Gifts for Good

Christmas has pretty much come and gone. I'm sure many of you, throughout the season, had thought long and hard for the perfect gift for a loved one. It's something that meant a lot to you, and you knew it could make them so happy. But imagine if they accepted that gift, but then tossed it aside, or used it for other things that it wasn't intended for. How would you feel?

One of the greatest gifts that our Father in Heaven has given us, is the gift of agency. Agency is the ability to choose for ourselves. If we didn't have agency, we would be able to learn and progress and become more like our Savior. However, we don't have the ability to choose what the consequences will be (although, we do choose our consequences when we make a choice).

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Lehi is teaching about the plan of salvation and the fall of Adam and Eve. He then goes into talk about agency. He says, "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh... And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Nephi 2:27)

As we use the gift of agency for good or when we choose the right, we are promised that we can have liberty and eternal life. But when we don't use our agency for the way that it has been intended,  we suffer pain, heartache, and misery. Trust me, I know from experience. I make choices every day. Some are small, some are big, but a choice is a choice. I don't always make the right decision. Some things I do and say, aren't always in line with what the Spirit is really telling me to do. Even when I think that I am doing or saying what I'm supposed to, it feels right. But in all actuality, I end up hurting someone, even though I don't mean to. Then because I haven't used my agency very well, I bring pain, heartache and misery to not only myself, but to others. BUT...there's always a way to overcome those feelings...

God knows that we are not perfect and that we will make mistakes. Because of this, He has given us another gift, the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and we can use it all the time, especially when we don't use our agency for good. We can be forgiven, we can move on with renewed hope and faith. We can be clean. We can be happy, and can have liberty and eternal life.



So don't let the gifts that Heavenly Father has given you go to waste, use them for good!

So This Is Christmas...

Christmas is but a couple-four days away. People are trying to get in some last minute shopping, wrapping gifts, baking cookies, making candy, decorating, finalizing Christmas plans. A lot is going on during this time of year. I think we all get sucked into the fun of Christmas that sometimes we forget who it is all about.

artwork by Liz Lemon Swindle

It is about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, who is God's greatest gift to us. And not just His birth but His life. Christ gave us the gift of the Atonement, so that we might have eternal life. (Doc. & Cov. 14:7).

I know that Jesus Christ was born of Mary. He came into the world in humble circumstances. He lived a sinless life. Jesus Christ was central to our Heavenly Father's plan. He completed the Atonement, or His suffering for us which was necessary for us to be saved from sin. (Alma 34:9) I know that the Atonement of Christ is real. I've come to realize, especially on my mission, just what my Savior can do for me. Each time I experience the Atonement, my testimony of Jesus Christ and my relationship with Him strengthens. I know that He paid the penalty for our sins, and that He suffered not just for our sins, but for our pains, sicknesses, and afflictions as well (Alma 7:11-12). Christ was resurrected, and it's through Him that we are made alive (1 Cor. 15:20-22). He knows me and He knows you on a personal and individual basis. He's there to catch us when we fall, He's there to hold us when we feel alone or afraid. I know that it's through Jesus Christ that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven and with our families forever. I testify to you that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, He is our Savior and Redeemer. As you let Him into your life, you will experience greater peace, joy, and happiness, in this life and in the life to come.

artwork by Simon Dewey

What greater gift could you want?

So this is Christmas...I pray that we can all do our best to remember and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas, and then act on that, by doing the things that Christ would want us to do.

I wish for you to have a Happy Christmas, filled with love and joy!

On My Third Blog for Christmas...

I love this story around Christmas time. It gives us a chance to truly reflect on all that our Savior did for us. It's called The Three Trees:

"Once upon a time, three little trees stood in a forest high on a mountain, dreaming of what they would be when they were grown.

The first little tree looked up at the stars twinkling like diamonds in the night sky. “I want to hold treasure,” it said. “I want to be filled with gold and decorated with jewels. I will be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!”

The second little tree looked down the mountainside at the ocean far below. “I want to be a strong sailing ship,” it said. “I want to travel mighty waters and carry powerful kings. I will be the strongest ship in the world!”

