The Lord, My Companion, and Me


The Lord, my companion and me,
Are a great combination, we three:
For where He would lead us, we go willingly,
The Lord, my companion and me,


The Lord, my companion and me,
Have a work that is endless, you see.
For the good, honest souls must be gathered, we're told
By the Lord, my companion and Me.


The Lord, my companion and me,
Must pull as a team, constantly,
If we would have power, we will remember each hour
It's the Lord first, then my companion, then me.


-Lula Anderson

I believe this to be true! I am grateful to have the companionship of the Lord and my companion. With both of them we are one! They will always be there for me to count on, to lean on, and to abide with. Reminds me of a sentence in the Missionary Handbook where it says, " Your loyalty is first to the Lord, then your mission president, then your companion." I am grateful that I have that trust and love for the Lord and my companion; that I can share everything with them without being judged, made fun of, or mocked. How blessed I am to be here with the Lord and my companion!I love them and I am glad that we work together as a team to share the gospel with our many brothers and sisters:) As we are in this journey to find true happiness!

Our Spiritual Journey

This talk reminds me of this poem that I came across once while I was reading. I don't remember when, where, and how; but it is one of those things that I read that really touched me in some ways. But as I was watching this video, for some reason it reminded me of this poem. It reads:

When you are sad
I will dry your tears
When you are scared
I will comfort your fears
When you are worried
I will give you hope
When you are confused
I will help you cope
and when you are lost
and can't see the light
I shall be your beacon
shining ever so bright
This is my oath
I pledge till the end
Why you may ask
because you're a friend.

We are all in this journey together to find true happiness, but sometimes we just don't know where to find it. True happiness only comes when we have God in our lives, and rely on the Lord Jesus Christ. As we follow the counsel of the prophet Isaiah: "I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation," we will find that happiness that we long for. Jesus Christ is our Savior, but he is our friend too. If we rely on Him as a friend He will help us through this journey we are on. Because through Him we can find true happiness.

Elder Neil L. Andersen says "Our spiritual journey is the process of a lifetime. We do not know everything in the beginning or even along the way. Our conversion comes step-by-step, line upon line. We first build a foundation of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We treasure the principles and ordinances of repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. We include a continuing commitment to prayer, a willingness to be obedient, and an ongoing witness of the Book of Mormon. (The Book of Mormon is powerful spiritual nourishment.)" We will have challenges, concerns, doubts, and trials in our journey--but we are not alone.
Jesus Christ said, "Be not afraid, only believe." (Mark 5"36) If we put our trust in Him and have faith He will help us in this spiritual journey that we are on. He will be a comfort to us when we are in need of comfort, He will wipe our tears when we are sad, and He will LOVE us no matter what.

I believe this to be true, that even though we may not know enough--we are not alone. Jesus Christ, our Savior will always be there to lead and guide us as we have faith in Him, repent of our sins, follow His great example and be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Once we have entered this righteous path, we continue to endure to the end: by keeping His commandments, serving Him, and do the things that He would want us to do. I am grateful for this journey that we (God's children) are on. That we are never alone and we know enough to find true happiness as we live the gospel daily.

Qualify for the Spirit

Today I was asked to give a discussion in our District Meeting about this topic: How do we qualify for the Spirit? I read the talk by President Eyring on this last conference titled, "Serve with the Spirit." It is an amazing talk and if you haven't read it, I recommend that you do. He said, "Let us do whatever is required to qualify for the holy ghost as our companion , and then let us go fearlessly so that we will be given the powers to do whatever the Lord calls us to do."
These were some of the things the district gave as an answer to 'how do we qualify for the spirit?':
-Being obedient to the commandments
-Following the mission rules
-Helping others (serving)
-Being worthy
-Virtuous
There are many things we could do to qualify to have the spirit with us. But I will only name three ways that can assist us in qualifying us to have the spirit with us, which are found in President Eyring's talk. They are:
1. We need to put our lives in order first.
Ezra Taft Benson said, "To be a successful [person] one must have the spirit of the Lord. We are also taught that the spirit will not dwell in unclean tabernacles. Therefore, one of the things [we] must do to gain spirituality is to make sure [our] own life [are] in order."
And it starts by having Christ in our life, keeping His commandments, make those covenants with Him. And we do so by following His example and being baptized so we can have His spirit to be with us.
2. Humble ourselves before God and ask for it.
In 1 Nephi 11:1 it says: "For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot." As we pray to Heavenly Father in humility, faith, and confidence in Him (not ourselves), He will manifest the truth of it unto us through the spirit.
3. Pondering
When we ponder, really think...not just read or study our scriptures. But contemplate on the things you read and study, you will invite the spirit and the spirit will reveal unto you what your Heavenly Father wants you to do. In the same talk, President Eyring used this scripture in Doctrine and Covenants (138:11), it says: "As I pondered over these things which are written, the eyes of my understanding were opened, and the Spirit of the Lord rested upon me." As we ponder on the things we read from our scriptures, our minds will be enlightened and the spirit will be there to lead and guide us.
I am grateful for the spirit of the Lord that will always be there to lead and guide us as long as we do all that we can to qualify for it. I know as we put our life in order by obeying His simple commandments, relying on Him and putting our trust in Him; His spirit will always be with us. We also need to be humble, have faith, and always ponder on the things that are brought to us, that we can have the companionship of the spirit.

