Kids and Christmas

I've been trying to figure out what I want to do with this blog. I stopped posting, honestly, because everyone else did. But, it doesn't mean that I haven't had Spiritual experiences since September. I've been feeling as though I still need to do something like this, the missionaries even challenge my husband and I to get out there, spiritually, on the web. I told them I used to write weekly on a Spiritual blog and then I realized how much I missed writing my experiences down. Sheesh! Leave it to the missionaries to remind me of a Spiritual purpose! :)

Anywho, I watched this today and it sums up the wonder of the Christmas season. I love this time of year when we can openly discuss the Savior and His role in the Plan of Happiness. I also love the pure, simple testimonies of these children. It's no wonder that we are encouraged to be like a little child.

Joyfully Living

When I arrived home from vacation, I had a pile of mail waiting for me. Mostly filled with ads and bills, something out of place caught my eye, the July/August 2010 issues of {LDS Living}.

In scanning the magazine, I found a brief article, Message of Joy, about a brother who was paralyzed from the waist down 20 years ago. One of the things Brother Rushton said really stuck out to me:

Not one of us can escape mortality. My challenge is very obvious, but everyone has their own unique challenges that are not as visible as mine. We can either go away from God and lose our faith, or adversity can bring us closer to Him.

I felt as though this was speaking to me. This life is not meant to be easy. Challenges and trials help us to grow; help us to see how we are weak and strong. We'll always have some kind of challenge in our lives and it is up to us how we react to them. Do we mope and complain about everything that's happening and wonder why? Or do we stand up, do what is right, and then learn and grow through the process?

Heavenly Father knows how many times I've chosen number one instead of two. I feel I difference when I choose the latter. I feel happier, healthier, and more in tuned with the part of me who has existed throughout the eternities.

The beauty of it all is that we have the choice of how to face our challenges/trials. It is up to us to choose who to serve... the adversary or the Lord.

Priesthood: A Beacon

On Sunday, we had the Gospel Principles lesson about {The Priesthood}. At one point, a sister related an analogy another member pointed out to her early in the week.

This sister has solar power nightlights outside along her driveway. These warn cars, and people, about the drop on the other side and act as a guide to the driveway. As she routinely replaced the batteries in these lights, the young man helping her noticed how these lights are similar to the Priesthood. He said the Priesthood acts as a shield and guide the Children of God. It protects us from potential dangers by guiding us to the right path. But, it only works when Priesthood holders are worthy to use it by staying worthy of the Holy Ghost--- 'recharging your spiritual batteries.'

To me, it seemed very timely. My brother reported to the MTC on Wednesday to prepare to preach the gospel to the people of Columbus, Ohio. He, along with every other missionary, acts as a beacon to those who are searching for the gospel. But, like the young man noted, the priesthood is a beacon to all. The Priesthood is the power of God on the earth through proper authority. Without it, we would be lost. We would miss the opportunity to make essential covenants with our Heavenly Father. We would not even have the earth on which we stand. It is by this power, and through worthy holders, that we have the chance to live eternally with our Heavenly Father.

I don't know about you, but I'm sure grateful for the Priesthood. :)

Spiritual Application!

I absolutely love fifth Sunday lessons; I love being able to having another testimony of the Bishopric. Since we had family in town, I was able to take notes and delve into the topic.

A few months ago, all of the regional leaders in our area had a training with Elder Bednar, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Our Bishop was so touched by how it was done that he spoke to the youth a couple months ago (my husband works with them, so that's how I know) and then the adults this past Sunday.

We were asked to come to the meeting with questions about our multiple stewardships, be they in the family or at church. And, not just any questions, but the type of questions that keep you up at night. He then stated: When a problem is present, there needs to be a reinforcement of doctrine or principles. Well, in order to reinforce we must first understand what doctrine and principles are.

Doctrine is truth revealed from heaven about eternal progression. It answers the why questions in life. Elder Bednar explained there are only 3 or 4 doctrines: Nature of the Godhead, Plan of Salvation, the Atonement and an unknown (it was implied that either E. Bednar was still trying to figure this one out or didn't want to give it away because it's meant for own discovery). These doctrine, eternal truths, set the foundation for everything else in the church and in life.