The third little tree said, “I don’t want to leave this mountaintop at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me their eyes will raise up to heaven, and they will think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world!”

Years passed, and the trees grew. And then one day, three woodcutters climbed the mountain.
One woodcutter looked at the first tree and said, “This tree is beautiful! It is perfect for me.” With a dozen swoops of his axe, the first tree fell.

“Now I shall be made into a beautiful treasure chest,” thought the first tree. “I shall hold marvelous treasures!”

Another woodcutter looked at the second tree and said, “This tree is strong! It is perfect for me.” With a dozen swoops of his axe, the second tree fell.

“Now I shall sail mighty waters,” thought the second tree. “I shall be made into a strong ship fit for powerful kings!”

The third tree felt its heart sink as the last woodcutter approached. It stood straight and tall and pointed bravely towards heaven. But the last woodcutter never even looked up. “Any kind of tree will do for me,” he muttered. With a dozen swoops of his axe, the third tree fell.

The first tree rejoiced when the woodcutter took it to a carpenter’s shop. But the carpenter was not thinking about treasure chests. Instead, he cut and carved the tree into a simple feedbox. The once-beautiful tree was not filled with gold or decorated with jewels. It was covered with dust, and filled with hay for hungry farm animals.

The second tree rejoiced when the wookcutter took it to a shipyard. But the shipbuilder was not thinking about mighty sailing ships. Instead, he hammered and sawed the tree into a simple fishing boat. The once-strong tree was too weak to sail the ocean. It was taken to a little lake, where every day it carried loads of dead, smelly fish.

The third tree was confused when the woodcutter took it to a lumberyard, where it was cut into strong beams and then left alone. “What happened?” the once-tall tree wondered. “All I ever wanted to do was stay on the mountaintop, grow tall, and make people think of God.”

Years passed, and the three trees nearly forgot their dreams.
But then one still and silent night, golden starlight poured over the first tree, as a young woman placed a newborn baby into the feedbox.

“I wish I could make a cradle for him,” her husband whispered.

The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the clean and shining wood. “This manger is beautiful,” she said. And suddenly the first tree knew it was holding the greatest treasure in the world.

And then one humid and cloudy day, a tired traveller and his friends crowded into the small fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree sailed quietly out into the lake. But a thundering storm arose, and the second tree shuddered, knowing that it did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the fierce wind and rain.

The tired traveler awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said with a strong voice, “Peace, be still.” The storm stopped as quickly as it had began. And suddenly the second tree knew it was carrying the King of heaven and earth.

And then one terrible Friday morning, the third tree was startled as its beams were yanked from the old lumberyard. It flinched as it was was carried through an angry, jeering, spitting crowd. It shuddered when soldiers nailed a man’s hands and feet to her. It groaned as the man cried out in agony and died. It felt ugly and harsh and cruel.

But at dawn the next Sunday, on the first Easter morning, the earth trembled with joy beneath the third tree, and it knew that God’s love had changed everything.

It had made the first little tree a beautiful treasure chest. It had made the second little tree a strong sailing ship. And every time people looked upon the third little tree, they would think of God.



That was even better than being the tallest tree in the world."

On My Second Blog for Christmas...

Throughout the story of Christ's birth, angels are everywhere. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she would bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. (Luke 1:31). An angel also appeared to the shepherds who were watching their flocks by night. He told them to not be afraid, that he brings tidings of great joy, that Christ the Lord had been born. He told them that they would find the baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (Luke 2:8-12)

It's a Wonderful Life, is a classic Christmas movie. In it, an angel named Clarence shows a frustrated business man, George Bailey, what the world would be like if George didn't exist. Clarence shows George that he really is needed in the world. Clarence opens George's eyes to the things that are really important in life.

