This post is short and sweet. I can not believe it was January two days ago and already it is second of February today. Where did yesterday go? Where did today go? My goodness before I know it, I will be twenty one years.
This post is not about me turning twenty one years. This post is a birthday wish to my brother Sam and he was turning twelve years old. My goodness, I still remember holding Sam when he was a baby and man time flies so quickly! I can not believe he has turn twelve years old today.
Late last night, I arrived at my family's house to sleep over so I can surprise Sam for his Birthday and I definitely achieved that. It was so funny how I surprised him. I can not sleep too well last night, and so when I was awake, my brother woke up.
He was walking his way to the kitchen and I said "Booo." He was looking around to find out where the noise came from. When he saw me, he asked me "When did you get here?" I replied, "Almost a few hours ago/midnight last night."
He can not believe that I was there and we talked for a short time. He eventually went back to sleep. He woke up again and this time it was around 4AM. Approximately two hours later than the previous wake up and again we talked for a short time.
I hope he had a awesome day overall. I still remember when I turned twelve years old and my goodness, it does not seem too long ago.
"Happy Birthday Sam, I hope you had a awesome day."
First and foremost, "Hello ... February. Yay, it is finally February!"
Are you ready to achieve so many great things throughout this month?
I know that I am ready to achieve so many great things throughout this month and I already feel that this month is going to be a rollercoaster that constantly goes ups and downs! This month, I will be turning twenty one years old.
This month, my girl best friend Sister Dixon finishes her mission. This month reaches thirteen years ago since I got baptised and confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Brief quick memories that I would like to share with you and of course all of these memories did not happened all in February.
I attended Preschool when I was five years old and it was at Boronia Heights State School. My youngest sister Rebekah came into my life when I was six years old.
I got baptised and got confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints when I was eight years old and it was on Valentine's Day. Another eventful thing that happened when I was eight years old, I was diagnosed with bilateral hip dsyplasia/both hips out of place and it is a most common condition in dogs than it is in humans.
My brother Samuel came into my life when I was nine years old. I wore a long skirt and had a rope around my waist/hip so it could fit me when I was ten years old.
My family moved into Lockyer Valley area when I was eleven years old. I went on my first flight and the flight was to Canberra for a school camp when I was twelve years old.
I became a high school student when I was thirteen years old and I attended Laidley State High School. I started doing seminary when I was fourteen years old.
I started taking many photos when I was fifteen years old. I knew what I would like to do for my career and my back up career when I was sixteen years old. I went on my first single date, I graduated Seminary, I graduated High School and I obtained my learners when I was seventeen years old.
I obtained my red provisional licence and I went on my first group date when I was eighteen years old. I flew to Perth, Western Australia for six weeks without my family, I flew to Brisbane Queensland Australia twice, I had my first car accident and my first car got written off when I was nineteen years old.
I obtained my green provisional licence, I purchased a second car and I got a job at Dominos Pizza Store when I was twenty years old.
February, please be a eventful and be a amazing month for me.
This month went too fast. This month was a month that was full of laughters, smiles, a few times to be sad, and many great lessons that has been taught and I can apply to my everyday life.
My goodness, where did this month go? How was this month for you overall?
Did you achieved many good things throughout this month? What was your top three highlights of this month?
What was your top three greatest achievements that you have accomplished throughout this month?
This post is based on a quick overview of this month for this year and overall for this month of this year was very good and crazy. I achieved so many good things and made so many memories. I had four photography booking sessions.
One of my greatest achievements that I have accomplished throughout this month was attending a Baptistry session at Brisbane Temple each week and by going to the Temple every week without a fail has strengthen my testimony about Temple blessings so much.
Another greatest achievements that I have accomplished was moving out of my family's house, and successfully moved into a new house in a new area. I used to live in Ipswich for six months and I thought it was time for me to move on. It was a stressful and crazy experience when I was packing all of my stuff and ready to move on.
Another greatest achievements that I have accomplished was constantly learning to make sacrifices to help constantly to a friend who was always in need such as transport. It was always stressful but I was able to overcome it.
This post is short and sweet. I encourage you to think about and answer the following questions,
"What does the word kind means to you?" "Do you like striving your best to be kind to everyone?"
"Do you speak kind words to everyone who you meet for the first time?"