iLove TeMpLeS

Today we went to the Oakland Temple!!! I love temples. Temples are houses of the Lord. It's a place to go learn, do sacred ordinances, to feel of God's love, for comfort, peace, and on and on. But it is the house of the Lord and you do feel light, safe, and calm when you're in the temple. All the worries, burdens, and the worldly thoughts vanishes as you enter the temple. I am so very grateful for temples and it is a great blessing Heavenly Father has given us.

In Isaiah Chapter two it says;
2And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.
3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.



The words of Isaiah has been fulfilled in these last days. We have been blessed to have temples throughout the world to go learn and follow the paths we need to return to our Heavenly Father again someday. I love temples and for the blessings that we receive as we go and serve Him. "Mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion." (D&C 132:8) As we go to the temple we can receive the many revelations to know what Heavenly Father wants us to do. Our physical and temporal well-being can be sanctified as we continually go to the temple to serve our Heavenly Father.
I know that temples are the house of the Lord that we can feel of Heavenly Father's love as we go and serve Him. I know that the Spirit of God dwells in His temple...it is a home that's filled with love, comfort, peace, and refuge. I am grateful for temples and for the opportunity that I had to go and feel of my Heavenly Father's love and to draw more closer to Him. It is a place of peace and revelation. It is a place where spiritual guidance can be received for crucial decisions or concerns. The Lord has blessed me whenever I attend the temple to do sacred ordinance. And the blessings He has given me will not be limited to the time spent in the temple. When I do temple work I have been blessed in all aspects of my life. My labors in the temple will strengthen me and refine me spiritually. I know this to be true in Jesus name. Amen.

Why is LOVE for the Lord and others so important?

This week for our District Meeting Counsel, I was asked to do a discussion about this particular question..."Why is LOVE for the Lord and for those you teach important?" As I studied it out, instead of just focusing on the people I teach, it was EVERYONE. (Why is LOVE for the Lord and others so important?)

Well, it starts off by reading the scripture. In Matthew 22:37-39 it says,

37"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

We LOVE the Lord and everyone else because it is a commandment. We show our LOVE to our Heavenly Father by obeying His commandments, serving Him, and standing as His witness at all times and in all places. We listen to Him, we follow Him, and we respect Him as our father. But how about loving others? How do we show our love to others? We can show our love to others in many ways: being kind, listening to them, mourn with them, serve them, pray for them, be a friend, and or share the gospel. It may be hard to do these things at times. But in the Book of Mormon, a prophet has showed us how we can develop Love, or Charity--the pure love of Christ. Moroni taught, "pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with his love..." (Moroni 7:48) Praying and asking Heavenly Father for this precious gift, He will bless us with it. Our love for those around us also increases when we remember that we are all children of God--that we are brothers and sisters.

I am grateful for a great gift that we can all be blessed with as we ask for it in prayer. God is a loving Heavenly Father that knows and loves us individually. We all have that love of Christ within us that we can share it with others as we serve one another. Heber J. Grant once said, "I know of nothing which gives us a greater love of all that is good, than teaching this Gospel of Jesus Christ." I too testify that as we serve others, by sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ...our love will grow and Heavenly Father will continually bless us with the gift of Charity.

Cycle to Eternal Life

As I was reading my scriptures this morning, I came to Mormon 9 and after reading a few verses I ended up with this drawing. How cool is that?! In Mormon 9:12-13 it explains it really well how we are all here with a purpose. That through this plan, we can be with our Heavenly Father again. It says,

"Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the fall of man. And because of the fall of man came Jesus Christ; even the Father and the Son; and because of Jesus Christ came the redemption of man.

And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, from which sleep all men shall be awakened by the power of God when the trump shall sound; small and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which death is a temporal death."

