Good things to come

I have always loved the talk that Elder Holland wrote about having
 faith in the past general conference. In it he talked about how its hard to
 have faith in things we cant see or understand completely. How even if we
do not understand every detail, we can be alright. We have to wait for guidance
 and knowledge to come with age,experience, and time.  With these three factors
 we can be more then just fine.  We can be eternally happy and grateful for those
experiences that make us fall down to our knees in tears.  Part of having faith is
waiting for more knowledge to come.  And I can promise each of you who
 read this post, Heavenly Father will help you grow,learn and become
 stronger through each of your trials.  In the end, you will see how
important that trial was for you to experience how faith works.
 To this end, I say that God Lives. His Son Jesus Christ
atoned for each of our trials, and I know that they both love you all so dearly.

The Power of the BREAD!:)

Today is a Monday. Mondays have become my favorite days on the week. Partly because Sunday is the day before and Pday is right after. Sundays have always helped me fill renewed and ready for the next week, and I love it!  In sacrament we were waiting for the bread to blessed and the little deacons realized that someone forgot to bring the bread. The whole congregation noticed! Suddenly my heart dropped! I never realized how much I wanted to take the sacrament until that moment.  How much I really need it each and every week, until the thought came to my mind, that someone forgot the bread! How terrible! I soon realized that one of the young boys went and got some. My heart immediately felt relived. I would be just fine:)! haha
   This simple yet powerful story has helped renew my faith in the power of the atonement. The power in the sacrament that I am so blessed to partake of every week, is such a strength to me.  The knowledge that I a person of many sins, many silly mistakes, and many burdens can feel strong and powerful every week. EVERY WEEK I can FEEL STRONG! This is because my father in heaven loves me so much, that he gave me a way to return to him. That way is through his son JESUS CHRIST!  The Atonement can be a strength to all who receive his word and act upon it. :)

Happy News:)

This post will be very short seeing as I am short on time. However I wish to express my gratitude for my Heavenly Father in heaven! He shapes each of us to be better and even more better! This gospel is here to stay and I know it! May you all remember his hand in each of your lives. :) Have a wonderful day!!

Merely a boy..

Through this past month I have been discovering a lot about myself within and without the gospel. I've noticed that when I think I know something, it isn't actually that I know it but its because I have Heavenly Father's guidance in my life. For example, in my mission prep. class we had an assignment to go out and teach at least 3 different people about the restoration of the gospel, and the first vision. I have been sick this past weekend, so it made it very hard for me to find the motivation to want to teach when I didn't feel 100% great. However, it was an assignment for a grade. I didn't have time to prepare with my companion so we went into the lesson hoping that what was meant to be said would be said. As  I talked about the purpose of Joseph Smith I shocked myself greatly. How did I feel so strongly in my conviction, and feel like I knew absolutely nothing about the importance of the church history dates. As we continued teaching the lesson we went on to talk about why Joseph was searching for truth in a church. He went on to discover a verse in James 1:5
"If any of you lack ^bwisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
Now this scripture is very much over used within the church. And for good reason too! How can it be that a 14 year old, of minor education could have the audacity or the knowledge to seek out the truth for himself and not have a great calling placed before him. I am always truly impressed and amazed by his maturity to seek the truth. I'm pretty sure not very many 14 years would actually do the work necessary to find the answer.. by the right means. As time continued he was prompted to go into a grove of tree's to seek solitude away from the disruption of his busy religious world. As he prayed, he

" saw a pillar of ^clight exactly over my head, above the brightness of the ^dsun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

 17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself ^adelivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I^bsaw two ^cPersonages, whose brightness and ^dglory defy all description, ^estanding above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My ^fBeloved ^gSon. Hear Him!"

Joseph Smith History 1:16-17

Now this just blows my mind. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ wanted the church to be restored. No if ands or buts. They have a marvelous purpose set out for Joseph Smith and restoring the gospel. Just as we each have a marvelous purpose set out before each of us, as family,friends, mothers,fathers,spouses, and even as missionaries. The church is true beyond a shadow of doubt. I know it. I love it. And I live it! 

