but was going to wait for a minute when she stood up like she was going to leave. She walked over to me and tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I was a return missionary! I told her I was and she asked where I had served and come to find out she has a grandson in Vancouver. She have me a hug and thanked me for sitting by her and she left. What she didn't know was just how much that comment would mean to me. It is crazy being a return missionary and wondering so much about if you did any good and I have come to realize that the Lord will tell us how we have done and that he is pleased with our work but I also believe that he sometimes sends angels who follow the spirit and touch us in ways that they will never know. Who will tell us more than just a feeling and we can rely on that and know that it is from God. And to make the story even more complete, when I left it was snowing! Everyone in Cache Valley and been praying for rain and moisture, and the Lord gave the increase. I am so grateful for the time that I had to serve! Life is good! God is so aware of us and our circumstance and I know he takes care of his missionaries for the sacrifice they make to be in the field no matter who they are. We may not completely understand how it works but Heavenly Father has shown us what he expects and it is a lot but not so much that we cant do with the help of his son Jesus Christ. That is the beauty of the Gospel!! I am so grateful for the Lords hand in our lives and how much he loves us! It is so apparent if we allow ourselves to have spiritual eyes to see them! 

Peace Like A River

"Oh that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments-then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea."

1 Nephi 20:18

 Our mission over this past month or so has been focusing so much on concentration and fully consecrating our efforts to the Lord. At church on Sunday the Stake President spoke about obedience to the commandments. He talked about how sometimes we have these little sins, or acts of disobedience, that would keep us from totally freeing ourselves and living in such a way that the spirit can more fully be with us. He related these little sins to small stones that we keep in our pockets. Every so often we pull them out and shine them up a bit then put them back not being totally willing to let go of them in order to feel the fullness of Gods love and his blessings. So often though with these we feel happy and don't see any immediate effects of our actions, but we wont know just how much we are missing out on until we let go of them.

IN a missionary meeting on Wednesday some missionaries talked about this topic again and invited us to look into our lives and our missionary work and eliminate those small stones that may be keeping us from receiving all the blessings the Lord has in store for us. As I took this to heart I made a commitment to myself that I would not walk past anyone without offering something to them. Easier said than done! That evening my companion and I were out contacting people. It was very dark outside as we were walking back to our car when we noticed a man in his garage with his back to us. A thousand thoughts went through our heads, "Its too dark, you could startle him," "He could be very angry with you and call the cops." Needless to say we walked past him but before we got to our car the words to the scripture above came to mind. I had made a commitment to my Heavenly Father to talk to everyone and I was going back on this commitment. We went back and talked to him. After we got done and were walking back to our car I felt the peace that the Lord promises in the scripture. I had been obedient to Gods commandments through out my mission but last night I learned a valuable lesson about obedience to Gods commandments. I learned that he keeps his promises and that we will never know that until we are obedient to his commandments. Obedience to commandments does more for us than for the Lord. The Lord tells us that we receive no witness until after the trial of our faith. Sometimes that trial will be a lot longer than we think it will be but when we get the witness we will never go back!  For me the trial of my faith of obedience took 16 months but the witness that God absolutely keeps his promises will last forever! I would hope that we would each take some time to evaluate the rocks that we keep in our pockets that may be keeping us from gaining the witness.  If you cant think of anything, pray about it. The Lord will let you know! Then be willing to act on that prompting to drop the rock, then shall" [your] peace be like a river, and [your] righteousness as the waves of the sea." I know that God does keep his promises! May we be obedient to the commandments of the Lord and have full access to his blessings and love! 

He will Answer

 

"And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless and notwithstanding it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear it to the center, insomuch that there was not part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn."

 

-3 Nephi 11:3-

I love the example from the scriptures when Christ comes to the people in the Americas. It is following a time of great destruction and confusion. they had just been in darkness for three days and were probably beginning to clean up from the ruble that had followed the destruction. Then there is a voice...they say so quiet that they couldn't understand what it said. They all paused to listen and try to understand. It is repeated again and they all strain to hear the voice and then the third time, after they had "opened their ears"  they hear the words, "Behold this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name-hear ye him." (3 Nephi 11:7) How often do we close our ears to not hear the answers that the Lord gives to us? I know for me it happens more than I care to admit. Although how can we learn to open our ears to the promptings of the spirit? I feel like it begins by studying the word of God to know what the Spirit sounds like. People for centuries have asked questions and the answers to their questions are recorded in the scriptures. God has promised that he will answer our questions but it takes effort on our part. It requires that we have real intent. I feel like that is an important component to getting answers to our questions and feeling the promptings of the spirit. Answers come in the Lords timing, which so often isn't our timing. That is something  I know to be true more than ever. But the Lords timing is always right! As we have real intent to act on the answer we get we will be patient in getting our answers because we will understand that the Lord knows what is going to be best for us. So often when it takes time to get an answer to a question we feel that if we don't get the answer then the answer is no. The Lord has promised that he will answer any honest seeker of truth so when the answer doesn't come when we feel it should, don't give up hope. The Lord may be allowing you to continue to study more fully and gain a greater understanding before receiving a witness that it is true. But we must not close our ears and give up trying when it seems long.