We can all be with our Heavenly Father again after this life. And that God will never cease, for "He is the same yesterday, today, and forever..." (Mormon 9:9) I know that Heavenly Father loves all of His children and yearns for us to come unto Him. I know as we "...doubt not, but be believing, and begin in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all [our] hearts, and work out [our] own salvation with fear trembling before him," (Mormon 9:27) we can be brought back to Him. He wants us to partake of this great plan that He has prepared for us, even His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. That through Him, and this great plan of happiness we will be full of joy!

Restoration--Priesthood

Priesthood is the power and authority given to man to act in God’s name for the salvation of His children. Through the priesthood we receive the ordinances of salvation, as well as blessings of healing, comfort, and counsel. (Preach My Gospel, pp. 83)



The Church of Jesus Christ is led by a prophet and apostles with the priesthood authority. They are worthy and righteous men, that receives revelations from Heavenly Father and reveals them to us. In the Bible it says, "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; an he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him." (Deuteronomy 18:18)

Heavenly Father reveals His words unto His prophets. (Amos 3:7) Through His chosen servants we can receive the things Heavenly Father wants us to know. Heavenly Father has always been speaking to His children through prophets. There were prophets such as Adam, Noah, Moses, and Abraham that taught about God and prophesied of Christ. Jesus Christ was our Savior and Redeemer, but He was our prophet too. He taught us His gospel and commanded us to do the things God would want us to do. But again, people rejected His gospel crucified our Savior and persecuted His apostles. After Christ's death, the priesthood was taken away and the gospel was not in its fullness.
Heavenly Father again reached out to His children and restored His gospel to the prophet Joseph Smith. Through Joseph Smith, Jesus Christ called twelve apostles. The priesthood was restored and the gospel was in its fullness. I know that Heavenly Father still speaks to His children today through His chosen servants. The heavens will always be open and Heavenly Father will always speak to us through prophets. I know that Heavenly Father loves us that He will always be there to help us so we can live a better life. I know that we have a modern day prophet today, President Thomas S. Monson, that leads and guides us. I know that the priesthood to act in God's name was restored again to the prophet Joseph Smith for our happiness in these latter-days. I am so grateful for the priesthood and for the many blessings that we can receive from it.

Who is your Hero?

I read this article in an Ensign magazine this morning that really made me think of the question; "Who is my Hero?"

So here is the story:
I grew up in Illinois in a small farming community on the main road to Nauvoo. Although I was raised in the Church, I was a somewhat rebellious teenager, struggling with my identity and my relationship with my father. He wasn’t a bad person; in fact, everyone seemed to like him. It’s just that I felt a little embarrassed by him because he was a farmer who had not finished eighth grade. Besides that, my dad was always serving other people. For me, that was the problem: he was always helping others, and I hated it because he took me along.
We were the only members of the branch for many miles. Since my dad was a mechanic, the branch president often called to ask him to assist stranded Church members whose cars had broken down. Many times my dad would get me out of bed late at night, grab his tools, extra gas, blankets, and even food to go help the weary travelers.
I resented these late night trips because I just wanted to sleep. I’d even sleep in the car on the way there. When we arrived, I reluctantly gave up my warm seat so the tired but grateful family could get warm. My dad always managed to fix these cars, some of which I thought shouldn’t even be allowed on the road. Sometimes Dad had to work for hours before the cars would run, but he never complained. Even though I grumbled a lot, he just listened and nodded his head and smiled.
I remember one cold, windy January night quite clearly. It was so cold that before we went to bed we had plugged an electric heater on the car engine so that it would start in the morning. I was snug in my warm bed when the phone rang. It was the branch president asking my dad to help another family from out of town whose car had broken down. I just lay in bed, hoping it was a bad dream. Just once I wanted my dad to say, “Sorry, President, but my kids are sleeping and I am in my warm house. Could you find someone else?” Instead, he said, “Of course we will help, President.”
Well, my dad got me out of bed, we gathered our things, unplugged the heater, and set out. Dad drove while I slept most of the way. Inside the car it was warm; outside the temperature was below zero and the roads were covered with snow. When we found the stranded car, a woman got out and walked towards us. She told us how she and her three children were traveling to see her parents in Nauvoo. I remember thinking that she was crazy to be out on the road with small children in such bad weather.
My dad immediately went to work on the car while I stood there complaining about having to be outside in the cold when all I wanted to do was sleep. The family sat in our warm car while we froze. After about four hours the woman’s car finally sputtered to life and began to run well enough that it could finish the trip. The sun was rising when we woke the mother and her children. She expressed her gratitude to my father, and then she and her children went on their way. We went home, and I didn’t think much about it for a long time.
Two years later I started turning my life around and became more active in the Church. I attended a youth conference at the University of Illinois, where the keynote speaker talked about the heroes in our lives. She explained that our society would have us believe that movie stars, athletes, and musicians are the heroes of our day because of their fame and greatness. But the truth, she argued, is that making a lot of money and being famous do not make them heroes. The true heroes in our lives are the people around us who truly serve one another.
Next she told the story of how once she was traveling with her family when her car broke down. She didn’t have the ability to get the car fixed. She was scared. After offering a prayer, she called the local branch president, who sent out help.
She then talked about her hero. He was a person who had left his family and his warm bed on a cold night to serve someone he didn’t even know. Her hero had saved her family that night. Then she gave his name. It was my father.
I was stunned as tears ran down my face, and I realized she was right; my dad was a hero. He was a man who constantly helped others, even at great personal sacrifice. The service he offered made a big difference in other people’s lives. Suddenly I was really proud of my dad. That night my dad became my hero too.
Years have passed. I have gained some of the things that were important to me in my youth: an education and the respect of my peers. But I have also gained something I didn’t expect when I was young: a desire to serve my fellowmen. That came from my hero, my dad. (Greg Hudnall Ensign, September 2008)

