Fathers

Yet again, I'm super late posting this!  I guess you can say that I am truly a daddy's girl, so I figured I had better put something up for Father's Day.  I thought I would just quickly share a lesson that my dad taught me that reminds me a lot of our Heavenly Father.  When I had just barely got my driver's license I decided that I was going to surprise my dad and clean out his pick-up.  So, I pulled his truck into the driveway and cleaned it.  I worked hard to make it nice and clean. I vacuumed the carpet and scrubbed the dashboard.  I worked to get the seat belt holders out from under the seat.  I scraped up my arm trying to do this last task.  I got out quite satisfied with the work that I had done.  I did a double check to make sure that it looked as nice as it could.  When I was done I backed his pick-up back out to it's usual parking spot and something went terribly wrong.  I didn't check very closely what was behind me.  My brother had a rail for his skate board behind the truck at this point.  I ran over it and popped my dad's rear left tire.  You can imagine how stupid I felt.   My mom wasn't too happy and she made me call my dad and tell him what I had done.  When my dad answered the phone I began crying.  He asked what was wrong and I told him what had happened.  When I was done explaining my dad began laughing.  He said that it was fine and he was grateful for a clean truck.  I am grateful that my dad understood the intentions of my heart and not just my actions.  I had truly been trying to do something good, but I had ended up doing something wrong.  I know that our Heavenly Father is like this.  He understands the true desires that we have.  He knows what we are trying to accomplish and the outcomes.  He knows and understands us perfectly.  So often as I talk with people they feel he is a cruel God, but I know this to be false.  Our Heavenly Father loves us.  He wants us to be happy, just like our parents on Earth desire our happiness.  Your Heavenly Father loves YOU!

Rappelling through Life



This is me at Morning Glory Natural Bridge.

 So I've been thinking back a lot to about a year ago when I went to Moab.  My family took an awesome vacation before I headed out to Montana and Wyoming.  While we were in Moab we did quite a lot, but the scariest thing for me was rappelling.  It was also my favorite thing that we did. It was scary for me, because I knew there was a big drop off and I had to make myself go over the edge.  Once I got going though I loved rappelling.  I have thought about this experience and what really happened.  We certainly didn't just go rappelling by ourselves with no equipment.  We hired someone who knew what he was doing to help us.  He brought along all the equipment that we needed to help us be successful and make it through our trip safely.  My parents wouldn't have allowed all of us to go on a trip without having the right supplies and someone to help us make it through the journey.  Our Heavenly Father loves us just as our parents here on earth love us.  He has provided that equipment to help us make it back safely and he has provided many tour guides.  He gives us a manual to teach us how make it back safely.  This manual is the Book of Mormon.  He gives us gear to help us make it back safely.  For rappelling you need:  ropes, anchor materials, rappel device,  harness, sling and locking carabiner, gloves (optional), and a daisy chain.  I didn't know all this (and to be honest I just googled it to see exactly what you needed).  My guide took care of this.  He carried it and set it all up.  He made sure that when I got all ready that I was going to be safe when I stepped off the edge and put all my weight on the rope.  That's why we need our guide.  To help us know what we need to do and how to do it.  Isn't is great that we have a modern day prophet to be our guide?  He gets the "gear" that we need and then helps us operate in the correct way.  We have so many more tour guides that are more experienced and know the gear and how to set it up and work it properly.  We have parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandmas, grandpas, and so many more people to help us with the things we need to do.  Our Heavenly Father who loves us has given us everything we need to make it back safely.  Not to say we won't be sore at times and wonder, but he has.  I was very sore after rappelling, but I used the gear and I made it down safely.  I know that we have everything we need to return back to our Heavenly Father safely.  If you have questions about the "gear" we've been given there are answers.  You can ask me or you can go to mormon.org and look at the answers there. 

Disneyland vs. Gospel Truths



It wasn't too long ago that I was graduating from college and taking a trip to California!  My roommates and I decided that we wanted to go to the happiest place on earth to celebrate.  Where did we decide to go to celebrate my graduation from college?  We decided to go to DISNEYLAND!!!  What makes Disneyland such a happy place?  I think it's the fact that it's a wholesome place to be.   There are fun rides, the yummiest churros you'll ever eat, and you take people you care about.  I would say that Disneyland is one of the happiest places I have ever been on earth.  While we were there we saw Mickey Mouse and rode Splash Mountain.  We ate good food and had a lot of fun.  But, let me ask a question:  Does the happiness last after you get back from the happiest place on earth?  Sure it does, you have lots of good memories of the people you were with and the laughs you had.  I know I think of our trip to Disneyland often, but is it Disneyland I think of or is it the people I took with me?  I would have to say that the happiness from Disneyland fades and goes away with time.  I know a joy that can last forever.  Are you curious?