I remember towards to beginning of my mission we spent so much time studying from Preach My Gospel to know what to teach. I had always known the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith as a prophet, or so I thought. I remember a few weeks into my mission we ran into a man who questioned every bit of our testimony  and every thing we believed. I remember wondering if I really did believe these things and if I really knew that they were true. I remember hitting my knees that night and praying for a witness and understanding and really feeling nothing in particular, but I remember feeling that I needed to study from the Book of Mormon. So that's what I did, I studied it every morning for almost a year and prayed to receive a witness. My answer was to continue to study. I was grateful for outstanding companions that I had who continued to help me to find the answer for myself. I believed it, but I needed to know it! Then the time came when we were in a lesson teaching about the Book of Mormon. We had finished testifying on the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and the sister we were teaching asked us if we really believed all that we had just taught her. In that moment my mouth was opened and I was able to testify with every part of my feeling that I knew it was true! I had gained that witness for myself and I can say today that with out a shadow of a doubt that I know the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God! Whatever you have a question about take the time to study and pray then wait in patience. The witness will come and it will come sure and steady. But don't give up!! It is on the Lords timing! Don't close your ears to the voice of the Spirit that is still and small!! He will answer that is a promise that we can be sure of! It requires faith on our part to continue to act until the answer will come! But I can testify that it will come! God answers prayers and he will answer yours what ever it may be! He will show the truth of all things!

The Family

"The Family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor martial vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities."

-The Family: A Proclamation to the World-

 

 

I love the sentence in The Family: A Proclamation for the World, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work and wholesome recreational activities." I think the part that stands out to me in this sentence is the parts of the gospel, faith and repentance. One of the first principles we teach as missionaries is how the gospel blesses families no matter the type or style. Every family is so different, some would seem nearly perfect while others wear the visual effects of neglect. Something that has always impressed me about the gospel is how when we incorporate it into our lives we can then in turn bless our family. When each individual member of the family is working towards improving themselves by developing qualities of love, respect, compassion and many other Christ like attributes we naturally turn out from ourselves and to turn to those around us. I remember as a young girl I was home by myself with my father. He had gone out to start preparing a tractor to rake hay while I took a nap after a long week. My father was always a very hard worker and I knew that he wore himself down providing for our family. He had said that I could sleep until he had it already then he would come in and get me to take the tractor out to rake so that he could get caught up with his job. I slept for a while and when I finally work up it was about two hours later and the tractor was gone. I realized that my dad had sacrificed all the other chores he had to do so that I could sleep. That has never left me and I have always known the love my father had for me and for all of my siblings and my mom. While it was so small, it left a huge impact on me! I can remember seeing my mom doing her scripture study late at night before she went to bed and I knew how important scripture study was by her example! I am so grateful that God gave us families and whether or not your family is close or distant, we each have people who we can lean on and fill that role of family and most importantly we can improve ourselves through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end to bless our families and all those around us. I know that family is ordained of God and so sacred to him! May we each try to improve our family life so the Spirit of the Lord can reside in our homes!

Individual

 I hope this post comes out the way that I am thinking it so bear with me! I have been thinking a lot lately about individual worth and how important it is for each of us to come to understand who we are, especially as children of God. Ether 12:27 comes to mind about weaknesses and the Lord helping to make our weaknesses strengths. I could spend so much time talking about that but I would rather focus on how we can uses those strengths and weaknesses to allow the Lord help us turn those weaknesses into strengths and how that truly does make us so individual. It all goes back to the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Actually farther back than that. When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden they had two commandments, don't eat of the forbidden fruit and multiply and replenish the earth. They were given their agency to choose what they wanted to do and eventually they partook of the fruit, opening the way for each of us to come to Earth and learn and grow from experiences that we would have. What a blessing it is that they did partake of the fruit. Could you imagine where we would be without that? God knowing that because of the fall we would all be in a fallen state provided a Savior for each of us, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins and provide a way for us to learn from our mistakes rather than to be condemned by them. We could use this time to grow and learn about what a physical body can do for us. We could experience joy and pain, sorrow and happiness.

