Small Enough

So, I taught RS today for the first time in my current ward. it went over really well I think. at least I learned from the sisters in the discussion. and I hope they learned something as well.



I was called just a couple of weeks ago, funny story about that... I found out that I had been called after I was already sustained, haha my bishopric is somewhat new, and there have been several changes in my ward as of late. so each member of the bishopric thought that the other one had talked to me. well, nope. haha its ok though was going to accept it anyways, lol. I have never turned down a calling, I figure even if it is a calling that I don't necessarily want, it is a calling that the Lord thinks I need. and every single calling that I have had has helped me grow in one way or another. so, yeah, thats my funny calling story. haha



ok, so, back to todays lesson. I teach every fourth Sunday, so I teach on whatever subject the first presidency gives us for the 6 months. which is "ministering" through November, and then in December we start the new subject, whatever that may be.  im pretty excited to see what it will be.

all, they give us teachers for the fourth Sunday is basically a paragraph, with a quote, a scripture, and a couple of questions, the rest is up to us. we are to be led by the spirit on how the lesson will go. they want it to be more of a discussion than a lecture, which is how I like to teach anyways.



this week, was on being willing to accept ministering from others.  they have changed a few things in the church this year, as most of you probably know, but they have changed "visiting teaching" and "home teaching" to "ministering". there is no longer a specific way to do it, or a specific message to be shared, etc. it is more focused on the "gathering of Isreal" and helping eachother get through this life. I eellike this lesson today was for me. it is always hard  and has always been hard for me to accept help from others. im not totally sure why, probably because of pride. im not one to ask for help when I need it. it takes a lot for me to ask for pretty much anything.



the discussion today took a few different turns, and not only focused on accepting help, but know when to help, and to only acknowledging promptings when we get them, but following through on them, no matter how difficult they may be. we can do hard things. etc. one thing I shared was something that I wasn't planning on sharing, but I felt like I needed to share it.



I shared the following story from my mission.

When I was a young missionary, serving in Palmyra, NY. I was serving my shift at the Hill Cumorah Visitors Center at the time, and there was this older woman that walked in, she was the only one that walked in at the time, she had just happened to be driving on the Highway at the time, and saw the Statue of Moroni at the top of the hill, an then she saw the Christus statue through the window, she had come in and said that she had felt prompted to stop and that her late husband had worked on the construction of the statue of Moroni, that she was in town from Hawaii visiting, and she wanted to stop and see what all of this was. so, I preceded to take her into the Christus room to start the tour. it was still just the two of us, I played a recording for her of Christ speaking, and after the recording bore testimony of the Savior, and we sat and talked for a bit, as it had been a slow day, so there were now tours behind us. we went on with the tour, and went into the theatre room, where we watch "the restoration" video. it was about 20 minutes long, I had looked over and she was crying through the whole thing, I however was fighting with the Spirit on a prompting. the prompting was "ask her to be baptized" and I kept saying "no, its too soon" "no, I barely know her name" and just giving every excuse to not ask her. but I finally was able to get up the courage by the end of the video and I said to her "will you be baptized" just 4 little words, and much to my surprise she said "YES!" thats right! she said "YES!" im not sure what happened to her after that day, because she did not live in my area let alone my mission. all I could do was, have her fill out one of the referral cards that the sites have, and I put a little note on there telling the missionaries that were to teach her that she had already agreed to be baptized.

I pray that she was baptized, and that she shared her sweet spirit with everyone around her. The reason that I had shared that story with the sisters in Relief Society today, was because, we may not always know the outcome to the promptings that we have, we may not always know what happens next, but we still need to follow through on those promptings, as there is always a reason that they come to us, they could be for us to learn something, they could be for someone else. but there is always a reason



God Loves us, and he doesn't let stuff like that happen by chance. He is aware of us, he is aware of our situations. he knows us better than we know ourselves, he hears our prayers, even though we may not always know that, or receive an answer, he is always listening.



I was also set apart today for my callings, as an RS teacher and as the Young Women's Camp Director. and in that blessings he told me that he is always listening to my prayers, and that he loves me, and is aware of my situation (whatever it may be at the time) whether I know it or not. and to awlasy remember that he loves me.



I wanted to attach this song to this post, as it played on my way home tonight in the car, it talks about a woman and how she is praying just to know that God is there, she just wants to know that she is being heard, she doesn't "...need the strength of Sampson, or a chariot in the end, just want to know, that you know how many hairs are on my head, oh Great God, be small enough to hear me now"...



