The Human Family, Joseph Smith Jr.

"The Great Parent of the universe looks upon the whole human family with a fatherly care and parental regard; He views them as His offspring, and without any of those contracted feelings that influence the children of men... He is a wise Lawgiver, and will judge all men... "according to the deeds done in the body whether they be good or evil," or whether these deeds were done in England, America, Spain, Turkey, or India. He will judge them, "not according to what they have not, but according to what they have."...We need not doubt the wisdom and intelligence of the Great Jehovah; He will award judgment or mercy to all nations according to their several deserts, their means of obtaining intelligence, the laws by which they are governed, the facilities afforded them of obtaining intelligence, the laws by which they are governed, the facilities afforded them of obtaining correct information, and His inscrutable designs in relation to the human family; and when the designs of God shall be made manifest, and the curtain of futurity be withdrawn, we shall all of us eventually have to confess that the Judge of all the earth has done right."

The Christmas Spirit

The true meaning of Christmas

As we have often heard during this season, we should remember the Savior, for His example and life of service and sacrifice. The purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of the Savior. But unfortunately, people quickly forget the true purpose of Christmas. People spend too much time celebrating ‘Claus’ instead of ‘Christ.’

-Elder Ee Chien Chua

Family, L. Tom Perry

"In a world of turmoil and uncertainty, it is more important than ever to make our families the center of our lives and the top of our priorities. . . .

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Probably my favorite of the "Mormon Messages" yet.

I have also gotten into the spirit of Thanksgiving myself. I started a gratitude journal. I bought a small diary from Target for $1. I try to write down 4-6 things everyday that I am thankful for. Most of them are small, but still significant! It is a great way to remember all of my blessings.

Love, Joseph B. Wirthlin

"The most treasured and sacred moments of our lives are those filled with the spirit of love. The greater the measure of our love, the greater is our joy. In the end, the development of such love is the true measure of success in life."

Conference, Howard W. Hunter

The message of this general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that there is but one guiding hand in the universe, only one truly infallible light, one unfailing beacon to the world. That light is Jesus Christ, the light and life of the world, the light which one Book of Mormon prophet described as "a light that is endless, that can never be darkened." (Mosiah 16:9.)

Mi Testimonio muy simple

I wrote this out while in Mexico to practice to give it in sacrament meeting... jaja :)

Yo sé, con ninguna duda, que esta iglesia es la iglesia verdadera. Sé que José Smith fue un profeta llamado por Dios, y que nuestro profeta actual es Tomás S. Monson. Sé que el libro de mormón es un libro verdadero y la mejor guía para la vida que existe. Es la palabra de Dios. Sé que Dios nos ama mucho y conoce a cada persona íntimamente e individualmente. Sé que Dios oye nuestras oraciones y es consciente de nuestros problemas, y Dios quiere bendecirnos con todo. Sé que Jesucristo es el Salvador, nuestro hermano mayor, y el hijo de Dios. Sé que por la expiación de Cristo, todos puedan salvarse, si obedezcan las leyes del evangelio, guarden los mandamientos, y escuchen a la voz del espíritu santo. Estoy muy agradecida por las bendiciones que Dios me da.

translation: I know without a doubt that this is the true church. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God, and that our current prophet is Thomas S. Monson, I know that the book of Mormon is a true book and the best guide to life that exists. It is the word of God. I know that God loves us very much and knows each person intimately and individually. I know that God heard our prayers and is conscious of our problems, and God wants to bless us with everything. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior, our older brother, and the son of God. I know that through the atonement of Christ, all can be saved, if they obey the laws of the gospel, keep the commandments, and listen to the voice of the holy spirit. I am very thankful for the blessings which God gives me.

Safety for the Soul, Jeffrey R. Holland

This is meant to be watched.

(It's in 2 parts.)

What a powerful testimony.

Happiness, Your Heritage, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Link

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before."

"You may think you don’t have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter."

"The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create."

"President Lorenzo Snow:.. “When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everything seems illuminated.”

"In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance. Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers."

Remember Lot's Wife, Jeffrey R. Holland

Read the whole devotional HERE.

"...I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterday however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future -- faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives."