I'm sure many of you have felt the presence of angels helping you through life. I know I have. I'm wanting to relate angels to the word of God, the scriptures. I know I just posted a blog about scriptures, but hear me out. The scriptures guide us to Christ. They help us to find the important things in life, what really matters. We receive individual answers to prayers through the scriptures. I know it shows me just how much my Father in Heaven loves me, by speaking to me through His word. "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." (2 Nephi 32:3)


We shouldn't just make the scriptures important around Christmas but all year long. We will receive guidance and understanding as we feast upon the words of Christ. The next time you see or hear an angel, go read a verse of scripture. I promise that something you read will help you draw closer to Christ.

On My First Blog for Christmas...

I decided to write a blog series about symbols of Christmas. I'm not sure how many I will get to, but I wanted to start off with the star.

There's a scene from The Lion King (yep, had to throw a movie in here somewhere), when Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa are laying in the grass after a large feast. They are looking up at the night sky, questioning what "those tiny sparkling dots" are. Timon makes the guess that they are fireflies "stuck in that big, bluish-black thing." Pumbaa makes the comment that he always thought that they were "balls of gas burning billions of miles away." I don't really know much about stars, but I think Pumbaa might be closer to being right here. I love looking at the stars. They decorate the dark, night sky with "sparkling dots." They give off light.

When Herod the king, sent the wise men to go look for baby Jesus, "the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was." (Matthew 2:9) The new star had appeared, and they knew exactly where to go to find the newborn babe.

We see stars and lights all over the place at Christmas time, including on our tree. We are reminded that Jesus Christ is the light. For He, Himself said, "...I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." (John 8:12). Like the wise man, followed the star, we too can follow a light. That light is Jesus Christ. As we follow Him, we will not walk in darkness. We will be led to eternal life.

So the next time you see a star, know that it's no fireflies, but remember what it means.

Scripture Power!

Who is your favorite superhero? One of mine would have to be Superman. He has like all the superpowers you can imagine. Flight, superstrength, superspeed, vision powers, super-breath. Pretty much super-everything. So why does he need all of these powers? Well, to protect the world from evil villains of course!

We might not have powerful breath to blow freezing air or x-ray vision, but one of the powers we do have to protect us from evil and from the things of the world is the scriptures.

There's a children's song about how the scriptures keep us safe from sin. And if I could figure out how to record me singing the song and post it on here, I would. But I don't know how. So I'll just type it out. It starts: 

Because I want to be like the Savior, and I can,

I’m reading His instructions, I’m following His plan.
Because I want the power His word will give to me,
I’m changing how I live, I’m changing what I’ll be.

We read from the Book of Mormon, "Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked— And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven..." (Helaman 3:29-30)

The song continues:

 I’ll find the sword of truth in each scripture that I learn.
I’ll take the shield of faith from these pages that I turn.
I’ll wear each vital part of the armor of the Lord,
And fight my daily battles, and win a great reward.

I think a lot of the time we forget just how important and how powerful the scriptures are.  They can protect us from dangers, from sin, from temptation. They can be a light for us through the darkness. Just like Superman would do us no good if he didn't use his powers, the scriptures do us no good unless we use their powers.

And then the chorus (keep in mind that when kids sing this song, they usually yell the "scripture power" part. And rightly so):



Scripture Power!

Scripture power keeps me safe from sin.
Scripture power is the power to win.
Scripture power! Ev’ryday I need
The power that I get each time I read.



For those of you that know me, I'm usually a pretty cheery person. Every once in a while though I get turned upside down or something, and my attitude takes a wrong turn. There was a point on my mission where I felt like I just couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't handle the stress, I felt alone. I felt weak (still do at times). I felt like nothing I was doing mattered. Those were not feelings that came from God. The adversary was trying to pull me away from the things that I should be doing and the things that I find joy in doing. So I turned to the scriptures. One of my favorites that has helped me in times like these is in Matthew 11:28(-30). Christ tells us, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." I found so much comfort knowing that Jesus Christ is helping me and protecting me.

So does scripture power really keep us safe from sin? I testify in the name of Christ that it does! I know it to be true! Daily scripture study will protect you from the evil villains of the world. The Spirit will abide with you more abundantly, and you WILL have the power to win!