I hope that the spirit touches you as you listen to it, as much as it touches me every time it comes on. because sometimes, we are praying or big things, but sometimes we just want to know that there is a God and that he is aware of us, and knows who we are.

Temples

This last week, I was thinking about my life, and I made few goals. 1 of those goals was to attend the temple more. It has been a while since I went to the House of the Lord, and did his work, and felt of the amazing spirit that is there as soon as I walk in. The Temple is like Heaven on earth. It is the place where we can be closer to God than anywhere else. it literally is the House of the Lord. It says on the outside of EVERY temple the sacred words "House of the Lord, Holiness to the Lord". It is impossible to be in a bad mood, or sad, or depressed, etc. while in the temple. I love the peace that I feel as soon as I see it when driving up the street, let alone when I walk in the doors.
so, it is a new goal of mine to attend the temple every week,. I will be setting out a day every week to make time for the Lord and attend the Temple.  I am so blessed here in Las Vegas to have a temple so close, and yet I have made every excuse as to why I have not attended. it is time to cut the excuses, and make time. drive the 30 min to the most beautiful place in this whole city. I know that as I do, my life we be 10x better than it already is. here is a little video on what the temple is and what we do in the temple. I hope you all enjoy, and if any of your reading this have a Temple recommend, you are welcome to join me in going to the temple, if you can't go with me, I would urge you to go, go as often as you can.

A New Day

so, I know I haven't posted in a while. I was on my way home tonight from a fireside, and I was listening to some church music on my drive, and a song called "a new day" came on by Jessie Clark Funk. and I had the thought, "I should start up my blog again" so, here I am doing it.

Anyways, the song is about how a new day is born everyday. and how it promises to bring us light and life.

the second verse of this song, talks about the first vision, and how Joseph Smith woke up one morning, in the spring of 1820 and it was just an ordinary day, and then something extraordinary happened. something that changed the world. the first vision happened. the single most important event that has happened in the last 200 + years. where a 14 year boy (Joseph Smith) woke up one spring morning, and walked into the grove of trees behind his home, and asked God which church was true.

lets rewind a little bit. one night Joseph was reading in the Bible as he often did, and he read James chapter 1: 5-6 "5 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.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." I love verse 6, it tells us to not only ask but ask in faith. and that is exactly what Joseph did. he not only asked God, but he asked in faith. he asked with the simple faith of a 14 year old boy. 

so, basically what im trying to say, is we should way up everyday, with the knowledge that it is a new day, and that new day is a gift from a loving Heavenly Father. and that although we may wake up, feeling like it is an ordinary day, it has the potential to become something extraordinary! if we are willing to make it that way. we have the Gospel because Joseph Smith woke up that morning, with the faith that something extraordinary could happen, and it did. 

here is a link to that song, it is such a great song, and has such a great message! 

 https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/album/a-new-day/290594211?i=290594220&mt=1&app=music 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. and remember every day is a new day that has the potential to become extraordinary. 

Church is a hospital for sinners

    Its been sooooo long since i updated. i guess life just got in the way. i apologize for that. i decided today to start up this Gospel Blog today with things that i learn that relate to the gospel during the week. etc. every post has to do with the Gospel, i will update it every Sunday, on a different subject every week. i hope to touch someones heart, and help someone to feel the spirit when they read it. even if the someone is me. so i hope you all enjoy it.

    so, a friend was asking today for advice about going to church, and how she has drank coffee all week and does not even feel bad about it. etc. she does not know if she is welcome at church. she absolutely believes in the Gospel has a testimony of the priesthood, and no longer believes in the the trinity. so she does not feel comfortable going back to the baptist church. she is asking, if she does these things that are against the principles of the Gospel, is she still welcome at church.

    This was my answer to her: "You are ALWAYS allowed to go to church! NO MATTER WHAT! Whether you are a member or not it does not matter! I have a couple of talks that I will share as soon as I get home from church. But as hard as it is. GO TO CHURCH, go to worship our GOD! don't go for anyone else but you and GOD! No one will kick you out. pm me if you need to talk. I'm hear to answer any of your questions." " Also the best advice I can give you is to PRAY! pray to Heavenly Father, ask him? He loves you, and he knows you and the desires of your heart. He knows you better than you know yourself. He knows your name! He knows everything about you! He created you! he is ALWAYS there for you! And he knows exactly how you feel."