Principles then are guidelines for activity which grow out of doctrine. They answer the what? question; things like faith, obedience, repentance, everything in the scriptures, etc. Our Bishop reminded us not to get too rapped up in classification. The importance is in how we apply the doctrines and principles in our lives.

Applications of doctrine and principles are very personal and can change throughout time and circumstance. Applications cannot be taught by an every day mortal human being; they must be taught through the Holy Ghost through personal revelation. We use personal revelation to apply revealed principles like the Word of Wisdom, Sabbath Day, repentance, etc. in our lives and do so; but what may be good for one is not what was revealed to another.

Does this mean one is right and the other is wrong? I don't know, but what I do know if two trying-to-be righteous individuals are using the gift of the Holy Ghost to make right decisions, then they must both be right. The key there is we know if it's right for us by our own personal worthiness. We need to be worthy of the Holy Ghost in order to make decisions with his help.

What we can do is use our illustrations (experiences) of how personal applications of doctrine and principles work in our lives; which I think is exactly what we do with this blog! "I read this the other day," or "I was thinking about..." is usually how our posts begin. The spirit is talking to us; wanting us to share how it helped us because then we help each other. We try to grow closer to Christ, and each other, by sharing our own personal experiences of how we applied the gospel.

This whole hour was a big A-Ha! moment for me. The gospel is much simpler than we think. My husband wonderfully shared when the Bishop spoke to the youth, but I didn't write it down so I forgot. I remember how when he shared with me how I wanted to turn around and share it to my Spirituality sisters and everyone who would listen. I'm so grateful for inspired leaders who take their stewardship responsibility seriously and strive to spread the happiness around.

Let's never be afraid to share our 'secret weapon' because it's a something that helps us all.

"We are not alone in the Universe..."

"We are not alone in the universe. God is not the god of only one planet."--Neal A. Maxwell

Last night Nate and I went to see Hubble 3D at our local planetarium. I saw a billboard for it and my inspired friend called me an hour later and asked if we wanted to go. We said yes immediately because Nate is big on astronomy and I just knew he would love it. I had no idea when we went though, that it would turn out to be such a testimony building experience.

The movie follows the launch and subsequent repair missions for the Hubble space telescope. In the 3D format it also took us through the stars and the far reaches of the universe almost as if we were actually flying through it using renditions of Hubble's images. It was the most beautiful thing I have every witnessed. My favorite part was actually flying into the nebula on Orion's belt. once there we looked across the cloud into a canyon where there were baby stars they referred to as "tadpoles." Each of these stars were centered around a major star and encompassed by a shockwave from the fierce winds that surrounded them. The narrator spoke of how some of these stars could grow up and form their own galaxies some day, but the ones that could not withstand the fierce winds would never make it that far.

It's an easy comparison to make.. Each of us, as God's "tadpole" literally have the potential to grow our own galaxies someday if we can withstand the fierce winds of temptation. We will one day walk with Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Universe, and know God as He knows God, as a loving father and friend.

Paradise

On Sunday we had some really amazing talks about death and the life we will have after earth. We had a really entertaining speaker that asked us to close our eyes and envision what our Spiritual Paradise would be like. He described his as a tropical island with white sandy beaches. Looking to the right there was a line of lawn chairs because in his paradise you can lounge all day. There was no sunscreen because in his perfect world nobody gets sunburned. To the left there was a McDonald's and you could get as many Big Mac's as you wanted because in his paradise all the good things are free and you never gain any weight from them.

When he first asked us to close our eyes, though, the firsr thing I envisioned in my paradise was my whole family standing in front of me all dressed in white. I couldn't tell you where we were or what we going to do, we were just all together. The strongest and earliest part of my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel was my knowledge that there is a life after this one, and our families are there and the Spirit World is part of God's plan for us. And I think when we get there our spirits will truly recognize each other as brothers and sisters and bad feelings will melt away.