An Attitude of Gratitude

The day of giving thanks, is but two days away. Hence, why I am posting a blog about gratitude. Though it shouldn't be just around Thanksgiving that we express gratitude and reflect on the blessings the Lord has given us, we should do it all year round.

In an article in the Ensign, President Thomas S. Monson says, "This is a wonderful time to be living here on earth. Our opportunities are limitless. While there are some things wrong in the world today, there are many things right, such as teachers who teach, ministers who minister, marriages that make it, parents who sacrifice, and friends who help.

"We can lift ourselves, and others as well, when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues."

Gratitude can truly change our perspective and our attitude about life. A few days ago, I was struggling. I had a crummy attitude and I felt like nothing was going the way that I wanted it to. I was only worried about myself, and I wasn't taking time to think about the things that were going right, the things that were making me happy. The other night, I decided to say a prayer only of thanks, not asking for everything. And as I did so, blessings that I hadn't even recognized before were brought to my remembrance. I realized that I had so much to be grateful for and it made me feel so much better to count my blessings.

 There is so much to be grateful this day in which we live in.

I am grateful for a sunny day, for the beautiful state of Montana in which I currently reside. I'm thankful for gloves and hats to keep me warm on a cold day, for new people I get to meet. I am grateful to be a missionary, to spread the good news of Christ. I'm thankful for all the prayers that are said in my behalf from my family and friends, for their love and support. I'm grateful for a living prophet on the earth today, to lead and guide us. I am thankful for a most wonderful mission president and his wife and other missionaries in the best mission in the world, that I have the privilege of serving with. Most importantly, I am extremely grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, for His redeeming love and sacrifice. That I can repent and be forgiven of my sins. That through Him I can have eternal life.

What are YOU thankful for?

Signed by the Divine

Have you ever seen The Sandlot? If not, you need to. It's about a group of boys and during the summer all they do is play baseball. One of the boys (his name is Scottie Smalls)  is new to the neighborhood and doesn't really know much, actually nothing about baseball, but the others let him join in anyway. Every day, they go to a field to play some ball. They dread hitting the ball "outta the park" because if it lands behind the fence, they have to go buy a new ball or be done for the day. Behind the fence, is a big gorilla dog, that no one would ever want to face.

Well, one day a ball gets hit over the fence by Hamilton "the babe" Porter, and the boys are all mad at Ham because now they can't play anymore. Smalls offers that he has a ball they can use. He runs back to his house into his stepdad's trophy room (his stepdad is out of town, by the way) and grabs a baseball, for them to play with and it is signed by The Sultan of Swat, The King of Crash, The Colossas of Clout, The Colossas of Clout, The Great Bambino! Yep, it's signed by Babe Ruth. But Smalls doesn't understand the significance of the signature. He figures it's just some old, tattered baseball with some lady's name on it. So they play with the ball and Smalls himself hits the ball over the fence, and they get into the biggest pickle of his life. But I won't ruin the movie, and let you watch it to find out what happens.

As you know, Babe Ruth is one of the greatest baseball players to ever live. And so that baseball with his signature was very valuable and worth who knows how much!

God has a signature as well. We can see His divine signature in everything around us, the mountains, the sunset, little children. Sometimes we underestimate the power that God has. But He's everywhere. He has blessed us with so much and it makes it so apparant by His creations that He does exist. "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." (Mosiah 4:9)


Just like the baseball, WE may seem insignificant. We may feel old and worn out, torn and tattered. But we are the most valuable of God's creations. Our Father in Heaven created us in His image (Genesis 1:26). He has placed on us His divine signature. We have the potential to become like Him. The stresses of life may take their toll on us, but that doesn't change our worth. In his last General Conference address, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "At times we may feel insignificant, invisible, alone, or forgotten. But always remember—you matter to Him!" We may feel small, but to Him we are valuable. To Him, we matter.

