Thursday, July 31, 2014

Come off Conquerer

"The children of Father in Heaven can do AMAZING THINGS when they feel trusted. EVERY CHILD OF GOD  in mortality CHOSE THE SAVIOR'S PLAN. Trust that given the opportunity, THEY WILL DO SO AGAIN." 

-Elder Richard G. Scott 

"As individuals, we are STRONG. Together with God, we are UNSTOPPABLE." 
-Rosemary M. Wixom 

When I was at a Leadership retreat recently there was an object lesson that had an impression on me. The speaker held up a picture of Jesus and had us youth stand up.  We were in a semi circle around the room.  She said for us each to think of and say something that would bring us individually to Christ.  We came up with some answers such as dressing modestly, studying scriptures, praying, paying tithing, listening to good music, etc.  With each one we took a step forward.  After a few things we realized that we were all should to shoulder now and even a bit closer.

When we all do our best to Choose The Right, we come closer to each other, become unified.  Just think, with our army being so strong, us being that close together, that close to the source of light and true power, the one who has conquered death and sin and infirmities and so forth we can do SO MUCH!

  In Joseph Smith-History verse 20 it says, " It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me, almost in my infancy?" 

That scripture has helped me so much during the past little while, knowing that the struggles and trials we go through are mostly because we have something great to do, an important mission to fulfill, are able make the Adversary's kingdom shake and make him weaker.

  In Alma 48:17 and the next few verses it says that if all men had been, were and ever would be like Captain Moroni, Ammon, and others in the scriptures THE POWERS OF HELL WOULD BE SHAKEN FOREVER AND SATAN WOULD HAVE NO MORE POWER OVER THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN OF MEN.  Whoa! That is our destiny! Or, at least part of it.  And we are capable of doing that.  We are more powerful than he is. We can come off conqueror (Doctrine and Covenants 10:5)  It is really hard sometimes when all the darkness surrounds us, but remember, DON'T LET HIM WIN!  Remember the light inside of you is stronger than his darkness.  Darkness cannot exist when light is around. You are that light- if you stand with the Savior. 

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Missed Opportunity

A couple of weeks ago at mutual I missed an opportunity to serve that I am always praying for, that I am always praying to be able to recognize and act on.  
There is a girl in another ward (or group of families/people in the church) who has a severe case of Arthritis and therefore doesn't run or do a lot of the things that the rest of us youth do.  She is really a sweet, beautiful, amazing person, one of those kinds of people that will forever be in your heart, you will probably always be friends with.  Anyway, we were having a big water activity and at one point as I was glancing around, I subconsciously saw her sitting there on a chair off to the side, smiling, but looking rather sad that she wasn't able to join us. As for me, I kept playing, not even really registering what I had seen.  And it wasn't until the next day that all of a sudden it hit me.  I felt SO bad. 

The Most Important Thing-Keep Trying
hmmm....Good to remember...SO! Recently, another girl (who doesn't come very often, but is a WONDERFUL addition to our group when she does come), was off to the side of the room, by herself.  Instantly I rushed over there to her and started talking with her.  Before long I was having a pretty good conversation with her AND we had attracted another girl who came over and started to talk to us.  Ahhh! Feels good.....

When I first moved to the ward I am in, I was instantly "attacked"--with love!  The people in my ward instantly wanted to try to befriend me-and I think they succeeded.  I am so grateful that they listened to the Spirit and acted upon what they were "told." If they hadn't done that I would feel so different about being here.  I hope I can be that kind of a person more often...in fact, all the time!
"Impressions that come from God will give us knowledge that we cannot get by any other means"
(-"
Learning with Our Hearts" BY ELDER WALTER F. GONZÁLEZ Oct. 2012)

Now, "Your mission, everyone,  should you decide to accept it, is to seek out those who need you and serve them, even though you might be afraid, or say that it won't make a difference.  Serve them in every way you can. Take advantage of gifts you have been given and use them to bless others' lives. That is my challenge to you, and to myself for this week.  Good Luck, Everyone."



Sunday, July 6, 2014

Some Gifts Found/Listed In The Scriptures

Hi!

I was reading today in Moroni (I just flipped through my scriptures, stopping at some marked spots) and opened to chapter 10.   I read a bit and noticed that for about 1/3 (one third) of the chapter, the VERY LAST CHAPTER IN THE BOOK OF MORMON, Moroni decides to talk about gifts.  Hmmmm....

So, why did he think that that was important enough to put as basically his VERY LAST words to us?
 In case you can't read the little words it says: "There is a light in each of us. Share it. D&C 115:5")
The third to last verse, is the Youth Theme for this year: "Come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness;" That is all that we mostly hear and say and talk about.  But I love the whole verse, let alone the whole chapter. You should go and read it. Follow the link in this paragraph. :-)
So, in developing our gifts and talents and using them for good, we draw closer to Christ and bring others closer to him.  "Come unto Christ" is our invitation. Gifts are like...the fuel to get us there.

In Moroni 10, there is a list of some gifts "of the Spirit" that we are given:

"And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them."

  • Teach the word of wisdom
  • Teach the word of knowledge
  • Exceedingly great faith
  • Healing
  • Work mighty miracles
  • Prophesy concerning all things 
  • Beholding of angels and ministering spirits
  • All kinds of tongues
 "And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ."