It saddens me that so many people that don't believe in God think that when we die we disappear into the dust of the earth. But it makes me happy that they will be disappointed to find out that's not true.

We Are Meant to Live for So Much More

I love the music group Switchfoot. They always have such great Christian messages behind their songs. Although, there have been a few times when I've been reading Abinadi's story in the Book of Mormon when their song, "On Fire" has come on my iPod and I chuckle a little bit at the randomstance.

Last week the Switchfoot song, "We Were Meant to Live for So Much More" came on the radio and I started thinking about the message behind it. It's about a boy that is feeling down and depressed about how he can't seem to succeed in life and wondering if he can ever get out of his funk. I know that I have felt this way before. As I was lying in bed thinking about it last night and I came to this conclusion. We were meant to live for more than to focus on our failures. We were meant to live for more than to compare ourselves to others. We were meant to live for more than to daydream of what could have been and how hard things can be. My mission president said it best, "That which you focus on expands." In the end, we were meant to live so that we could grow, overcome, progress, and have faith on the Lord. We were meant to live for our families to be able to experience those things with us. We weren't meant to live for the world, but for the world after this one where, through the Atonement, everything will be made right.

My challenge to each of you and to myself is to live for the Lord every day and thank Him for the second (and third and fourth) chances that He gives us.

Keep It Up

This past week I had A LOT of family in town. They came to celebrate my daughter's blessing with us. Family in town tends to do havoc to a toddler's routine. It's kind of ridiculous; but again worth it because it's family. So, I thought it was rather amusing that this came as the Family Gem this week:

Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brushstroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results. ‘Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great’ (D&C 64:33).

David A. Bednar, “More Diligent and Concerned at Home,” Ensign, Nov. 2009, 19-20

My little boy was so thrown off from his norm with so many visitors, but as long as he had myself or my husband there, he was okay. He needed to have some kind of consistency to feel safe and protected. The same goes when we are teaching our children (and reminding ourselves) about the importance of the gospel and its principles. We feel safe when we know the answers are not going to change; how we each get to them may be different, but the gospel is still true all around.

It's nice to know that even though FHE is more of a battle to keep my son still, we are still trying. No matter what we are still trying to live the gospel to the best we know how.

So--I say to you, dear sisters--keep it up because the gospel is always true and you never know what little thing will help another person realize it.

Unlock the Treasure

First off--- grab our new button and put it on all your blogs! I know this blog and the personal testimonies of each of you have helped mine grow, so you never know who could need the message at the right time.

Second--- I want to take a moment for Family History. The church has recently revamped the FamilySearch website. It makes it easier to find relatives, reserve them, and quickly and efficiently do their temple work. Here's an example:

My maternal grandfather isn't a member of the church; his parents are the only great-grandparents that I remember. My Grams death was the first time I had to face it; so naturally, when the time came, I really wanted to do her work. In 2006, the time came; my mom and sister prepared their names, did the baptisms and confirmations and sent their slips to Provo so that my husband and I could complete the work.

Living in Wymount, we had numerous opportunities to go to the temple, but the time we went for my great-grandparents will always have a special place in the memories of my mortality. Unfortunately, we decided to only do their initiatories and endowments, so other members of the family could participate. Looking back, I realize that wasn't our decision to make.

Fast forward to 2009, during a Sunday School lesson about Family History work I get the strong impression, that Grams and Gramps are still waiting. I then have a baby and the rest of the year becomes a blur.

Last month, we receive our weekly Mormon Times/Church News and they have {an article}, beginning a series of four, about the New FamilySearch website. As I read the article, I have another impression to look for my great-grandparents. But, I'm apprehensive; I've been on FamilySearch before and it isn't exactly user-friendly. I shrug it off and try to go on with my Sabbath, but can't because all I can think about is my Grams and Gramps---waiting, and wanting, to be together.

So--- I go to the new website. After a little bit of searching I find them both; unlinked---still waiting to be sealed for time and all eternity. Using this new site, I'm then able to link them up as husband and wife and reserve their names so we can do their work. I want to correct the mistake I made four years ago. The next time my husband and I can get away our first date will be to the temple---to do what should have been done.