It's not a certain place, but something more than that.  It's something that won't change with time.  It's something that is eternal in nature.  It's something that will bring us happiness forever.  Have you figured it out yet?  It has to do with Jesus Christ.  If you're thinking, "It's his gospel!" You're right!  The gospel of Jesus Christ will bring us lasting joy in this life and beyond.  Christ tells the woman at the well, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)  We are promised that we will never thirst again, but that he will continually provide for us.  I know this to be true.  Life isn't easy when we have the gospel, but we have the tools we need to be able to accomplish the task at hand.  The gospel truly brings us happiness that is everlasting.  Unlike Disneyland that is fun, but doesn't last forever, the gospel truly will bring you happiness forever.  Jesus Christ promises us that it will last us forever.  I have seen the gospel in action in my life and I know these things to be true.  Put this promise to the test.  See if you partake of the living water and if you thirst again!  I dare you!

April Showers bring May Flowers

The weather this spring has been a little crazy.  Since I got to Wyoming it seems that it has been snowing or raining, but we have somewhat moved past the snow and into the rain, I am hoping at least. (knock on wood.)  It has seemed that the rain will never cease.  Sometimes our life seems that way.  It seems like we are out walking with our umbrella and the rain is pouring down, then the wind starts and our umbrella blows back and is no cover at all.  Then it seems that we are just soaking wet and things seem to get worse from there.  Then you step in an unexpected puddle and your feet are cold and wet.  You finally go in for the day and it's time to get to bed.  The next day you wake up and the rain hasn't let up since yesterday.  Does your life ever seem like this?  It seems like when it rains it pours in life?  As I was thinking about all the rain I thought of the saying:  April showers bring May flowers! I know it's already May and nearly June, but the rain continues and we know that eventually the flowers will bloom and life will be wonderful.  This principle is true in our life and the trials that we go through.  Our trials seem as though they will never end, and it seems that everything difficult comes at once.  I have had these times in my own life, but I know (from experience) that these times don't last forever.  At some point the rain will cease and the flowers will truly bloom.  Life will have joy.  We may not see why the rain was necessary, but it does help the good times seem great.  I know that rainy patches are hard, but as we live the gospel principles and invite the Savior and his teachings into our life that we can make it through our trials and be better people.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ will help you endure the trials and find JOY. 

"Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured."

                                                    -President Gordon B. Hinckley

Ice Cream Sandwich Uno

Monday is our preparation day, meaning that we can take care of everything that needs to be done for the week.  We get to grocery shop, do laundry, clean our apartments, wash our car, along with many other things.  My companion and I were writing letters outside in the sunshiney weather when the Elders in our district called to see if we wanted to play a game.  The game was called Ice Cream Sandwich Uno.  They explained over the phone that the way you played was whoever lost the round had to eat an ice cream sandwich.  I thought, how bad can this be?  Eating ice cream because I lost a game?  Well when we went to start playing the game and the specifics of the rules were told the game was much different than I had previously understood.  You not only had to eat an ice cream sandwich when you lost, you had to eat it before the next hand was dealt or you had to eat another one.  So we embarked on the epic game that taught me a valuable lesson.  We started and at first I didn't lose, so it was funny to watch the Elders try and shove the ice cream sandwiches in their face and get done before the cards for the next round were dealt.  Then the game took a tragic turn of events.  I lost a round and had to try to shove an ice cream sandwich in my mouth.  It was a lot harder than I had anticipated.  Thankfully the Elders took pity on me and said since I had the entire sandwich shoved (literally) in my mouth by the time the cards were done being dealt that I didn't have to eat another one.  Then it happened again.  I couldn't believe that I lost again!  I frantically grabbed the ice cream sandwich and ripped the wrapper off and began putting as much of the sandwich in my mouth as I could at one time, but the problem is that when I got my mouth full I could hardly even chew or swallow there was so much ice cream in my mouth. 

Then the game went from bad to worse when for the third time I had to eat an ice cream sandwich as fast as I could.  I begged not to have to eat the sandwich, but no one would take pity on me.  My companion even said to me, "Find someone to pay the price of justice for you, or you have to eat it yourself!"  So since no one volunteered to pay the price of my cards I had left I was forced to once again shove a big ice cream sandwich in my face.  You may be wondering why this story is applicable to a gospel setting.  Well I'm going to tell you.  Sometimes life is hard and we end up losing that "round of uno" and we have to shove an ice cream sandwich in our face.  Repentance is a gift that we each may have.  Just as my companion said to me that I needed to find someone to "pay the price of justice" we each have someone that has already paid the price of justice for each of our sins, or our "lost rounds of uno". 