    I wanted to look up a talk from conference that just will strike to her. because sometimes it helps a little more to hear it from our modern day prophets and apostles, and not just read it in the scriptures. so, i remembered that a couple of years ago Elder Uchtdorf gave a talk where he says "YOU matter to him" I, along with others have felt at one time or another not very welcome in church. but that is ONLY because of PEOPLE. People are not perfect! but the Gospel of Jesus Christ IS perfect! and Christ came to this earth, thousands of years ago, and set up his church, which is the same church that Joseph Smith restored. Jesus Christ then Atoned for not only our sins, but for EVERY feeling that we will ever feel! he is there to rejoice with us, he is there to weep with us, he is there to mourn with us, and to comfort us when we are in need. He loves us! he knows us! he knows our names! he knows us better than we know ourselves, and he knows the desires of our hearts! one of my favorite scriptures is Alma chapter 7:11-13. 

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

    The talk that came to me the most though was the talk from April 2015 afternoon session by Elder Renlund of the quorum of the 70. titled latter- day saints keep on trying! in that talk he quotes a young woman saying, “Oh, Thoba, the Church is like a big hospital, and we are all sick in our own way. We come to church to be helped.” this talk is so amazing and has stuck with me since he gave it almost exactly a year ago. i could listen to it over and over again. he also says, "President Thomas S. Monson has taught, “One of God’s greatest gifts to us is the joy of trying again, for no failure ever need be final.”8 Even if we’ve been a conscious, deliberate sinner or have repeatedly faced failure and disappointment, the moment we decide to try again, the Atonement of Christ can help us. And we need to remember that it is not the Holy Ghost that tells us we’re so far gone that we might as well give up." 

    I KNOW that our Heavenly Father knows us and loves us more than anything! he knows us, he knows the desires of our hearts and he wants us to return to him. Jesus Christ not only atoned for our sins, but so that we can go to him with anything and he can know EXACTLY how we feel. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true! I know that through the Prophet Joseph Smith, that SAME church that Christs originally set up, was restored. I know God lives, that Christ lives. I know this for myself. I have felt their love for me and know that i can go to them with anything! I hope that anyone reading this will feel the spirit and come to know for yourselves that they love you also. Trust in Them! They love you! 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

plan of happiness/plan of salvation

    so, i apologize for not updating for a while life has been kinda crazy lately. my baby/dog "Minnie" is very sick. i have taken her to 2 different vets, the first one just gave me some antibiotics and sent me on my way, the second one said she had pneumonia really bad. and treatment is too expensive so I'm trying to treat her at home with better antibiotics and lots and lots of love and we will see what the outcome is. i love her so much but if she is supposed to go then she is supposed to go and i have embraced that. because all dogs go to heaven right? i think so.
    anyways, on to the plan of salvation. last week my mother was visiting my grandparents in their assisted living home and my grandmother said to her "I'm going to see my mom and dad soon" which makes me think that she is going to pass through the veil soon and be on the other side with her parents and the rest of our loved ones that have passed on. i am so grateful for the Gospel and knowing what we know and for the great plan of happiness or Salvation. we know the we chose all of this before we came here to earth. we know that there was a great war in heaven long before the earth was created.
     we know that there were 2 plans created and Lucifer's and Christs. Lucifer's plan was that we would all make it back to our Heavenly Father that we would have no choice in the matter. and Christs plan was that we would come to earth, that we would have a wonderful thing called agency. that we would be able to choose our way back home. by a majority vote we chose the latter of the two and chose Christs plan. unfortunately there was a third of the host of heaven that chose to follow Lucifer or Satan. there fore they were denied the blessings of coming to earth and receiving a body and participating in this wonderful plan and eventually gaining eternal life and making it back home.     so, we made it here to earth everyone on earth kept their first estate. now, it is up to us to keep our second estate. which means making the right choices, being baptized into the church of Jesus Christ by the proper authority (the priesthood) and making the amazing covenants that we make in the temple. the temple is the closest that we can be to heaven here in earth. it truly is the house of the Lord. it is the one place that we can be sealed to our families forever. when we are married/sealed in the temple we are sealed together for eternity not just til death do us part. it is so comforting in times like this to know that we can be with our families and our loved ones even after death. that we do go somewhere after we die. therefore we are less afraid of death.
     
