The here and now

It has been too long :) We had a relief society chat the other night about Elder Bednar's talk "The Way Things Really Are." It is a great talk and it got me thinking about reasons technological temptations should be avoided. They can be used for good and that is what I hope to do with this blog. I decreased my facebook friends by over half. It occured to me, that although it important to have friends and sometimes we like to keep in contact with them because they are now distant friends, it is most important to work on current friendships. Your previous friends will be there in the eternities and if you don't make any new friends, you will have a lot of new meeting to do rather than loads of friends. There are some cases where it is really important to not let sheep become lost from the fold. You might be needed for continual missionary efforts, but sometimes it might be more important for you to pass the responsibility to a dependable member with a closer locality to this person. It is up to you and Heavenly Father to decide on the tough ones, but for most cases it is important to meet and become acquainted with those in whom you are currently meeting. They are going to need enrichment in their lives as well. And, who knows, maybe you are the only one who can do this for them. And I will bet ya anything, that if you go out and serve these people, your life will be blessed more than you could ever imagine :)

Self-reliance

Hmm... Lots of thoughts...
Institute was amazing last night! We talked about the importance of becoming self-reliant in all aspects of our lives. Such an important concept. One of the quotes talked about how the church has been infected with counselitis. That is so true! It is extremely important to seek out answers and to rely on the Spirit to confirm or reject our decisions. This life is very noisy and we must listen very carefully! We also have to remember our answers, because Satan tries very hard to help us forget. I think sometimes he puts small obstacles in our way that seem humongous to us to direct our focus from the path we have decided to follow. Sometimes he even makes us think it was our own wanting/desire rather than the Lord's. We must have faith in our answers and follow them with a steady faith and knowledge that if we are doing what is right our Heavenly Father will direct us. We need to stop worrying about whether or not answers were our own thoughts, or guidance from the Spirit. If we are righteous, we won't be led astray. As we become self-reliant and align our will with God's will, we will be able to accomplish anything necessary for the building up of Zion and preparation for the return of our Savior. What a blessing! And guess what?!? We will be happy! A greater happiness than is possible any other way! The gospel is so very true!!!

Team Work

I have learned more lately about the concept of teamwork. It is so much more than sports or work or anything else that would be normally connected to the word. It is about working together to accomplish the greatest accomplishment of all, Celestial Glory. It is about loving everyone, no matter the situation. It is about learning the answers to the questions most asked in our world: Who we are. Where we come from. Where we are going. It is about sharing our thoughts and knowledge with each other to help each other muddle through confusion to find pure light. It is there! I know this for sure! It is about helping someone with something so minute, that to the helper it seems easy and unimportant, but yet, to the helped, it could be the act of servitude that changed their life. Who knows what a smile will do! We are all in this together! It is our opportunity to work together at working together:)

Part of a great talk

“A person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation; for instance, when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you, it may give you sudden strokes of ideas … and thus by learning the Spirit of God and understanding it, you may grow into the principle of revelation, until you become perfect in Christ Jesus.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1977, p. 151.)

Such an idea came into my mind and I said to the atheist, “Let me ask if you know what salt tastes like.”
“Of course I do,” was his reply.
“When did you taste salt last?”
“I just had dinner on the plane.”
“You just think you know what salt tastes like,” I said.
He insisted, “I know what salt tastes like as well as I know anything.”
“If I gave you a cup of salt and a cup of sugar and let you taste them both, could you tell the salt from the sugar?”
“Now you are getting juvenile,” was his reply. “Of course I could tell the difference. I know what salt tastes like. It is an everyday experience—I know it as well as I know anything.”
“Then,” I said, “assuming that I have never tasted salt, explain to me just what it tastes like.”
After some thought, he ventured, “Well-I-uh, it is not sweet and it is not sour.”
“You’ve told me what it isn’t, not what it is.”
After several attempts, of course, he could not do it. He could not convey, in words alone, so ordinary an experience as tasting salt. I bore testimony to him once again and said, “I know there is a God. You ridiculed that testimony and said that if I did know, I would be able to tell you exactly how I know. My friend, spiritually speaking, I have tasted salt. I am no more able to convey to you in words how this knowledge has come than you are to tell me what salt tastes like. But I say to you again, there is a God! He does live! And just because you don’t know, don’t try to tell me that I don’t know, for I do!”

The Candle of the Lord
By Elder Boyd K. PackerOf the Quorum of the Twelve

Thoughts for today

So today we spoke about the second coming in my religion class! Wow! Amazing! We also discussed a few things about temples. I will try to post some of my notes a little later. I get nervous sometimes that I am going to have such a responsibility teaching my children to be firm followers of their Savior, but I am extremely excited as well! I have a hard time sometimes living with room mates who are amazing and have been through the temple. I know my time will come, but I am very anxious. There is so much to learn! Every new door leads to ten others! The gospel is so exciting! We all get to learn and grow here on earth together as part of a team, working together and serving each other! What a blessing! I know my Savior will come again and that if I am righteous everything will be better than I could ever imagine. I just hope I can help those around me. It would be wonderful if everyone could be included in the righteous at the glorious time of the Savior's Coming! We have a lot of work to do, and I am grateful for the 52,000 missionaries sharing our message of hope. Brother Marsh talked today about how the LDS religion believes in the message of hope for those who have passed on. Not one soul who has lived on this earth or will live on this earth will be denied the opportunity to receive the gospel. What a blessing! I just hope and pray they will receive it with an open heart. It is so true!

Prayer at Gethsemane
by Del Parson
“For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him” (D&C 18:11).


I am loved!

Journey’s End
by Derek Hegsted
“Come unto me in my kingdom; and with me ye shall find rest” (3 Ne. 28:3).


I have been thinking a lot lately about my Savior and how He truly understands everything I go through. I always need Him, and He is always there.