I am so grateful for the knowledge I have that I know God is our loving Heavenly Father. I'm grateful for His creations, that so firmly testify that He does live. I know that He created you and me, and that we are His sons and daughters. If that's something you doubt, maybe you should just ask Him yourself. I promise He will answer you, and you will be able to feel His love for you.




Click Here to view another sweet awesome blog about the Sandlot and the Gospel by Elder M. Davis!

What's the Secret?

Salt Lake City Temple

Temples. Some of you may be wondering what the big deal is about them. Why are only some people allowed to enter the temple? What are they used for? I've had these questions and more asked to me as a missionary. The other day, I was asked another question about the temple, and decided I wanted to write a blog about temples, to answer some of these questions.
In a gospel reference book, True to the Faith, it tells us a little bit about what temples are. "Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are holy places of worship where the Lord may visit...Throughout histroy, the Lord has commanded His people to build temples. Today the Church is heeding the Lord's call to build temples all over the world, making temple blessings more available for a great number of our Heavenly Father's children."

San Jose Costa Rica Temple

Many people question why only some can enter the temple. Let me clarify, it's not to be secretive, rather it is sacred. Heavenly Father wants everyone to enjoy the blessings of the temple. He wants everyone to prepare themselves to enter temple doors.

Maybe this will help...Let's say you're finishing up your senior year of high school. You want to attend the local university after graduation. Well, how do you get into the school you want? Can you just enter the doors the first day of school and say, 'Alright, I'm here. I'm ready.' and then you're good to start? That's not really the way it works. It's a process. Up through high school, you have to put time and effort into studying and getting good grades to help prepare you for college. You also have to pass exams and fill out applications to be accepted into the school.

Billings Montana Temple

              The temple is similar. We must put forth time and effort into preparing to enter the temple doors, we need to study and attain other goals before one can enter. We need to be interviewed to deternine if we are really ready for this next step in life. And once we do we prepare and are ready to walk into the doors of the holy temple, we will be able to understand even more about the gospel, and we will be able to receive even greater blessings.

I found some answers to frequently asked questions on mormon.org as to who can enter the temple and a little about what goes on in the temple:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has more than 100 operating temples around the world. Visitors are welcome to visit the temple grounds at all of these temples and attend open houses prior to dedication. However, only baptized members who are qualified and prepared are allowed to enter a temple after it is dedicated.

In temples, Church members participate in ordinances designed to unite their families together forever and help them return to God. In the temple, members:

• Learn eternal truths.
• Receive sacred ordinances, including those that bind husband and wife together for eternity, as well as join children and parents (Malachi 4:5-6).
• Provide ordinances such as baptism for those who have died without the opportunity to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:29; 1 Peter 4:6)

An apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, speaks about temples in this video. Others describe some of the blessings they have received in the temple:

I know that the temple can be a blessing to everyone's life. We have temples to help us become closer to our Heavenly Father.

Are You a Solid or Liquid?

So, this may or may not be a blog about silly putty...

Silly Putty. What is it really? It's not a solid but it's not a liquid either. It's just in this awkward in between phase. It doesn't know if it should sit still or if it should try to just let it all out. I don't know if that sentence even makes any sense, but hopefully you know what I'm trying to say.

The cool thing about playing with Silly Putty, is you can mold it. You can mold it into your different shapes and objects, you can squish it between your fingers and toes (I don't squish it between my toes, because that would be gross, but you could if you wanted). You might be wondering where I'm trying to go with this, and I'm asking myself the same question. Let's see what I come up with...


God is our loving Heavenly Father. We are His children. He wants us to be happy, and wants to bless us in anyway that He can. He wants to refine and purify us. We are like the Silly Putty. He wants to mold us into what He wants us to become. Sometimes we have to go through difficult times and sticky situations, but it's through these trials that our Father in Heaven is helping us to learn to rely on Him more, to become better people. 

In a talk by Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge, he says, "Trust Him that He will make of you, immeasurably more, than what you will ever, ever, in all eternity, make of yourself. He will create of you a masterpiece. You will create of you only a smudge." The Lord can mold us into much more than we can make of ourselves, as we put our trust in Him.