the spirit world is so close. we know that it is also here, that the spirit world is around us. it is not a different universe or place. they are all around us, watching over us. so, it comes to no surprise that many of those that pass on, often see their loved ones that have passed on before them as they go.
ex: Emma Smiths last words before she died were "Joseph, Joseph, I'm coming, I'm coming" and my grandmother knowing that she is going to see her parents soon. as heartbreaking as it is for us here on earth, i can only imagine that it is a lovely reunion with the loved ones that have passed on before us.
it is very comforting to know what we know about death and the resurrection and the afterlife and what we can have if we only choose what we know is right and choose to follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. like Alma says "if ye are prepared, ye shall not fear"
      so today's lesson is, let us prepare for the last days, let us not procrastinate the day of our repentance. because today is the day to prepare to meet God. therefore let us live everyday as if we were going to see our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in the flesh.
i know that as we do, we will be prepared to receive the blessings that we chose to come here and work so hard to receive. that we will be able to live with our Heavenly Father and our loved ones again. as hard as it gets we can still choose to do what we have to do to get what want the most.
and i say this in the Name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Happy Sunday everyone!

women in the scriptures

so a questions was raised. why are there not more women named in the Book of Mormon?
well, i believe that some women do not need to be names in the scriptures. but i also believe that maybe, while writing the scriptures the Lord and those prophets knew that there were going to be people that would do everything that they could to discredit the Book of Mormon and its truthfulness. and part of doing so they were going to try to discredit and us the names of those mentioned in it, and they loved their wives and mothers so much that they wanted to give those people little room to say anything about them. i believe that is also why we don't hear much mentioned about or know the name of our Heavenly Mother. i believe that our Heavenly Father knew that people were going to take his name in vain (even though they would be breaking a commandment) and he loves our Heavenly Mother so much that he did not want that to happen to her.
i get so tired of people talking about how women don't get the credit they deserve in the scriptures and in the church. but in reality we get a lot more credit with things than the men do. we get praised every time the leaders speak about the women in the church. our Heavenly Father and our Leaders hold us women so high and love us so much. but sometimes we let society get to us and lead us to believe that is not the case. i urge all of you to as you watch conference in a month and listen to our leaders, try to count how many times women are talked about and held at high esteem by them.
I know that our Heavenly Father loves us women so much. and i hope that all of you other sisters in the world will come to realize that.
i have found a great article on women in the book of Mormon. and it has actually inspired me to read the Book of Mormon looking for things like she did in this article.

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1977/09/

my-book-of-mormon-sisters?lang=eng

small enough

so, i haven't been on here in quite a while. I've been seriously slacking! I'm sorry about that.
so, I'm sitting here watching the movie "Charly" trying to figure out what i was going to write about tonight. and i thought about today's lesson in young women's. about families. so, tonight i am going to write about how families can be together forever!
there is a line in the movie that says "God didn't promise that i would live, he promised that we would be together forever" that line is so touching to me. marriage has been a difficult topic for me for a few years now. since i am getting older, and it is seeming more and more probable that i will not get married. i pray everyday that i will meet my husband that day. and i try to trust in the Lord and his timing, but sometimes it is just so difficult. one thing i know is that my Heavenly Father loves me and he is mindful of me, and as hard as it is sometimes to swallow. i know that i will meet the man of my dreams. and as for now i will be the best daughter, sister, aunt, niece, granddaughter etc. that i can be. i know that families can and will be together forever!!! i know that with all my heart.
there is another line in this movie that touches my heart, when Charly is baptized they are at the christus at temple square and she says " you believe it, Don't you? and he says, No... I Know it"  some times i ask why, we all do, sometimes God doesn't tell us why. sometimes we will never know why, sometimes we just need to trust that He knows what he is doing and we are following his guidance.
FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER!!!!

i know that we were not put here to walk this earth alone. we have the one that knows us better than we know ourselves to walk with us everyday if we will have him. President Monson's talk here is about that and how we can always pray to him and he Will be there. We will NEVER be alone. 

there is a song by Mindy Gledhill that i found on my mission. that whenever i am feeling alone and that i don't know if he is with me or cares. i like to listen to it. i say this prayer, just to know that he is here. "...i don't need the strength of Samson, or Chariot in the end, just want to know that you still know how many hairs are on my head, Oh great God, Be small enough to hear me now..." 

i know that he always was, is , and will be with me throughout my life. i know that he does the same for you. i know that we can be with our families and those we love forever! i know He lives, and that he loves us, and that we may not always know "why" but we must trust that he does and that he knows what he is doing.