This post is based on a song called "Kind" by Jenny Philips. The vocals is by Brooke Stone. The song is in EMBARK In the Service of God ablum; Songs for Young Women. I would like to share with you my favourite parts while I was listening to the song.
"So much hurt, so many heartless words in this world.
Too much pain, too many souls who ache needlessly.
We need more tenderness. Oh, how this world needs. More thoughtfulness,
more words filled with gentleness. Let the Savior's love inside your heart.
It's part of who you are. You were designed to be kind.
Chorus:
Kind when wronged. Kind to enemies.
Kind to conflict. Kind when you are weak."
If you can not see the Image above, it says "BE KIND. For everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."
We all need to be kind to our loved ones who we do not get along with.
We all need to be kind to our enemies and need to be kind to our friends.
Start being kind today! I encourage you to listen to the whole song in your own time if you can find the whole song.
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and answer the following questions.
"What do you think this post is going to be about?" "What does detours and more detours means to you?"
"What does Missionary Work means to you?" "How do you apply Missionary Work in your daily life?"
This post is based on a few quick missionary experiences that I had throughout this afternoon and this evening and I would like to share with you those experiences. I hope you will like this post.
First missionary experience was helping the Sister Missionaries from Eight Mile Plains Ward with transport. It was so much fun. They normally take public transport, sometimes the church members in their ward help them and sometimes they ride their bikes to get to places.
While I was with the Sister Missionaries, we attended two appointments and one dinner appointment. One appointment with a follow up of two recent converts based on visiting the Brisbane Temple, any questions and concerns that they had about the Temple and their cultural background is Chinese.
Followed by, attending another appointment of an investigator who lives out of the Sister Missionaries's area and answered questions about his reading of The Book of Mormon.
Followed by, attending a dinner appointment at a church member's family's home in Eight Mile Plains and we discuss to church member's family about The Plan of Salvation for the spiritual thought.
On my way home, I made two detours and I thought I knew where I was going and turns out that I did not know where I was going.
I was driving one direction and knowing that they was not many people driving at night in the area where I turned around. Shortly after I turned around and drove the right way home, I saw bunch of people who was all together and someone's car has broke down.
I did not know what to do. I instantly felt courage to pull over and stop driving. I started walking and asked the owner of the car to see if he was okay. His name is Peter and he was explaining to me what have happened and the tow truck was on its way. I told him that I would be happy to wait with him and the other bunch of people.
The bunch of people are from the Cook Islands and even one of them asked me if I was a Mormon. I was so surprised. I sang a song to them and that song called "I Will by Hilary Weeks." I do recommend you to listen to that song if you have not listened to that song before.
After that, I eventually left after everyone else left and the tow truck left too. I started another direction way home. It seem like everywhere I turned that is not in the direction home, I pulled over and stop driving.
I saw another person has broken down. I asked that person to see if he was okay. His name is Sharon and he was okay. He explained to me what has happened. He was driving with his partner and on their way to work.
I tried to explain to them the importance of Sabbath Day and how to keep the Sabbath Day Holy but I kept it inside of me not to say it because I assumed that their English language skills to speak it would not be very good.
I learned a few important lessons from each of these experiences and I would like to share with you one of those important lessons. "Sometimes in life, it will give you detours to help people along the way before you reach your final destination."
This post is based on an article that I love from this month's issue
of Liahona, called "Accepting the Lord's Will and Timing" by Elder David
A. Bednar. I would like to share with you some favourite parts that I
loved while I was reading the article.
"Scriptures
concerning the Savior’s suffering as He offered the infinite and eternal
atoning sacrifice became even more poignant and meaningful to me. I
believe most of us likely would expect a man with the spiritual
capacity, experience, and stature of Elder Maxwell to face serious
illness and death with an understanding of God’s plan of happiness, with
assurance and grace, and with dignity.
“Not My Will, but Thine, Be Done”
We
recognized a principle that applies to every devoted disciple: strong
faith in the Savior is submissively accepting of His will and timing in
our lives even if the outcome is not what we hoped for or wanted.
Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains
if moving mountains accomplishes God’s purposes and is in accordance
with His will.
Righteousness and faith certainly are
instrumental in healing the sick, deaf, and lame if such healing
accomplishes God’s purposes and is in accordance with His will. Thus,
even if we have strong faith, many mountains will not be moved. And not
all of the sick and infirm will be healed. If all opposition were
curtailed, if all maladies were removed, then the primary purposes of
the Father’s plan would be frustrated.