"There is something in us, at least in too many of us, that particularly fails to forgive and forget earlier mistakes in life -- either mistakes we ourselves have made or the mistakes of others. That is not good. It is not Christian. It stands in terrible opposition to the grandeur and majesty of the Atonement of Christ. To be tied to earlier mistakes -- our own or other people's -- is the worst kind of wallowing in the past from which we are called to cease and desist."

"...it is not right to go back and open up some ancient wound which the Son of God Himself died trying to heal."

"If something is buried in the past, leave it buried. Don't keep going back with your little sand pail and beach shovel to dig it up, wave it around, and then throw it at someone saying, "Hey! Do you remember this?" Splat! Well, guess what? That is probably going to result in some ugly morsel being dug up out of your landfill with the reply, "Yeah, I remember it. Do you remember this?" Splat. And everyone comes out of that exchange dirty and muddy and unhappy and hurt, when what our Father in Heaven pleads for is cleanliness and kindness and happiness and healing."

"God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are, and with His help, where you are willing to go."

"Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ is the "high priest of good things to come."

I love to see the temple

I attended the broadcast dedication of the Oquirrh Mountain Temple today. It was beautiful and the talks touched me deeply. I realized that 1) I want to attend more, and 2) I have seen up close/been in/been to open house/been to the dedication of, so many! I am a blessed and lucky girl for sure.

Boise, Idaho
Provo, Utah
Manti, Utah

Rexburg, Idaho
Salt Lake City, Utah
Bountiful, Utah

San Diego, CaliforniaIdaho Falls, Idaho
Los Angeles, California
Nauvoo, Illinois

Palmyra, New York

Manhattan, New York
Houston, Texas
Madrid, Spain
Draper, Utah
Merida, Mexico
Oquirrh Mountain, Utah

An Apostle's Easter Thoughts on Christ

Draper Temple Dedication

I just got back from attending the broadcast of the dedication of the Draper, UT temple. It was so wonderful! The dedicatory prayer was beautiful, I love doing the Hosanna shout, and the singing of The Spirit of God was so powerful.

Here is an article about temples that I appreciated, thank you Salt Lake Tribune.

I love to see the temple.
I'm going there someday
To feel the Holy Spirit,
To listen and to pray.

For the temple is a house of God,
A place of love and beauty.
I'll prepare myself while I am young;
This is my sacred duty.

I love to see the temple.
I'll go inside someday.
I'll cov'nant with my Father;
I'll promise to obey.

For the temple is a holy place
Where we are sealed together.
As a child of God,
I've learned this truth;
A fam'ly is forever.

Day of Faith

Day of Faith: Personal Quests for a Purpose - 3. Rachel Esplin from Harvard Hillel on Vimeo.

Lately there seems to be more questions than usual about us "Mormons," a lot of it which seems negative.
I saw this video and I loved it, she answered the questions in an intelligent and calm manner while still teaching by the spirit.
Yay for Rachel!

A Great Gospel Resource

BYU Independent study offers free courses in the Old and New Testament, Book of Mormon, Doctrine Covenants, Joseph Smith Translation, Missionary Prepareation,and the Living Prophets, in addition to Genealogy, Family Life, Recreation, Mathematics, Music, History and Government, and Personal Development.
It's a great resource!

BYU Independent Study

Ok so I work here.. but I am NOT getting paid to say this! I really believe it!

Love of God, Marion D. Hanks

The Bible teaches us that “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son.” (John 3:16.) The Doctrine and Covenants teaches that “Jesus Christ your Redeemer … so loved the world that he gave his own life.” (D&C 34:1, 3.)
God so loved that he gave.
Christ so loved that he gave.
We are here on this earth to learn, after the example of the Father and the Son, to love enough to give—to use our agency unselfishly. We are here to learn to do the will of the Father.

Still Believe- Hilary Weeks

Today I had the opportunity to sing in my ward conference! It was very last minute but it went pretty well and I'm glad I got to do it and share my talent with those in my ward and my stake leaders. I sang one of my favorite songs, "Still Believe" by Hilary Weeks. It's a beautiful song with an amazing message!!

lyrics:

I haven't seen His face
But I have seen His miracles
I haven't heard His voice
But His spirit speaks to my heart
I haven't felt His hands
But I have felt His peace
And blessed are those who haven't seen

And still believe that He lives
And still believe that He walked upon the earth
And though my faith is just a seed
I still believe


I didn't walk with Him
But each day He's here by my side
I didn't watch as He healed
But His love has changed my life
I didn't see the cross
But I know it was for me
And blessed are those who haven't seen


And still believe that He lives
And still believe that He walked upon the earth
And though my faith is just a seed
I still believe


I haven't seen His eyes
But someday He'll look into mine
And if He bids me come
I will worship at His feet
For blessed are those who haven't seen
And still believe.