In Doctrine and Covenants 46 it says:


  • Know Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was crucified for the sins of the world
  • Believe on their (above) words, that they also might have eternal life if they continue faithful.
  • Know the differences of administration, as it will be pleasing unto the same Lord, according to the Lord's will
  • Know the diversities of operations, whether they be of God, that the manifestations of the Spirit may be given to every man to profit withal
  • The word of wisdom
  • The word of knowledge, that all may be taught to be wise and to have knowledge
  • Faith to  be healed
  • Faith to heal
  • Working of miracles
  • To prophesy
  • The discerning of spirits
  • To speak with tongues
  • The interpretation of tongues
"And all these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God....And ye must give thanks unto God in the Spirit for whatsoever blessing you are blessed with. and ye must practise virtue and holiness before me continually."

I found this video today that I thought was kind of neat.  And the man has such talent!

"Sculpting the prophet"
“For verily I say unto you, they are given for the benefit
of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and
him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek
or that ask of me” (D&C 46:8–9; see also verse 26).

This is also an amazing story....


And this one...
These inspire me!

Now, just because I have listed some gifts and just because these videos are more on an "artistic" level, doesn't mean that those are all the gifts anyone can have, and that you have to be able to sing or play an instrument to BE SOMEBODY.  I have a friend who, I think, can make anyone laugh at almost any moment. That is one of her gifts.  My mother has the gift of being an amazing listener and being able to understand me more than almost anyone else.  She is compassionate.  Those are a couple of her gifts. My dad has a gift of being able to notice when there is a problem and stand for the right. My little brother has the gift of being able to make us laugh.  Some have the gift of being curious and searching for knowledge of how things work, and what is the truth. Some are able to understand Shakespeare. Seeing the good in people and situations is s gift. Some can tell when someone needs a hug and can give it. Some have a "photographic" memory. Others can remember random facts. Patience is a gift (and one that can be learned!) Optimism is a gift. Some can concentrate/ when there is a lot of noise and distractions.  Mormon  is said to have been "quick to observe."  That is a gift. There are many that we don't have a name for, but they are gifts nonetheless.  Some people's gifts are being able to feel empathy for others. There are so many. 

We are faced with trials where we discover gifts. We are born with certain gifts. We acquire others through hard work and practice. Others through study, trial and error. We have so many ways where we can make the most of a situation and rise above the crowd-or even above our own doubts and thoughts, or temptations or just about anything that puts us down.  But we can conquer.  It doesn't mean that we won't go through struggles.  It doesn't mean we won't hurt, or that after a certain point we are just going to be fine, hunky dorey, it never happened, I'm over it; a lot of people expect that.  It means that we can take the task/problem and learn from it and become better people, grateful for the little rays of light that seep into our dark abyss.  

I saw this video a few years ago and thought it was amazing. (I didn't mean for it to be another piano video, but...). 

“God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs." (Pres. Spencer W. Kimball)


(For more about gifts: see here)
===============https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/morm/1?lang=en

Saturday, July 5, 2014

2 Mormonads (and a video) I Love!




"Our True Identity" (Ugly Duckling) Pres. Uchtdorf

Girls Camp

Hi! I'm back!

I was at Girls Camp this week, which was pretty cool!  (If you want to know more about what Girls Camp is, click here.)


Here are a couple of photos that I took up at camp

Part of Girls Camp was talking about the women in the scriptures, particularly The Book of Mormon. (You can read it online here, learn more about it here, or request a completely free, no strings attached copy here). The fireside about the women was pretty amazing, talking in "first person" narrative about the women's lives.  There was Abish (click here for more about her story), Sariah, and Nephi's wife and a Sister of a Stripling Warrior.  I cried a bit during the one about the Sister of the Warrior.  
The Stripling Warriors
Stripling Warriors

What I think I gained the most from camp was that I want to be a righteous woman (and mother, grandmother, etc. eventually) in Zion, one who lives by faith and uses her knowledge, gifts and testimony to strengthen others and bring them to Christ. I want to be a virtuous woman who lives with integrity and knows who she is and can make wise choices based on her knowledge of good and evil and who knows that she has divine nature.  I don't think that the women in the scriptures (such as Rachel, Rebekah, Sarah, Ruth, Naomi and so many others) knew that they would be well known and respected and loved by so many people in so many nations.  But they lived their lives in a clean, righteous, pure way and because they did it for God and no one else, many look up to them. I know I do, and I want to follow their example.

"Farewell, My Stripling Warrior" by Del Parson, 1999

When I was on a hike at camp, I began going down a very steep hill and needed to watch my footing more than usual.  As I focused on the ground I suddenly stopped short-there was a Sego Lily.  Sego Lilies are one of my most favorite flowers, very rare, very unique, very beautiful, clean and white. They are so small, yet add so much to the world, at least to the little area they are in. Very often, I am sure they get completely missed and go unnoticed.  
Sego Lily



Sego Lilies are very precious to me.  Many times I think of people in relation to Sego Lilies because they are unique. They are Children of God. They are strong. They are beautiful inside and out and have much to give to the world no matter how small they are. Often they go unnoticed. But that doesn't mean that they are of any less worth-especially to Heavenly Father.  (Remember that little sparrows and lilies and other little things do not go unnoticed and unprotected and blessed by Him: "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" Matthew 6:28-30

I know that Heavenly Father watches over us and protects us, provides for us, blesses us and loves us. I know He encourages us and strengthens us to do what is right.  I know that we are all important and each have something amazing to give.