There have been numerous times in my life, even in my mission, where I wasn't quite sure why I was going through a certain experience. Turns out, the Lord knows what He's doing. I always came out stronger than I was before. I know that if we rely on our Heavenly Father and on our Savior Jesus Christ, if we put ourselves in their hands, we can become something greater than we could ever imagine.

Reality

We live in a time where modern technology surrounds us. In every aspect of our lives, it can be influenced in some way or another by the technological advances of the world. It's up to us as to how we use this technology. Are the things we are doing bringing us closer to or farther away from Jesus Christ?

You should watch this video. Thank you Elder David A. Bednar.

Truth or Dare?

Have you ever played "Truth or Dare?" How the game works is that someone asks you Truth or Dare? If you choose truth, you have to answer a question truthfully. If you choose dare, you have to do the thing they dare you to do. I remember playing it when I was younger. Dares to make you run around the yard. In the snow. With your swimsuit on. Or to eat a crazy concoction made up of mustard, ranch dressing, pickle juice, and whatever else you could find in the fridge. Always a good time. The dares were fun to do, but sometimes I was lazy and would choose truth instead. Although, that made me nervous sometimes because you never knew what they were going to ask.

So what is truth exactly? And how do we know that something is true?

There's a hymn in the LDS hymnbook entitled, "O Say What is Truth?" In the final verse it says,

Then say, what is truth? 'Tis the last and the first,

For the limits of time it steps o'er.

Tho the heavens depart and the earth's fountains burst,

Truth, the sum of existence, will weather the worst,

Eternal, unchanged, evermore.

Truth is eternal. It will last forever. God is a god of truth. He is going to give us the truth. We just have to ask Him. In the New Testament Christ teaches, "...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

It's through knowing the truth, that we can stand as a witness of Christ. So how do we know the truth? Well, who better to ask then God Himself. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5). He will let us know what the truth is.

So is it true that Jesus Christ is our Savior? Is the Book of Mormon really another testament of Jesus Christ? Is there a true and living prophet on the earth today? I know these things to be true. I dare you to find out the truthfulness for yourself. Ready? Go.

Choose or die!

I like movies. Nay, love movies. One movie that I love is The Little Rascals. So awesome. It's about a bunch of little boys who have this club where no girls are allowed. One boy, Alfalfa, falls in love with a girl named Darla, and he's kind of stuck in a pickle about what to do. There's this one scene where Alfalfa is dreaming. His friends are coming after him, and so is Darla. They're running him off the edge of the cliff and they start chanting, "Choose or die. Choose or die. Choose or die." He must choose between his friends or his girlfriend. He doesn't know what to do because both are important to him. And right as he's falling off the cliff he wakes up from his dream, or nightmare I should say, still unsure about what to do.

Why do I bring this up? Well, first of all, I like this movie and it makes me laugh. And B) we all face choices each and every day. God has given us agency, which is the ability to choose for ourselves. However, we cannot choose the consequences that come from those choices. We will receive blessings as we choose what's right. The decisions we make will either lead us closer to God, or farther away. "...Choose you this day whom ye will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)

So what do you do? How do we know what to choose? How do we know what is right? Well, here's what the Lord has to say about it, "...you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right." (Doc. and Cov. 9:8) So as we ponder and study and pray to know what to choose, and the Spirit helps us feel that something is right, then that is the direction we should go. Some decisions that we face are bigger and more important than others, and take longer to decide on. It's hard to be patient sometimes as we wait for an answer. Trust me, I know. I'm not a very patient person. There has been something that I've been praying about the past little while, I'm still not sure how it's going to work out, but I keep praying for guidance and direction. I know Heavenly Father will help me to make the right choice, even if my answer may not come right away.

Not to ruin the ending of The Little Rascals or anything, but in the end, everything works out for Alfalfa, Darla and their friends. God will not lead us in the wrong direction. He wants us to experience joy and happiness. It's up to us whether we "choose...or die."