Turmoil- Tender Urgency Requires More Open-nses In Love

I begin writing the day before Christmas eve, because I know I will be busy with the festivities tomorrow. I write during a time  of confusing trials and a time of wonderful blessings. This past week home, a lot of things have happened.
1. A High school student brought a gun, to my old high school, where my mother, and sister were. Nothing happened because of the amazing faculty.
2. A friend of mine decided to take her own life at the age of 18.
Needless to say there have been many things going on that are scary, and very painful. All I can say is Life can be very upsetting and difficult sometimes. It can be down right hard, and terrible to overcome.
This is what makes me so very grateful for the church's influence in my life. Had I not the knowledge of eternity, and the protection that the priesthood gives I would be at an utter lost of words right now. It would be so much harder to want to try and push through. There is so much deceit and hurt in the world today, that we sometimes forget the blessings that Heavenly Father has given us. I know for myself I have the blessing of a wonderful family who supports me and wants me to succedde and wants me to continue preparing for a mission. I sometimes wonder if they want me to go just so they can get blessings for themselves.. How jealous! ;) I also have been blessed with dear friends who support me. Point of this post.. Life can be hard and full of turmoil but I know without a shadow of a doubt that has long as you put the lifestyle of the gospel at the fore front on your life you will be blessed, if not now, in the life to come.

Dear God, Help me to stand out...even if it means Standing Alone.

"Self-Reliance is the acceptance and recognition of the fact that each individual is responsible for their own financial,spiritual, and political well-being. As a principle,self-reliance is closely related to the principles of agency and accountability, and opposite to the idea that someone else is responsible for a person's well being. It is the recognition that one can only reap where they have sown and that the spirit of entitlement is the spirit of selfishness and pride." -American Foundations-Bro. Eric Waltz

Marion G. Romney has said: "Let us work for what we need. Let us be self-reliant and independent. Salvation can be obtained on no other principle. Salvation is an individual matter, and we must work out our own salvation in temporal as well as in spiritual things."

As my first semester of growth is coming to an end, I ponder and realize how wonderful it has been for me. Although, It was very hard for me to leave the comfort of my home, and live somewhere much much colder then I thought, and be alone doing it, I have grown. I do not have that same reliance on my family as I was had. I know they support me and want the best for me, but I've learned how to make decisions without their aid in my life. It has helped me learn to rely on myself as well as my Heavenly Father. Even though I may have felt alone this semester, I never really was because I always had prayer. And prayer is a pretty powerful thing, let me tell you!!  I put these two quotes on this to reference back to because I find that in order to be completely self reliant, one has to have a reliance on prayer.  To be self-reliant, is to be alone, as characterized by our society. I however have found myself to be much more reliant when I rely on my relationship with my Heavenly Father. It is so important to have a relationship with God, on so many levels, as well as knowing Jesus Christ. They true-ly want the absolute best for you, just as your family does! So don't kick them out when they come knocking, and do not, I repeat, do not be afraid to open your heart to their guidance in your life. They love you, and want you to succeed in all your endeavors you try! :)  Headed Home for the Holidays, So may you all travel home in safety and have no harm come to you :) Happy Weekend!

Eye of the Tiger.. Or Eye of the Mission

 Once a choice has been made, sometimes it is super easy to stick with it, and other times when it is the Lord's errand, it becomes very easy to want to push it aside. I know that my choice to serve a mission is the right choice. There are too many connections for me not to. I just find it very funny that has soon as I started preparing myself other things have come up. Things that I never ever thought would be a problem for me. Satin is trying so very hard to want to get me off the path, which I know to be true, as well as for so many other missionaries out there who are preparing to serve. It can be a big problem, if I don't keep my eyes open. I am starting to prepare myself in small ways.. by texting less, staying away from face book, and when on my computer, looking up things that have to pertain to the gospel.
   I just have to continue to perserver and have my goal in sight :)  As I write this, the song , " Eye of the Tiger" came on, on my iTunes. How Ironic.. I have the sight of a mission and  I have my Eye on the Mission :)  So everyone, watch out for my eye, it has the power to make you want to be better... ;) haha!