Many of the
lessons we are to learn in mortality can be received only through the
things we experience and sometimes suffer. And God expects and trusts us
to face temporary mortal adversity with His help so we can learn what
we need to learn and ultimately become what we are to become in
eternity.
The Meaning of All Things
You
are facing, have faced, or will yet face equivalent challenges in your
lives with the same courage and spiritual perspective ..
I
do not know why some people learn the lessons of eternity through trial
and suffering while others learn similar lessons through rescue and
healing. I do not know all of the reasons, all of the purposes, and I do
not know everything about the Lord’s timing. With Nephi, you and I can
say that we “do not know the meaning of all things” (1 Nephi 11:17).
But
some things I absolutely do know. I know we are spirit sons and
daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. I know the Eternal Father is the
author of the plan of happiness. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and
Redeemer. I know Jesus enabled the Father’s plan through His infinite
and eternal Atonement. I know the Lord, who was “bruised, broken, [and]
torn for us,”2 can succor and strengthen “his people according to their
infirmities” (Alma 7:12). And I know one of the greatest blessings of
mortality is to not shrink and to allow our individual will to be
“swallowed up in the will of the Father” (Mosiah 15:7).
Though
I do not know everything about how and when and where and why these
blessings occur, I do witness they are real. And I know that as you
press forward in your lives with steadfast faith in Christ, you will
have the capacity to not shrink."
I encourage you to read the whole article in your own time. Here's the link below. www.lds.org/liahona/2016/08/accepting-the-lords-will-and-timing
If
you can't see the Image what I have shared with this post, the Image
says "Strong faith in the Savior is submissively accepting of His will
and timing in our lives even if the outcome is not what we hoped for or
wanted."
This post is short and sweet. I would like to share with you some questions based on overcome.
I encourage you to answer the following questions in your own time.
What did you do to overcome your past struggles? What did you do to overcome your new struggles? What did you do to overcome your past challenges? What did you do to overcome your new challenges? What did you do to overcome your past weaknesses and your new weaknesses? What did you do to overcome your past difficulties and your new difficulties?
What did you do to overcome the feeling of being worthless in the past? What did you do to overcome the feeling of being unloved in the past?
What did you do to overcome the feeling of being heartbroken in the past? What did you do to overcome the feeling of being alone in the past?
What did you do to overcome after losing a long term friendship with someone? What did you do to overcome after losing a short term friendship with someone? What did you do to overcome your past hardships and your new hardships? What did you do to overcome after losing a loved one?
Each individual has their own ways to overcome their past challenges and new challenges.
Each individual has their own ways to overcome their past struggles and new struggles.
Each individual has their own ways to overcome their past weaknesses and new weaknesses.
Each individual has their own ways to overcome their past trials and new trials.
Each individual has their own ways to overcome their past difficulties and new difficulties.
Each individual has their own ways to overcome feeling of being worthless.
Each individual has their own ways to overcome feeling of being unloved.
Each individual has their own ways to overcome feeling of being heartbroken.
Each individual has their own ways to overcome feeling of being alone.
If you can't see the Image of this post, it says "the struggle you're in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow."
This post is based on a highlight experience that I had happened this evening. This evening was a very strange evening for me. I was all ready and prepared to go to work. I attended work at my second Dominos Pizza Store for thirty minutes. It was such a short shift because the manager contacted the store and spoke to one of the other employees mentioning about me to go home because the store was so quiet.
I accepted the fact that I was finishing early and come home. As I left the store and went into my car, I knew what I needed to do. I immediately called the other Dominos Pizza Store if they would like me to work there tonight. When they answered my question, the answer was no.
Within a few minutes of driving away from the store, I called. I did not understand why they would like me to go home instead of someone else. I did not complain to Heavenly Father and ask him "Why did this happened to me?"
While I was driving home, I called the Ward Missionaries if they had any appointments for me to attend to and be a member present. Their answer was no and they referred me to contact the Sister Missionaries in Eight Miles Plains Ward.
Shortly after, I contacted the Sister Missionaries in Eight Mile Plains Ward and asked them if they had any appointments for me to attend to and be a member present. Their answer was no.By then, I felt rejection. I rescheduled and organised to spend some time with them on this upcoming Sunday.
I still felt down and I tried to cheer up by calling a few Sisters from Relief Society in my ward if they would like to go to the Temple and if I can help babysitting their children while they attend a session. I was able to get a hold of one sister and the answer was no.