The catch is that we have to ask him to help us.  He is always willing, but he can't "eat our sandwiches" or take care of our sins for us unless we allow him to.  Our Savior, Jesus Christ, loves you more than you know.  He wants you to be able to return to live with him and our Heavenly Father, so for that reason (his immense amount of love) he has taken care of justice for us.  Our Heavenly Father has to be just, but because of the sacrifice of our Savior we are allowed mercy now.  We have this gift, but we must accept this gift!  Accept the Savior and his atonement in your life today!

Mothers

I am a few days late in getting this posted, but I wanted to pay tribute to the amazing mother that I have in my life!  I am so grateful for all that she has taught me. 

We see the power of mothers in the Book of Mormon.  The story of the strippling warriors is one of my favorites.  This story is found in Alma 56.  My favorite verses are 47-48.  These verses state, "Now they never had fought yet they did not fear death; and they did think more upon the liberty of their fathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.  And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it."

My mother has taught me equally important lessons.  My mom has taught me:

• The Lord needs to be the center of our lives.
• Life is fun.
• Math isn't just for geeks
• And either is science! :)
• The scriptures are our best source of guidance.
• Try your best ALWAYS!
• Don't give up.
• Patience.
• The scripture stories are cool.
• Work hard.
• Get excited about things.
• Laughing truly is the best medicine.
• Sometimes life takes hard turns, but you keep going.
• Believe in yourself.
• I can do hard things.
• Read the whole recipe before you start.
• And so many more lessons I'm grateful my mom has taught me.

THANKS MOM!  I LOVE YOU!

The Power of Prayer

With technology now it's so simple to communicate with anyone, no matter where in the world they are we can get ahold of them.  We can facebook them, send them an e-mail, skype them, text them, call them on the phone, call them through the internet, we can do so many other things to be able to get ahold of people.  Some are instant communication and some take a few days, for example: a text is immediate, but the postal system takes a few days (which I wish it didn't take so long :) ).  I wish to speak of an ancient technology that some of us don't even realize is available.  It's been around since long before the computer or cell phone.  It's been around since Adam and Eve came to Earth.  This technology I wish to address is prayer.  What is prayer?  Prayer is a way that we can speak to our Heavenly Father.  Can you imagine something better than being able to speak to your Heavenly Father who loves you and cares about you?  We know that as we pray our prayers are heard and that they are answered.  Sometimes we think of prayer as a one way communication, but we are shown time and time again in the scriptures that this is not so.  As we pray and then are still we may receive answers.  Our Heavenly Father will speak back to us.  This conversation may not be with words, but it may instead be with feelings, thoughts, and impressions. 

One of my favorite examples of prayer in the Book of Mormon is Enos.  The book of Enos is only a little over two pages long and it can be found on page 136 of the Book of Mormon.  This book may be short, but we can learn so much from his example.  The experience that Enos shares always makes me think of the way that I go about prayer.  In verse 2 he says "And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had beofre God, before I received a remission of my sins."  I love the imagery there.  I can't imagine a wrestle with one person, but two.  Do we approach prayer as though we are actually speaking to someone, or do we go about our prayers and run through the motions? Are your prayers meaningful?  I am constantly having to evaluate my prayers and make them more effective.  Prayer isn't always an easy thing for people.  It feels awkward when we first begin praying.  In the Bible dictionary it says something that has always struck me and made me think.  It says, "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part.  Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship.  Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other.  The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessing that God is alreay willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.  Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them.  Prayer is a form of work, and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessing."  I love all of this definition, but the part that stands out to me is the beginning.  It tells us that when we realize that prayer is a communication between us and our Heavenly Father then prayer becomes natural for us.  There is no right way to pray or no wrong prayer, but it is a communication between a Father and his child. 

Prayer is such an important thing in my life and I challenge you to make it a key part of your life as well.  I know that prayers are heard and that they are answered.  Sometimes they are answered immediately in the way we expect them to be (just like a quick text message sent back) and sometimes they take longer than we'd like and they're not exactly what we expect or really what we want to hear even, but they are answered nonetheless (this may be like the post office getting you a letter, it takes some time).  Remember that prayer is a communication and not a one way line, but our Heavenly Father can speak back to you!  Pay attention for those answers you receive!