"Small and Simple Things"

My missionary friend Elder Chua sent me a copy of this movie, "Small and Simple Things". It is truly a great movie. It has made me so more excited about the possibility of serving a mission. I realized this week I could be turning my papers in as early as a year from now! That is so excting! Also, this movie made me want to try harder to be a better example of the church and a better member missionary- being in Provo you take these things for granted because so many others around are members so you don't feel the need to be an extra great example, and it feels like there isn't really anyone left to teach. But this is not true! I am going to try to look harder for opportunities and be the best I can be so that others will see how truly happy I am to have the gospel in my life; it's the best thing I have besides my family.

You can watch the video here. (The link goes to part 1, it's divided into 3 parts because of the length.

Thanks Elder Chua!

"It's progress, not perfection."

Today was my stake conference, and we were privileged to have Elder James J. Hamula of the Seventy speak.
He gave 2 really great talks. Some things I took from his talks:

-Although there is turmoil in the world and we are in hard economic times, the days ahead of you are bright.
-Do the most you can and grace will make up for the rest.
-We have all the tools we need to conquer/over come Satan because we have the church.
-Think of spirituality is a talent. We need to develop this talent.
-If you are quiet, still, and search for answers, the Lord will speak to you in a way that you can understand. So build into your life quiet time and find the way to listen.
-Manna: sometimes we want more worldly things but we fail to appreciate what things we already have.
-The Lord can fix anything that is broken: bones, relationships, testimonies.. etc. Just come to him with a broken heart and contrite spirit.

Things I learned from other speakers:
-"It's progress, not perfection" that the Lord expects from us.
-Sometimes the Lord just needs us to show up.
-Love the Lord and you will be saved.
-The restored gospel is a constant in this ever-changing world.
-Be happy to live now and not in some other day and age! ex. Ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Middle Ages.
-Thy Thoughts determine thy destiny; 5 thoughts that wil bless us:
1. Love and gratitude
2. Obedience
3. Faith and hope
4. Positive possibilities
5. Thoughts of the spirit: scripture reading, church, conference, and temple attendance.


Most, if not all of these things seem pretty obvious. It's just good to be reminded. :) It was a great conference.

Charity, Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Nothing you do makes much of a difference if you do not have charity."

Time, Thomas S. Monson

"The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live it.”

Example, H. David Burton

"Live in such a way that people who know you but don't know Christ will want to know Christ because they know you."

Trust, Joseph B. Wirthlin

“The simple secret is this: put your trust in the Lord, do your best, then leave the rest to Him.”

Patience, Neal A. Maxwell

“Sometimes we pound on the vault door for something we want very much, in faith, in reasonable righteousness, and wonder why the door does not open. … Our rejected petitions tell us not only much about ourselves, but also much about our flawless Father.”

Marriage, Bruce R. McConkie

"The most important single thing that any Latter-day Saint ever does in this world is to marry the right person, in the right place, by the right authority."

Thomas S. Monson fireside

Last Sunday, January 11, I was privileged to attend a CES Fireside at the Marriott Center in which our beloved prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, spoke. It was a wonderful fireside, from which I learned a lot, and it was awesome to see the prophet speak. He spoke about preparation and staying on track in life. It was so amazing!

I truly have a testimony that President Monson is a prophet of God and that he receives revelation for the church of God even in these latter days!

A recording of the fireside can be found here. Enjoy. :) Happy Sunday!

Service- talk given by me today

So, I gave a talk in my ward's sacrament meeting today on service. I think it went really well. Here is what I based my talk on- 3 talks and lots of scripture- I can't put exactly what I said on here because, well, I didn't write it out word for word! But here is an outline! Basically I made the goal of my talk to motivate people (and myself) to serve more.