Eventually I got home, I saw one of my housemates was about to leave to go to the Temple and I would like to go to the Temple too. I was all excited but when I found out, I needed to stay home and look after one of my other housemates. I got upset again but I kept quiet again.
I think after all of these answers of "no's," I eventually worked out myself that Heavenly Father would like me to be home and not working tonight. I definitely did soften my heart eventually and thanked myself for coming home when I did.
I retaught myself a valuable lesson and that was "A connection between Heavenly Father and his righteous children is incredible. If someone come into my path of life and tell me to come home early, I need to act accordingly and work out myself what was the main lesson that I am going to learn from this experience.
For an example, Heavenly Father always provides another way, and most of the times, that another way is always better way than what was planned."
If you can not see the Image for this post, it says "If you are on the
right path, it will always be uphill. To choose the Lord's way is to
choose higher ground. - Henry B. Eyring."
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and answer the following question,
"What does it mean to humble ourselves?"
I would like to based this post on a experience that I had this afternoon/this evening. It is a very good feeling to know that I have been living in my new house that is near Brisbane City for almost two weeks and man time flies very quickly while I am keeping myself busy and very productive to do things that matters the most.
I live roughly twenty minutes to thirty minutes from both of the Dominos Pizza Stores that I am employed at. Whenever I go to work, I always leave home roughly two hours or one hour and fifteen minutes before my shift starts because I always do not know what traffic is going to be like on my way to work.
It is best for me to arrive to work early than arriving to work late because of heavy traffic. For the past few days including today, I have been arriving to work thirty minutes before my shift starts and I always am ready to start work when I arrive.
During my wait to start my shift, I always strive my best to stay in the area and do something productive such as reading more of my scriptures, reading General Conference talks, have a prayer, etc. Sometimes, I had no issue of arriving early to work but sometimes I do not like arriving early.
Sometimes when I do arrive early, I am able to help customers by carrying some of their pizzas to their cars and able to help with them by opening the store's door for them. I know that one of my new managers has been striving his hardest to get me to work more hours but without saying anything to me.
I know sometimes in life, it is good to get more hours at work but also sometimes it is best for me to be somewhere where I need to be at the right place if I am able to finish my shift on time. For the past two days, I strived my best to not complain to my manager and continue working hard.
I have been learning a lot of ways how I can be humble and I always strived my best to think about what would the Savior do if he was in my shoes.
If you can not see the Image that I have shared for this post, it says
"We can choose TO HUMBLE OURSELVES BY conquering enmity toward our
brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as
high or higher than we are.- Ezra Taft Benson."
This post is based on an October 2003 General Conference talk called
"A Sure Foundation" by Sheldon F. Child. I would like to share with you
some highlights while I was reading the talk.
Brother
Child mentioned, "In the Book of Mormon the prophet Jacob, in his
encounter with Sherem the anti-Christ, asked this question: “Deniest
thou the Christ who shall come? And he said: If there should be a
Christ, I would not deny him; but I know that there is no Christ,
neither has been, nor ever will be.
“And I said unto
him: Believest thou the scriptures? And he said, Yea. “And I said unto
him: Then ye do not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ.
Behold, I say unto you that none of the prophets have written, nor
prophesied, save they have spoken concerning this Christ. “And this is
not all … ; it also has been made manifest unto me by the power of the
Holy Ghost.”
Jacob points out three sources of truth
the scriptures, the prophets, and the Holy Ghost that testify of Christ.
They will help us build “upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ,
the Son of God.”
1. The Scriptures - The Savior
Himself said, “Search the scriptures; ... they are they which testify of
me.” When the Lord directed Lehi to take his family and flee into the
wilderness, He knew they would need a strong foundation upon which to
build in the new land. So important were the scriptures that, in order
to obtain the records, the voice of the Spirit directed Nephi to slay
Laban, saying, “It is better that one man should perish than that a
nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.”
Without
scriptures, not only nations perish, but families and individuals
dwindle in unbelief. Daily scripture study helps us to anchor our faith
in Christ. They truly testify of Him.
2. The Prophets - Our message to the world is the same: “We do have prophets on the earth today.”
Brothers
and sisters, if God loves us enough to send us prophets, then we need
to love Him enough to follow them. Following the prophets will help
protect us against the storms of life and lead us to Christ.