I really like the example this father showed to his son. The service he offers to everyone that needs help no matter when, where, or what time of the day it is...he is there to help. Just like Jesus Christ he served everyone...in Jerusalem and in the Americas. "And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching." (Mark 6:5-6) A great service and example our Savior gave us, was that he taught us how to be like Him. By putting our trust in the Lord, being diligent unto His words, keeping His commandments, and following His example...we too can be an example and a hero to others.

What to Become...?

I was reading from the church children magazine called the "Friend" and came to the General Conference spotlight. It had quotes from the prophets, apostles, and general authorities that was taught during the General Conference. And one particular quote that really stood out to me and one that I would want to talk about is a quote by Elder Richard G. Scott. He says, "We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day." We all want to be happy, to live a better life, to stay on the right path, to accomplish our goals, and many other things we want to do in life. And sometimes life becomes too hard for us to deal with and feel like we want to give up. One thing we need to remember is, God can strengthen us and will always be there to pick us up if we put our faith and trust in Him. "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." (Psalm 18:32) This verse gives me comfort whenever I read it. That through all the things I go through in life, God will make it possible for me...only if I put my trust in Him and have faith that He will provide a way.

At times we forget that our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ, our Savior can help us through all the things we go through...whether it be big or small. We just have to constantly remind ourselves that there's no other way we can go through life without the help of our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, our Savior. It is hard to swallow up our prides and rely on the Lord sometimes, but "the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." (Mosiah 3:19) If we become like little children, with pure hearts and the willingness to submit to the Lord's will, we can physically and spiritually be strengthened to overcome whatever we go through. Even when it is not what you expect to receive, but just express gratitude to Heavenly Father and have the confidence in the Lord to accept His will, because He knows whats best for us.

I know that the Lord will help us be what we want to become, if we consistently work for it each day. And if we put off the natural man that's within us and rely on Him more, having faith that He will provide...everything is POSSIBLE! I too am working hard on trying to constantly remind myself that the Lord is there to help me be what I want to become. And as long as I become a child relying on Him as my Father, He will strengthen me and I can be what I want to become.

The Greatest Gift

What a great gift this young man in this video received. Christ was the perfect gift our Father in heaven has given us. "Mary shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21) For Him to show a great example for each and everyone of us, so we can follow Him. "That if we keep His commandments and endure to the end we shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God." (D&C 14:7) This Christmas I have come to understand the true meaning of this holiday. To have it centered more on my Savior because He was the greatest gift Heavenly Father gave me. That through Him I am able to overcome all the challenges that I face. "Because he came forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind...he took upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people." (Alma 7:11) It is a comforting feeling to know that my Savior knows all the things I go through...that only through Him I can overcome all of them. And to have that assurance that my Heavenly Father loves me, is patient with me, and has given me so many blessings. I will be forever thankful for the many great gifts my father in heaven has bestowed upon me and still is pouring them out on me, as long as I am faithful and obedient. I know that as we do the things that our Father has commanded us to do...and appreciate the many gifts He has given us by being obedient to them, we will be lifted up at the last day.