I had an experience this last week that taught me so much about this principle. As a missionary there is some sort of image that missionaries have and sometimes it even seems like a mold that a missionary should fit. Before I left of my mission I wanted so badly to fit that perfect missionary mold. I spent so much of my time striving for it and doing all that I could to become that missionary mold. Then something happened. As I was praying to know how I could "fit the mold" better I received distinct instruction to spend time understanding who God wanted me to be. I had always assumed that the perfect missionary was what God had wanted me to be.  I came to understand that I had been given very specific gifts and talents that are uniquely me. They make up who I am and everyone else on the Earth has their own unique gifts that make them uniquely them. Heavenly Fathers goal is to help us to magnify our talents and strengths and to help us make them the best they can be then to do the same with our weaknesses. We cant be some one we aren't and will never become who we think we should be because that it not what the Lord has in mind for us. But his plan for us is so much better than anything that we could ever want. I am reminded of a story from C.S. Lewis. He talks about a cute little cottage that would represent each of us. A carpenter comes to the cottage and begins to make changes. At first it is alright but eventually the cottage notices that he is knocking down walls and making a lot of changes, some that hurt. When the carpenter is done he has made a mansion! The Lord is the carpenter and we are the house. He is making something great of us, something much better than we can make of ourselves! I testify that God lives!! He loves us and has our best interest in mind! I am so grateful for the challenges and opportunities he gives to each of us to grow and to learn the essential skills that will make us so much better! The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real! He knows what we go through on a daily basis and desires to help us! We need to open the door and allow him too!!

The Witness

 "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."

Ether 12:6

I am so excited to start up my blog again about what I have been learning and studying!! There is so much and I am not sure where to start! Yesterday at a meeting with our mission President, President Taylor taught us about faith in Jesus Christ and what that really means. Growing up in the church I knew the common definition as found in Alma, "Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things. Therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen which are true." (Alma 32:21) As we drove home from our meeting it hit me. True faith in Jesus Christ is the solution to every problem we encounter and every problem that the world encounters.

A quote came to mind from President Ezra Taft Bensen, "The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature." Faith in Jesus Christ leads us to change our nature to become more in harmony with his teachings. He has provided access to a reservoir of spiritual solutions, studying the scriptures, developing talents and Christ like attributes, and becoming permanently  steadfast in him. He cares about our temporal well being but cares more about us become spiritually and temporally self reliant.

A few examples from the scriptures. Lehi and his family left their temporal wellbeing and comforts when the Lord asked Lehi to leave Jerusalem. He asked him to leave behind his riches and live in a tent for who knows how long. As a result of Lehi and his family leaving they gained a spiritual strength in the Lord. They didn't see the city of Jersusalem to be destroyed but their own spiritual strength increased. They came to know the fruits of the spirit and that it is good!

The same is true for us today! Faith is believing that he lives; that he is an actual being. It is coming to know the true character of Christ through diligent scripture study and daily prayer. That he is our Redeemer and is the only way for us to return to live with our Father in Heaven! It is coming to know that the path we are following is consistent with his will and what he wants us to do. That is faith in Jesus Christ and it never ends. We continue to increase in faith as we study his life and his character, evaluate where our lives are and how we can live in accordance to his will. This is the solution! Faith in Jesus Christ will make the broken whole! I know that I don't truly understand if all the way and will probably never in this life but what I DO know has changed my life! This is the most important thing anyone could know. It goes a lot deeper than the Restoration of the Gospel and having on a prophet on the earth today. Faith in Jesus Christ leads to true love, divine Godly love that comes from a loving Father who loves each of his children and desires them to come home to him. He wants us to truly know his son and be made whole! He tells us "come unto me...for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:29-30) I feel like there are a thousand things that I would like to write! I hope that you will learn something from reading this and that it will help you to better improve your relationship with Jesus Christ and increase your faith!! I know he lives!! He loves us and cares for us more than we could ever know! He is mindful of each of us and our situations! Faith in Jesus Christ will change the world!! Let it change you!! Do what it takes to increase and improve your faith!! You will see miracles!!