3. The Holy Ghost - When
Christ met with His Apostles in the upper room prior to His
Crucifixion, He said: “If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will
pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may
abide with you for ever.”
When hands are laid upon our
heads following baptism, we are confirmed members of His Church and then
given the gift of the Holy Ghost. If we live righteously and remain
worthy, we are promised His constant companionship; He will guide our
lives, teach us truths, and testify to us that Jesus is the Christ. As
covenant members of the Lord’s Church, we promise to serve Him and keep
His commandments “that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon
[us].”
Brothers and sisters, the scriptures, the living
prophets, and the Holy Ghost all testify of Christ. They will help us
build on “a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they
cannot fall.”
If you can not see the Image that I have shared for this post, it says
"Remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer, who is
Christ, the son of God, that ye must build your foundation. Helaman;
5:12."
This post is based on October 2014 General Conference talk by Elder
Quentin L. Cook called "Choose Wisely." I would love to share with you
some highlights while reading this talk.
“Refuse the evil, and choose the good” - Isaiah 7:15.
He mentions the following,
"I
believe it is of particular importance in our day, when Satan is raging
in the hearts of men in so many new and subtle ways, that our choices
and decisions be made carefully, consistent with the goals and
objectives by which we profess to live. We need unequivocal commitment
to the commandments and strict adherence to sacred covenants. When we
allow rationalizations to prevent us from temple endowments, worthy
missions, and temple marriage, they are particularly harmful. It is
heartbreaking when we profess belief in these goals yet neglect the
everyday conduct required to achieve them.
Distractions
and opposition to righteousness are not just on the Internet; they are
everywhere. They affect not just the youth but all of us. We live in a
world that is literally in commotion. We are surrounded by obsessive
portrayals of “fun and games” and immoral and dysfunctional lives. These
are presented as normal conduct in much of the media.
Elder
David A. Bednar recently cautioned members to be authentic in the use
of social media. A prominent thought leader, Arthur C. Brooks, has
emphasized this point. He observes that when using social media, we tend
to broadcast the smiling details of our lives but not the hard times at
school or work. We portray an incomplete life sometimes in a
self-aggrandizing or fake way. We share this life, and then we consume
the “almost exclusively … fake lives of [our] social media ‘friends.’”
Brooks asserts, “How could it not make you feel worse to spend part of
your time pretending to be happier than you are, and the other part of
your time seeing how much happier others seem to be than you?”
Sometimes
it feels like we are drowning in frivolous foolishness, nonsensical
noise, and continuous contention. When we turn down the volume and
examine the substance, there is very little that will assist us in our
eternal quest toward righteous goals. One father wisely responds to his
children with their numerous requests to participate in these
distractions. He simply asks them, “Will this make you a better person?”
When
we rationalize wrong choices, big or small, which are inconsistent with
the restored gospel, we lose the blessings and protections we need and
often become ensnared in sin or simply lose our way.
I
believe Elder Dallin H. Oaks’s inspired message distinguishing between
“good, better, best” provides an effective way to evaluate choices and
priorities. Many choices are not inherently evil, but if they absorb all
of our time and keep us from the best choices, then they become
insidious.
My intent is not to discourage participation
in sports or the use of the Internet or other worthwhile activities
young people enjoy. They are the kind of activities that require
moderation, balance, and wisdom. When used wisely, they enrich our
lives.
However, I encourage everyone, young and old, to
review goals and objectives and strive to exercise greater discipline.
Our daily conduct and choices should be consistent with our goals. We
need to rise above rationalizations and distractions. It is especially
important to make choices consistent with our covenants to serve Jesus
Christ in righteousness. We must not take our eyes off or drop that ball
for any reason.
This life is the time to prepare to
meet God. We are a happy, joyous people. We appreciate a good sense of
humor and treasure unstructured time with friends and family. But we
need to recognize that there is a seriousness of purpose that must
undergird our approach to life and all our choices. Distractions and
rationalizations that limit progress are harmful enough, but when they
diminish faith in Jesus Christ and His Church, they are tragic."
This post is based on a October 2006 General Conference talk
(Saturday afternoon session) by Richard G. Scott called "The Atonement
Can Secure Your Peace and Happiness." I would love to share with you some of the highlights from me reading the talk.