Ladies, we cannot let our family members down; they are counting on us to find them and help them receive the work they NEED. Even if you think you're work is done, use this site to CHECK AGAIN. I've discovered a few holes in the other lines of my family that I hope to fix. The time is now! We are needed to help those who cannot help themselves. If you need any more nudging here's a prophetic promise:

I testify that when we do all we can to accomplish the work that is before us, the Lord will make available to us the sacred key needed to unlock the treasure which we so much seek.

~President Thomas S. Monson

Use New FamilySearch to unlock your treasures; you'll never know what (or who) will be waiting for you until you look.

Click HERE for hints on how to get started.

We Are the Lord's Work and Glory

This week I've been pondering on Moses 1:39 all week long that says," This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." In this scripture the Lord is speaking to Moses about the pre-earth life and the plan of salvation. This scripture is the capstone where the Lord tells Moses his purpose, the Lord's reason for doing anything that He does.

When I read this part of the Pearl of Great Price, I often picture myself in the Pre-Earth life, sitting down at the Heavenly desk of our Heavenly Father getting ready for my Pre-Earth life interview before I was able to cross the veil and be born into the life I have now. He tells me about my family and where I'll be going. I imagine while I sit at this desk my Heavenly Father and I go over what my strengths and weaknesses I have and what trials I will have to undergo while on earth to utilize my strengths and to overcome my weaknesses. I think of Him trying to lovingly explain how hard it is going to be and giving me promises that it will all be worth it and I can call on him whenever I need to. And I tell Him that I'm ready to go, and He says, "I know."

Every once in a while I think about that interview and think, "I signed up for this?" But then I remember how God and I made this plan together, and the whole purpose of it is to bring to pass my immortality and eternal life. And I remember that as I endure to the end, I become a part of His glory.

Back to the Basics

I'm so excited about the basic gospel principles being taught this year in Relief Society. Our lesson on Sunday was about coming to know the nature of God, and I think that is probably the most important thing we can accomplish here on this earth, by establishing a relationship with Him.

They talked about how we establish relationships with people around us by talking to them, asking them questions, and listening. If we just went and jabbered about ourself to someone every day, we really wouldn't get to know them, would we? So the way we get to know God is to get on our knees and talk to Him, and then to listen. I think rather than just sitting there waiting for Him to say something immidiately after we pray, we can listen to His voice throughout the day by making time to ponder. That means turning off the radio in the car so we can just think about Him, or making a quiet time to ponder and study the words He's given us.

When we truly make an effort to know Him, I know He will respond and draw closer to us in a way we never could have imagined. He wants to know us, and for us to know Him, because once we understand His intentions for us, I think everything in life will make more sense. And we will feel His guidance and help every day because we know how badly He just wants us to succeed.

One of my favorite scriptures is Doctrine and Covenants section 76 about the three degrees of glory. That whole section just blows me away, because it shows that God intends to give everyone some measure of glory, as much as he can possibly give us with how willing we are to live for it- and the amazing blessings of the celestial kingdom for those who keep their temple covenants are just astounding to me. And He WANTS to give it to us- that was His whole purpose in sending us here. So He will do everything He possibly can to help us keep those covenants, and is sending angels to help us every day.

I know He didn't send us here to condemn us for our failures, because he even gives a glory to those who fail miserably, even though He wanted more than anything to give them everything He has. It all seems so simple when I think of it this way, because Christ took all the complications upon Himself, and reaches out a hand for us to join Him in His perfection. It really is as simple as looking up at that serpant on the cross and being healed. And it just amazes me when I simplify it like that.

More than Just Peanut Butter

Meals in our house are always fun. Jared, my son, knows the routine, so when I tell him it's time to make lunch he usually beats me to the kitchen. We decided today was sandwich day so I went to the pantry to get the peanut butter. As soon as I pulled it out, he opened the silverware drawer, grabbed a fork and started pushing me towards his highchair. He saw the peanut butter and knew that was what he wanted AT THAT MOMENT.