The Joy of Giving

Meet Jean Brazil--a cute lady from Napa, California. She is a great lady, full of faith, compassion and kindness. She enjoys learning more about Christ, loves to write, and is a good dancer. I admire her how courageous she is. She is such a strong lady.

This Christmas I received gifts from our Mission President's wife, Sister Bunker. And I couldn't wait...so I opened them all:) It was so much fun. I received a lot of good gifts and I had a few that were the same. I felt like I didn't need to have 3 pairs of gloves. I was inspired to give away some of my gifts that I don't need. Jean came to mind. She loves gloves, scarfs, boots, and beanies. I wrapped her a pair of gloves and gave it to her the next day. Later on that night I called her to see if she was still coming to the ward activity. The first thing she said, in a shaky voice, "I really loved the gloves...thank you so much!" Just listening to her voice, my heart was full of joy. President Eyring said, "That is a wonderful assurance that God knows all of our needs and counts on us to fill the needs of others around us." Heavenly Father knows us more than we know ourselves. And He has given us that gift so we can help the ones around us. Because "when we are in the service of our fellow beings we are only in the service of our God." (Mosiah 2:17)

I have come to learn a lot about service. A friend once told me, "A service is not a service when you are expecting something from it." And I have come to learn that a lot as I am out serving the Lord. Just think of Jesus and the great example that He showed while He was here serving our Heavenly Father. One of the great attributes that Christ had was generosity. "This Christmas season gives us the encouragement to remember Him and His infinite generosity. Remembering His generosity will help us feel and respond to the inspiration that there is someone who needs our help, and it will let us see the hand of God reaching to us when He sends someone to succor us, as He so often does. There is joy in giving and receiving the generosity that God inspires, especially in Christmas." (President Eyring)

Giving Jean the gift was an inspiration I got from my Father in heaven. He leads and guides us to the ones around us that we can help. I know that there are many of His children out there that are waiting for us to be lead to them. Just tonight, after dinner we went to K-Mart to get some cough drops for me. As we were driving away there was a home-less guy just sitting by the building. My companion flipped over and said she wanted to give the man McDonald gift cards that she got as a gift. Just the look on the man's face, Josh was his name...my heart was so full of joy. Serving and being generous to others not only helps the ones in need, but helps you as your serving too. I am so grateful for Jesus Christ's example and how we all have those attributes that we can share with others.

Why do I work?

One thing I am learning over and over again is the importance and power of WORK. I am amazed at the increased number of young adults that are perfectly satisfied with staying where they are at. (Not to say i'm not guilty of it sometimes.) But isn't it through work and effort that goals are achieved, happy families are maintained, and lives changed?

When I say work, many may shy away from any sort of responsiblity. We'd rather relax or enjoy recreational activities. I'll easily admit I'd rather be hiking or rockclimbing than working any day. But it is the balance of work, rest, and recreation, that we are able to love and appreciate the other. We have each been given the ability and talents to do the work God would have us do. He doesn't expect us to work harder than we are able. He doesn't want us to compare our efforts to others. I am grateful for the things that I have been able to endure, overcome, and accomplish with my Savior Jesus Christ as my coach. He is always there with His "arm lengthened out all the day long." (2 Nephi 28:32)

Sometimes it is hard to work through problems, or do work of any kind. Don't shy away from receiving revelation. Our Father, loves us, and wants to assist, teach, and guide us. But He can only do so, as YOU "Come unto Him". It is each of our obligation to work out our own problems, use our agency, and then councel with the Lord.

President Dieter F. Uchdorf said, " Work is an antidote for anxiety, an ointment for sorrow, and a doorway to possiblity. Whatever our circumstances in life,... let us do the best we can and cultivate a reputation for excellence in all that we do."

"When our wagon gets stuck in the mud, God is much more likely to assist the man who gets out to push than the man who merely raises his voices in prayer-- no matter how eloquent the oration."

President Uchtdorf continues to remind us that if we work to gain public recognition, or worldy wealth, it will not last. And does not bring lasting happiness. But rather, to devote our labors to those things that we can carry with us into the eternities.

Those who are willing and unafraid to reach outside themselves to accomplish even small things, are a blessing to their families, friends, and the world.

So, my friends, why do you work?

by Sister Samantha Bytheway

God's Creation

Bearded dragon is a type of lizard that lives in the arid, rocky, semi-desert regions and dry open woodlands of Australia. I have never seen one in my whole entire life and I got to hold one last night. It felt really weird and scary, but he was really calm. But I was still freaking out and you really can tell by the look on my face.