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

No, I'm not talking about Christmas just yet. I'm talking about General Conference! Woo-hoo! It's a time when we get to listen to the Lord's prophet and apostles speak to us. Who wouldn't be excited about that?! It's a time when we can hear the word of the Lord through a living prophet. We can reflect on how we are living our lives and what we can work on to become better. As we watch or listen to these men called of God and other leaders of the church, we will receive answers to our prayers. As Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said it in his last conference talk, "If we teach by the Spirit, and you listen to the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance." I know that to be true. There is a prophet on the earth today. His name is Thomas S. Monson, and he is a man called of God. He receives revelation for how we can be prepared for things to come, how we can be happy.

Here is a little snip-it of one of President Monson's previous conference addresses:

Isn't he awesome?! I encourage you all to take some time this weekend to listen to the words of a living prophet. For more information, visit this link: http://lds.org/church/events/all-members-invited-to-participate-in-october-general-conference?lang=eng

Lost?

So twice in the past two days, my companion and I have gotten lost. Surprise, surprise. I know, it happens more often than I'd like. I just love spending 45 minutes finding your destination. Not. I hate feeling that I don't know where I'm going, that I'm just driving in circles until something stops me. The farther I go, the more lost I get. And yes there are tools to help you find your way, like a GPS (which we don't have) or a map. But something that always helps me is saying a prayer. Praying for guidance and direction from my Heavenly Father, and we can find our way.

Sometimes we can get lost in life. We can lose our way along the path of righteousness. But we're never too lost.

Coldplay is one of my favorite bands. They have a song entitled, "Lost."

Just because I'm losing,

doesn't mean I'm lost.

Doesn't mean I'll stop.

Doesn't mean I would cross.

We may get lost and stray from the strait and narrow path at times in our lives. But it doesn't mean we are lost completely. It doesn't mean we should stop completely. There is a way back. We have tools to help us. We have maps. As we turn to the scriptures, and to the counsel that prophets and apostles have given us, they can help us find our way again. We also have prayer. Who better to ask for help than God Himself? He will lead and guide us to where we need to be through the Holy Ghost. 

artwork by Liz Lemon Swindle

Just because I'm hurting,

Doesn't mean I'm hurt.

Doesn't mean I didn't get

What I deserved.

No better, no worse.

Sometimes it hurts. And usually we deserve it, because it was our choice. But there is no pain that isn't covered by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He can take the pain and the hurt away. He can find us, no matter how lost we may feel. "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) We can feel better as we come back to the path of righteousness where we are supposed to be. That is where we can find true happiness. 

Need Repairs?

I get upset when something I love breaks. Like a phone or toy or my camera or what have you. Usually it's my own fault that something gets ruined. And when I finally realize that it is my fault, I am upset with myself. In most cases, I could've done something to prevent it from breaking. I could have and should have been more careful. I want to fix what I broke, to bring it back to the way it was. But that can't always happen. Sometimes, I just have to let it go and move on.

Life can be like that too. Have you ever felt like you were broken? Like you messed up and you broke yourself? Like nothing you did could fix you? That you just wanted to give up because there was no point to keep going? You want so bad to be "fixed." To be the way you used to be. To rewind so you can prevent yourself from breaking. I know I have felt like that. But I also know that I can be "fixed," I can be healed. It's through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that you can be put back together.

I mess up all the time. Sometimes, I mess up big time. And it hurts. It hurts knowing that I have disappointed my Heavenly Father. One of the things that hurts me or breaks me the most, is when I hurt other people. And it's because of me. It's because of my wrong choices. It's because of my selfishness. It's because of my lack of patience and my lack of humility. When I finally come to realize how much I hurt someone else, there's not much I can do to fix it at the time. So I pray. I pray for forgiveness. I plead for forgiveness. For forgiveness of my many sins, my many mistakes. From those who I have hurt and most importantly from my Father in Heaven. I pray to be healed. Because I hate feeling broken.

artwork by Simon Dewey

And because of the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can and I do feel forgiveness. I can and will be fixed. And not only does it fix me, it changes me. I grow so much in the healing process that I don't want things the way they used to be, I don't want to rewind to prevent it from happening, because it has made me so much stronger. I am repaired into someone stronger, someone better (I hope).