I. Introduction

D&C 121:45 Let thy ^abowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let ^bvirtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy ^cconfidence wax strong in the ^dpresence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the ^edews from heaven.

Mosiah 2:17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn ^awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the ^bservice of your ^cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

2 kinds of service
1. service we willingly render to those around us because we are taught to care
2. service in church callings

II. Service to those around us.

"Over the years I have watched one dear sister give service far beyond any calling to teach or lead in the Church. She sees a need and serves; not “Call me if you need help,” but “Here I am; what can I do?” She does so many small things, like holding someone’s child in a meeting or taking a child to school who has missed the bus. She always looks for new faces at church and steps forward to make them welcome.

"Her husband knows that when they attend a ward social, he can generally count on her saying, “Why don’t you go along home. I see they are a little short on help to clear up and do the dishes.”

"He came home one evening to find her putting the furniture back in place. That morning she had the feeling that she should see how an elderly sister with a heart condition was managing a wedding breakfast for a grandchild who had come from out of state to be married in the temple.

"She found the woman sitting alone at the church, in despair, surrounded by the things she had brought in preparation. Somehow there had been a double booking of the hall. In a few hours the guests would arrive. Whatever could she do?

"This attentive sister took the older sister home with her and put her down to rest. Then she went to work moving the furniture around. When the guests arrived, a beautiful wedding breakfast was ready to be served." -President Boyd K. Packer.

We should make a goal to try to be more like this woman.

We should find ways to serve others everyday, in big or small ways.

III. Serving in church callings

"It is not in the proper spirit for us to decide where we will serve or where we will not. We serve where we are called."- President Boyd K. Packer.

Things to remember about callings:
-It is the Lord's call
-You are called through inspiration
-If you don't have a calling; be willing to serve

"God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom. The people of the Church need each other’s strength, support, and leadership in a community of believers as an enclave of disciples. In the Doctrine and Covenants we read about how important it is to “… succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” (D&C 81:5.) So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and from small but deliberate deeds!

As the contrasts between the ways of the world and the ways of God become sharpened by circumstance, the faith of the members of the Church will be tried even more severely. One of the most vital things we can do is to express our testimonies through service, which will, in turn, produce spiritual growth, greater commitment, and a greater capacity to keep the commandments."- Spencer W. Kimball.

"One of the great influences in my life was to work closely for many years with Belle S. Spafford, general president of the Relief Society, surely one of the greatest women of this dispensation.

"One day she told me that as a young woman she explained to her bishop that she was willing to serve but preferred a call to teach. The following week she was called as a counselor to the ward Relief Society president. “I did not relish the call,” she said. “The bishop had misunderstood.” She told him bluntly Relief Society was for old women. Except for the counsel of her husband, she would have refused the call.

"Several times she asked to be released. Each time the bishop said he would pray about it.

"One night she was seriously injured in an automobile accident. After some time in the hospital, she was recovering at home. A terrible laceration on her face became infected. The worried doctor told her, “We can’t touch this surgically; it’s too close to the main nerve in your face.”

"That Sunday night, as the doctor left the Spafford home, the bishop, returning from a late meeting, saw the lights on and stopped in.

"Sister Spafford later told me, “In that pathetic condition I tearfully said, ‘Bishop, now will you release me?’ ”

"Again he said, “I will pray about it.”

"When the answer came, it was, “Sister Spafford, I still can’t get the feeling that you should be released from Relief Society.”

"Belle S. Spafford served for 46 years in the Relief Society, nearly 30 as general president. She was an influence for good in the Church and was respected by women leaders worldwide."- President Spencer W. Kimball.

"If we focus on simple principles and simple acts of service, we will see that organizational lines soon lose some of their significance. Too often in the past, organizational lines in the Church have become walls that have kept us from reaching out to individuals as completely as we should. We will also find as we become less concerned with getting organizational or individual credit that we will become more concerned with serving the one whom we are charged to reach. We will also find ourselves becoming less concerned with our organizational identity and more concerned with our true and ultimate identity as a son or daughter of our Father in heaven and helping others to achieve the same sense of belonging." -President Spencer W. Kimball

IV. Blessings that can come from service and why to serve

D&C 76:5-6 For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am ^amerciful and gracious unto those who ^bfear me, and delight to honor those who ^cserve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their ^aglory.