When it dawned on him I wasn't going anywhere, he did what any toddler would do: he threw a nasty all-out-screaming-and-crying tantrum. He decided to whine and complain because he wanted just the peanut butter, while I was still pushing forward because I knew the peanut butter was only a small part of the whole sandwich. I was frustrated he was screaming, but I wasn't going to bend my will to his because I knew what would happen in the end. I tried to tell him this in ways he would understand, but he wouldn't listen because he was so focused on the peanut butter. We continued this way until our wills met with me finishing the sandwich; our perspectives were finally in line.

It dawned on me this is how Heavenly Father feels when we forget to focus on the eternal perspective while in this mortal realm. We only remember this earth, so when decisions/situations don't go the way we planned, we tend to complain or wonder why. We are so focused on the peanut butter that we forget about the whole sandwich.

Luckily, as members of the church, we have the chance to realize our full potential beyond this earth, Elder LeGrand Richards said:

God bless[ed] you to realize where you came from and the great privileges that are yours. If the veil were rolled back and you could just see one glimpse of God’s great eternal plan concerning you and who you are, it would not be hard for you to love Him, keep His commandments, and live to be worthy of every blessing that He has had for you since before the foundations of the world were laid (“Patriarchal Blessings,” New Era, Feb. 1977, p. 7).

Heavenly Father gives us the tools to remember our potential; it's up to us to stop focusing on the peanut butter and look forward to feasting in the eternities.

Plan of Happiness, Plan of Joy

Tomorrow for the first day of teaching a new primary class, I have been preparing a lesson on the Plan of Salvation. I really enjoy lessons that get back to the very basics of doctrine that form the foundations of testimony. Ironically enough, the first scripture in the lesson is Romans 8:16-18, which I remember because a young Hna. Ferrell shared with me in the MTC while I was learning how to teach the Plan of Salvation.

"The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

At that time Hna. Ferrell shared with me her amazement that we are not only heirs to our Heavenly Father's fortune, but joint-heirs that have the opportunity to inherit all the Christ, our perfect brother, will inherit.

We learn in the Book of Abraham that when we learned of the Plan of Salvation we cheered for joy. Just as we feel joy when we reach major events of our lives, I imagine that we feel a joy equal to that expressed in the scriptures when we reach major milestones of the plan like birth and death. It gives me a great sense of peace to think that when people cross through the veil again they aren't sad and melancholy over all that was left behind, but instead they cheer for joy and all that lies before them in the plan, especially that realization of the promise that through the Atonement of Christ that all that was unfair in their earth lives are made right and all sufferings is made perfect.

I know that God has a plan and a purpose for us and I rejoice in the knowledge we have of it through the restored gospel. It truly is a Plan for Happiness.

Eternal Life is the Ultimate Goal

Greg's grandfather is not long for this earth and, as a result, we've been thinking about mortality a lot lately. His grandfather is not a member of the church (in fact, opposes it) and I'm pretty sure he does not believe in life after death. To this end, Greg was able to go to California to see him (and his other dying grandfather) 'one last time.'

I'm really grateful Greg was able to go, however, it makes me so sad that ones we love think that there's an end. The purpose of this life is to make choices in order to have the happiest eternity possible. Mortality is only the beginning of the journey.

President Thomas S. Monson, at a CES Fireside in February 1999, said:

He who conquered death and atoned for the sins of the world, even Jesus Christ, invited each of us to follow His divine example. 'Follow me' became His kind instruction. Come, 'learn of me,' was His personal invitation to the learning that lasts beyond this life and which endures through eternity.

Where money, rather that mortality, dicates one's actions, one is inclined away from God. Turning away from God brings broken covenants, shattered dreams, crushed hopes and wrecked lives. Such a quagmire of quicksand I plead with you to avoid. You are of noble birthright. Eternal life in the kingdom of our Father is your goal.

Such a goal is not achieved in one glorious attempt; rather, it is the result of a lifetime of righteousness, and accumulation of wise choices---even a constancy of purpose.

Death is a temporary sadness of our earth life, but our loved ones lived on. We still need to live and enjoy our journeys. I hope we always remember the true goal which should guide our choices: a joyous eternal life.