Isaiah teaches us about Jesus Christ, "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5). As we apply the Atonement into our lives, as we repent, and we try to be better, we will be healed. It may take some time, but we will be fixed. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that His Atonement is real. I know, because I have experienced it. And as you experience the miracle of the Atonement, you will know that it is real too.

Listen

Everyone wants their prayers answered. I know I do. The thing is, Heavenly Father does answer our prayers, we just have to be listening. We have to recognize our answer. We have to put ourselves in places where we can pay attention to what the Spirit is telling us.

Potholes the Size of the Grand Canyon? Indeed.

Potholes. I very much dislike them. On the roads in Montana, there are numerous potholes. Of all sizes. They are no fun, especially when they are about the size of the Grand Canyon! Yikes! The thing I hate most about them is that they are always so much bigger than they seem. And whenever you try to swerve and miss them, you end up hitting another one instead that sends you flying. They make it a bumpy ride. So what do you do? You can't really do much besides to endure until the time comes when they finally fix them. They fill in the pothole and the road is almost like new. But you can still tell where the pothole was. There's a mark.

Hate to tell you, but our lives are full of potholes! They're called trials. Some are bigger than others. Sometimes they are a lot bigger than they seem. Some slow you down. Sometimes we try to avoid them and end up hitting another trial. Sometimes there isn't anything we can do to fix them. We have to endure. Trials are a part of life here on earth. They help us become better.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, "Rather than simply passing through trials, we must allow trials to pass through us in ways that sanctify us." We can improve our lives because of the trials we face. In the Book of Mormon, a prophet named Moroni, said, "...dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (Ether 12:6).

artwork by Greg Olsen

We can overcome those potholes in our lives. Even when they are fixed, we may still have a mark or a scar, but it becomes a part of who we are. It can change our lives, and bring us closer to Jesus Christ. He has been through every trial that we have faced and more. He knows what we are feeling and He can help us overcome anything.

"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions of every kind...he will take upon him the pains and sicknesses of his people...he will take upon him their infirmities...that he may know...how to succor his people according to their infirmities." (Alma 7:11-12). To succor means to run to. Christ knows how to help us. He will run to our aid through difficult times. He can fix our potholes. He will fix our potholes. Let Him help you. I know that He will, because He has helped me. I've gone through many trials in my life and I know that it is because of Jesus Christ that I have been able to overcome them. He is my Savior and Redeemer, and He is yours too.

Strumming through Life

Something you may not know about me: I can play the guitar. Well, kind of (I haven't played in awhile so I'm pretty rusty). But, I had the opportunity, nay, the privilege of picking up and plucking at a VERY nice guitar. A couple three weeks ago, we had dinner with the owner of this very nice guitar. He collects guitars. And this very nice guitar, he said, is worth about $45,000. I know right? He trusted me with it! I don't know what he was thinking. Anywho, this guitar is hand carved. It is beautiful. Not only does it look beautiful, it sounds beautiful! I love it, and I want one. But that probably won't happen anytime soon...



Isn't it pretty? (I mean the guitar, not me)

I was thinking how I haven't played the guitar in ages, it seems, and now I'm no good at it. It's like, what's the point in having an instrument if you aren't going to play it. What's the point in having something so valuable if you aren't going to put it to good use.

It reminds me of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is worth much more than a guitar though. Yeah, yeah it is... But in the same way, it doesn't do us any good if we don't apply it to our lives, if we don't use it. Just as you would practice the guitar to get better, we must live the gospel to become a better person. I am nowhere near perfect. Got a long ways to go, in fact. I am so flawed, so weak, so small. But it's through my Savior, Jesus Christ, that I am trying everyday to be a better person. To turn my weaknesses into strengths. The Lord tells us in the Book of Mormon, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27)

So go play your guitar, practice the Gospel, live the Gospel. It will, if it hasn't already, change your life. It's changing mine. Constantly.