It just inspires me of how our Father in heaven created all the creatures and made them all so beautiful and unique in some ways. For "the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should posses it." (1 Nephi 17:36) As we all know the story of Adam and Eve partaking the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From the choices that our first parents made, we were brought forth to experience this life, to learn, and grow. Heavenly Father knew that we would make mistakes and sin. And for His love for us he sent his son, Jesus Christ to come and who ever shall believe in Him will be saved. Jesus Christ accomplished the atonement; suffering for our sins and overcoming death so we can return to our Father after this life. How blessed are we to have all these many blessings given to us by our loving Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for His creation and the beauty that we see each and everyday. And the great plan of happiness that He has prepared for us. I am so grateful to know that I am special and precious to my Heavenly Father. That he planned this all out and made it so beautiful for me and His love is real and true.

Walk with Jesus

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead
Just walk beside me and be my friend.

-Albert Camus

I really like this quote that I saw at a members house. It really inspired me and made me think more about the paths that we take in this life. We often want to follow a leader or sometimes we want to lead others. But as I was thinking more about this quote a talk by President Monsoon came to my mind, "The Paths Jesus Walked." How we should follow the path Jesus Christ walked as He was here on earth. President Monsoon mentioned some paths Jesus walked:


1. Jesus walked the path of disappointment.
2. Jesus walked the path of temptation.
3. Jesus walked the path of pain.
4. We, with Jesus can walk the path of obedience.
5. We, like Jesus can walk the path of service.
6. Finally, he walked the path of prayer.
Three prayers that Jesus Christ said:

• First is from His ministry
• Second, at Gethsemane
• Third, from the cross

These are really good guidance that has been given to us by our dear prophet that we can apply to our lives. What a great example Jesus showed to us and we should follow His example and walk these paths. But I know He will help us walk these paths if we just put our trust in Him, obey Him, and do the things our Father in heaven has commanded us to do. He is there to lead and guide you, but He will always be there to walk beside you.

"Life is not a race - but indeed a journey. Be Honest. Work Hard. Be Choosy. Say "thank you", and "great job" to someone each day. Go to church, take time for prayer. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh. Let your handshake mean more than pen and paper. Love your life and what you've been given, it is not accidental ~ search for your purpose and do it as best you can. Dreaming does matter. It allows you to become that which you inspire to be. Laugh often. Appreciate the little things in life and enjoy them Some of the best things really are free. Do not worry, less wrinkles are more becoming. Forgive, it frees the soul. Take time for yourself ~ Plan or longevity. Recognize the special people you've been blessed to know. Live for today, enjoy the moment."-Bonnie L. Mohr

This picture and the great message on it really stood out to me as I was visiting with one of our ward member's house. Just reading it, I learned a whole lot from it. But as I was pondering a lot about this message this morning...I came to the conclusion that it is only through the gospel of Jesus Christ and His atonement were everything is possible. You will find more happiness in life, life would be so much easier, and the blessings you receive is Countless. I am so grateful for the gospel and especially for my Savior, Jesus Christ. Serving a mission and being here to serve others, I have come to know more about my Savior and our Heavenly Father's love for each and everyone of us. When we put our trust in the Lord, and make Him our first priority, all is well...by building our "foundation on Christ, that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12) I know as we live His gospel daily and gain a testimony about His atonement, all the things mentioned in this beautiful message are fulfilled.

Jesus' Mother---Mary

We do not know a whole lot about Mary, the mother of Jesus. But what we know is that, she was a young woman who was chosen to be the mother of Christ. She was a righteous and pure woman, who loved the Lord and had a deep desire to be obedient. In the Book of Mormon it says, "And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son yea, even the Son of God." (Alma 7:10)

Mary is a great example of great faith, obedience, and accepting God's will and blessings. She never did doubt God, but was just curious of "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” (Luke 1:34) To Mary’s question, the angel answered, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35) After receiving the angel’s message, Mary, in unreserved obedience, replied, “Be it unto me according to thy word.” (Luke 1:38.) Mary humbly accepted this opportunity that was given to her from Heavenly Father to be a mother. Her example shows a great quality of obedience that she has.

Mary reminds me so much of my mother, her name happens to be Mary. A great example she has been in my life and how obedient she is to the commandments of our Heavenly Father. She is very strong with her church and her great example has influenced me a lot from saying my prayers daily, to making the right choices, and for the unconditional love she has for me. Motherhood is a great honor and is a very special blessing given to women. I am so grateful for the great example that Mary, and my mother...Mary has showed me. I will be forever thankful for their obedience, faith, and love.