Matthew 10:39 ^aHe that findeth his life shall ^blose it: and he that ^closeth his ^dlife for my sake shall find it.

"I know that God loves us. He allows us to exercise our moral agency even when we misuse it. He permits us to make our own decisions.

"Christ cannot help us if we do not trust Him; He cannot teach us if we do not serve Him. He will not force us to do what’s right, but He will show us the way only when we decide to serve Him. Certainly, for us to serve in His kingdom, Christ requires that we experience a change of thought and attitude.

“For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?” (Mosiah 5:13)."- Elder Carlos H. Amado

"Service makes us strong in our faith and useful in His kingdom. Service gives us purpose and courage in life. It brings us closer to God and helps us refine our divine nature. It teaches us to love and understand our fellowmen, and it helps us forget about our personal desires, eliminating selfishness, pride, and ingratitude. It teaches us to think of the needs of others, which allows us to develop the virtues that the Savior possesses.

"Kindness, love, patience, understanding, and unity will increase as we serve, while intolerance, jealousy, envy, greed, and selfishness decrease or disappear. The more we give of ourselves, the more our capacity to serve, understand, and love will grow.

"Those who serve will always seek to please God and live in harmony with Him. They will be full of peace; they will have a cheerful countenance and a spirit of kindness.

"Those who serve will strive to ennoble, build, and lift their fellowmen; therefore, they will find the good in others, and they will not find reason or have time to become offended. They develop the virtue of praying for those who criticize. They don’t expect recognition or reward. They possess the love of Christ.

"Those who serve will always be willing to share what they possess and what they know at all times, in all places, and with all people.

"Those who serve even in adversity will maintain a living hope of a better future. They will continue to be firm in the midst of a crisis because their hope is in Christ.

"Those who serve will accept their assignments with humility, recognizing their limitations but convinced that two people can do all things they propose to do as long as one of the two people is God."- Elder Carlos H. Amado

Service makes us more perceptible to receive personal revelation.

"I have learned that it is by serving that we learn how to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves. In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus, that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves. (See Matt. 10:39.)

"Not only do we “find” ourselves in terms of acknowledging guidance in our lives, but the more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others—indeed, it is easier to “find” ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!

"George MacDonald observed that “it is by loving and not by being loved that one can come nearest to the soul of another.” (George MacDonald Anthology, Geoffrey Bles, London, 1970.) Of course, we all need to be loved, but we must be giving and not always receiving if we want to have wholeness in our lives and a reinforced sense of purpose." -President Spencer W. Kimball

V. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of service and charity.

Jesus Christ went about doing good, healed, taught, and genearlly showed tender compassion to the poor, afflicted, and distressed.

"His crowning expression of charity was His infinite Atonement. He said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). This was the greatest act of long-suffering, kindness, and selflessness that we will ever know. With an understanding of the Savior’s enduring love, you can exercise faith and repent of your sins, confident that He will forgive you and strengthen you in your efforts to live the gospel.

The Savior wants you to receive His love, and He also wants you to share it with others. He declared to His disciples: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34–35). In your relationships with family members and others, look to the Savior as your example. Strive to love as He loves, with unfailing compassion, patience, and mercy.

As you continue to receive the Savior’s perfect love and as you demonstrate Christlike love for others, you will find that your love increases. You will experience the joy of being in the Lord’s service. The Holy Ghost will be your constant companion, guiding you in your service and in your relationships with others. You will be prepared to meet the Lord at the Judgment, when He will reward you according to your dedication to His work."- True to the Faith, Charity.

Moroni 7:46-48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail— But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth ^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ^apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true ^bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall ^cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be ^dpurified even as he is pure. Amen.

Service is a way of showing love!

Make a goal to do more service!

I have a testimony of service, I have seen it work miracles both on the giving and receiving ends!

Sources:
Called to Serve by President Boyd K. Packer, November 1997 Ensign. http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=31bf57b60090c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

Service, a Divine Quality by Elder Carlos H. Amado, May 2008 Ensign. http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=5632558fcc599110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=1

Small Acts of Service by President Spencer W. Kimball, December 1974 Ensign. http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=1dba61cb2b86b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1