Lifting Up Your Burdens

This chapter in the Book of Mormon is one of my favorites. It helps me a lot when I am struggling with a lot of things in my life.


Mosiah 24

A little background about this chapter;

Amulon gained favor of the King of the Lamanites and was appointed a teacher over the people. But they knew nothing about God, that they didn't teach or prophecy about God. They were prideful with their gain and riches that they began to be wicked and started persecuting Alma. Because he was teaching the words of the previous prophets, Abinadi and the words of God. Alma and his people started pouring out their hearts to Heavenly Father in prayer asking for help, but Amulon commanded hi guards to put them to death if they were to pray.
With their exceeding faith, "Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts. And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage. And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." (Verse 12-14)
It is so comforting to know how much the Lord loves each and everyone of us. It reminds me of the poem "Footprints." And it gives me peace to know that through the trials that I am going through, the Lord is there with me. And at times, we may think He is not...but He will always be there. As we put out trust in Him, and have that confidence that He will help us through the hard times, calling on His name, he will deliver us from our trials. "And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light;yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the of the Lord." (Verse 15)
The trails, challenges, or weaknesses we go through are there to make us stronger. This few verses gives me comfort and peace whenever I am going through the hard times in my life. I am so grateful for the Atonement of my Savior, Jesus Christ. That through His sacrifices I am able to overcome the afflictions that I go through, and He will lift my burdens and strengthen me.

Compassion

As I was doing my personal study this morning, I read in the Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 17. And the first few verses really stood out to me. How compassionate Jesus Christ was! It reminded me of a quote from President Monsoon on one of his talks titled "The Gift of Compassion," and he says:

“Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a departed companion. The clock ticks more loudly, time passes more slowly, and four walls can indeed a prison make. I extol those who, with loving care and compassionate concern, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and house the homeless. He who notes the sparrow’s fall will not be unmindful of such service.” -President Thomas S. Monsoon

As I was reading this chapter in the Book of Mormon, Jesus said in the first verse that His time is at hand. He needed to go back to the Father. But He said, "my bowels are filled with compassion towards you." (Verse 6) He healed the sick, the blind, and the afflicted because of their faith. And when we do the things that He has commanded us because the Father has said so, our faith will grow. And he will bless us because of our faith and when we have faith in Him, he is full of joy. (Verse 20)

This quote and this chapter in the Book of Mormon taught me a lot about how being compassionate to the ones around us while serving can help us in many ways. The clock is really ticking...just like Jesus' time was at hand...ours is too! By fulfilling the promises that we made with our Father in heaven through the example of our dear Savior, we can be full of love towards our brothers and sisters. And I know as we do this, our Father in heaven is happy and his heart is full of joy!

“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” -Bryant H. McGill

As I was studying this morning in the seventh chapter of Luke for an investigator that had a question about this particular story, I learned a lot about forgiveness. It is funny how I have been reading and studying a lot about forgiveness. But to me, I feel like Heavenly Father is speaking to me. I know am not perfect and I am so very grateful for the Atonement and the chance I have to repent of my sins.

Last week, we had a Sister Missionary Conference at our Mission home. We started the conference by introducing ourselves, sharing our testimonies, a great lunch, and a profound message from our mission President. The spirit was so strong and I was strengthened by the beautiful testimonies that I heard. One thing that really stood out to me was a letter the President shared with us by a missionary. And it really hit me hard, because I have felt the same way at times while I am here serving. It gave me peace and comfort to know that I am a daughter of Heavenly Father and He loves me. The letter was basically just about a missionary that felt he was unworthy to be out here on the field at times. From his past sins, he felt like he should not be here serving, even though he has repented of his sins. Our president confirmed with us that Heavenly Father is a loving and forgiving Father; that "he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more." (D&C 58:42) The Lord does forgive and forget, and it is very comforting to know that. He says, "though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;though they be red as a crimson, they shall be as wool." (Isaiah 1:18) President Bunker said, "We don't walk around with a scarlet letter on our forehead of our past. Our future is pure!"
As I left the conference and on the drive back, I was pondering a lot about the message that I have heard. And I felt that assurance that I have been forgiven of my sins and Heavenly Father has forgotten all about it, because I have repented. But as I was pondering a lot about it...at times it is hard to forgive ourselves and that's what makes it harder for us to forget our sins. But a great comment was given by one of the sisters. And she said, "Sometimes Heavenly Father wants us to remember our sins, not to feel bad about, but to remember how it made us feel as a reminder of not doing it again." But if we put our trust in the Lord and have faith, "[He] will ease the burdens which are put upon [our] shoulders, that even [we] cannot feel them upon [our]backs, even while [we] are in bondage; and this will [He] do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions." (Mosiah 24:14) And those burdens; burdens of forgiving, trust, sins, etc..."the Lord [does] strengthen [us] that [we] could bear up [our] burdens with ease." (Mosiah 24:15) If we put our trust in Him and believe that the Atonement will help us overcome any weaknesses we have.

I know that my sins can be forgiven and forgotten as long as I repent and live righteously. I am so grateful for my Savior and His atoning sacrifice. That through Him, I will be lifted up from the burdens that are weighing me down. And as I put my trust in Him, I will be made free and at peace.

There's a Story Behind Every Rock

An investigator that I have been teaching has the love for rocks! He has been collecting a lot of rocks for a few years now and he enjoys it a lot. He has a lot of containers, rock cases, and buckets of rocks just flooding his garage and back yard. I was very amazed of how many different rocks are out there...rocks that I didn't even know existed! There were so many different colors, textures, and shapes. I was having so much fun looking at all the rocks he had, they all had their own stories behind them. One particular rock really caught my attention and I ended up asking him if I could keep it. And it is the picture above. It has a story to it and as I was really looking at it trying to figure it out, it made me think of the many wars between the Lamanites and the Nephites from the Book of Mormon. And with that said, I feel so inspired to share a perfect story from the Book of Mormon that relates to this rock.

In the Book of Mormon there was an account between these two man that battled against one another. (Ether 15) Just a little background about this chapter: Millions of the Jaredites are slain in battle--Shiz and Coriantumr assemble all the people to mortal combat--the Spirit of the Lord ceases to strive with them--The Jaredite nation is utterly destroyed--Only Coriantumr remains.

( http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/ether/15?lang=eng) -A link to Ether 15

But in this account Coriantumr and Shiz assembled their own armies that they may battle with one another. And after four years of gathering their armies, they were all set for war. And they did march forth and battle with one another and at night when they were weary, they would retire to their camps. They would mourn over the loss of their people and but the next day they would continue their battle. They did this for a few days, but they kept going until there were not many of them left. And when all the armies were death, Coriantumr and Shiz were the only ones left. They fought and Coriantumr smote off Shiz, and Shiz fell to the ground and died. Coriantumr did fall unto the earth as well.

It was a brutal battle but there's a lesson that I learned from this chapter, even though it seemed like it was very disturbing. It was last transfer, one morning where I was just distracted because it was Preparation Day and I was excited to hear from home and to write home. I had a lot in mind and my mind was wandering off somewhere that I was distracted while I was doing my personal study. I finally realized it and so I said a prayer asking Heavenly Father to help me so I could forget myself and get to work. I also asked Him to speak to me through the scriptures. I opened my scriptures randomly and it fell unto Ether chapter 15. I started reading and after a few verses I stopped and said, "Heavenly Father, really?! What does this have to do with me? How is this relate to me?" I closed my scriptures and decided to study from Preach My Gospel. Few minutes my companion came by my desk to grab something and saw me just staring outside and she knew my mind was wandering off somewhere. She gave me a kiss and a hug and said, "I feel like Heavenly Father is talking to me." So I told her that I don't feel like His talking to me and I started telling her what had just happened. She told me to just be patient and to go back and read until I feel like I have received my answers.

I did go back and started reading even though I still felt like Heavenly Father wasn't talking to me at all. As I read again from the beginning of the chapter, slowly I began to understand more of what Heavenly Father was trying to tell me. From this particular chapter, Heavenly Father was talking to me through the scriptures even though I felt like it didn't relate to me at all. That I will experience all the distractions I can get, but I will have to battle up those distractions. It will happen everyday, but as I put my trust in Heavenly Father, with patience and really not questioning Him, I will receive the many answers to my prayers even though I don't feel like I am receiving them. "...Whether the Lord will that I be translated, or that I suffer the will of the Lord in the flesh, it mattereth not, if it so be that I am saved in the kingdom of God. Amen." (Ether 15:34) Just like what Ether said on that very last verse of this chapter...only through the will of the Lord I will be saved in His kingdom if I rely on Him by putting my trust in Him. He will help me overcome those battles that I face in my everyday life! Just like the rocks, the scriptures have stories or accounts of the people that can help lead and guide us in this life. They are lessons to be learned, stories to relate to our lives, or even answering some of our questions we have in this life. How grateful I am for the scriptures and for the many things in life that I can relate myself to and learn a lesson from. But only through the Lord my mind can be enlightened to know the things that I need to know, and what He wants me to know.