He mentions, "True, enduring happiness, with the accompanying strength,
courage, and capacity to overcome the greatest difficulties, will come
as you center your life in Jesus Christ." Here's a video below of a great example of a secure anchor.
He
continues and said "I believe that no matter how diligently you try,
you cannot with your human mind fully comprehend the eternal
significance of the Atonement nor fully understand how it was
accomplished. We can only appreciate in the smallest measure what it
cost the Savior in pain, anguish, and suffering or how difficult it was
for our Father in Heaven to see His Son experience the incomparable
challenge of His Atonement.
Even so, you should conscientiously study
the Atonement to understand it as well as you can. You can learn what is
needful to live His commandments, to enjoy peace and happiness in
mortal life. You can qualify, with obedient family members, to live with
Him and your Father in Heaven forever.
I testify that
with unimaginable suffering and agony at an incalculable price, the
Savior earned His right to be our Redeemer, our Intermediary, our Final
Judge. I know that He lives and that He loves you. Consistently make Him
your “lead” in life. The secure anchors of His laws will assure safety
and success as you scale the challenges you will face.
You will not fall
into serious transgression. Yours will be a life of peace and happiness
crowned with exaltation in the celestial kingdom. In the name of Jesus
Christ, amen."
This post is based on a October 1994 General Conference talk
"Brightness of Hope by Neal A. Maxwell." After reading a few paragraphs
of the talk, I thought about that the talk will make a great blog post
based. I encourage you to think about your definition of "Hope." Here
are the some highlights while I was reading the talk.
Neal A. Maxwell mentions,
"Hope
helps us to walk by faith, not by sight. This can actually be safer.
When unaided spiritually, natural sight often shrinks from the odds (see
2 Cor. 5:7). It is immobilized by improbabilities. Mauled by his moods
and intimidated by his fears, the natural man overreacts to, while hope
overrides, the disappointments of the day.
Hope is
particularly needed in the hand-to-hand combat required to put off the
natural man (see Mosiah 3:19). Giving up on God and on oneself
constitutes simultaneous surrender to the natural man.
By
pressing forward, we can stand on what was yesterday’s horizon, thereby
drawing hope from our own experiences. Hence Paul described how
“tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience,
hope” (Romans. 5:3–4).
Only the acceptance of the
revelations of God can bring both direction and correction and, in turn,
bring a “brightness of hope” (2 Nephi. 31:20). Real hope does not
automatically “spring eternal” unless it is connected with eternal
things!
“What is it that ye shall hope for?” Moroni
wrote. “Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the
atonement of Christ” (Moro. 7:41; see also Alma 27:28). From this
triumphal act, resulting in the eventual resurrection of all mankind, so
many lesser hopes derive their significance!
You
and I can be repeatedly reassured concerning this grand hope by the
Comforter, who teaches us the truth about “things as they really are,
and … really will be” (Jacob 4:13; see also Moroni. 8:26). Such hope
constitutes the “anchor of the soul” (Hebrews. 6:19). Such hope is
retained through faith in Christ (see Alma 25:16; Ether 12:9). In
contrast, a resurrection-less view of life produces only proximate hope
(see 1 Corthians. 15:19).
Having ultimate hope does not
mean we will always be rescued from proximate problems, but we will be
rescued from everlasting death! Meanwhile, ultimate hope makes it
possible to say the same three words used centuries ago by three valiant
men. They knew God could rescue them from the fiery furnace, if He
chose. “But if not,” they said, nevertheless, they would still serve
Him! (Daniel. 3:18.)
Faith and hope are constantly
interactive, and may not always be precisely distinguished or sequenced.
Though not perfect knowledge either, hope’s enlivened expectations are
“with surety” true (Ether 12:4; see also Romans. 8:24; Hebrews. 11:1;
Alma 32:21). In the geometry of restored theology, hope has a greater
circumference than faith. If faith increases, the perimeter of hope
stretches correspondingly.
Humble hope helps us to
improve by being sufficiently free of ego to ask, “Lord, is it I?”
(Matthew. 26:22.) Submissive hope also readies us to “give away all
[our] sins” because we have come to know Jesus, who alone can take them!
(Alma 22:18.)"
This post is short and sweet. I encourage you to think about the
following question in your own time, "What does keep going means to
you?"
If you were to ask me the same question, I would
say "Keep going means another saying to press forward. I would like to
share with you some examples of keep going that I like as a motivation.
When
trials get tough, keep going. When things aren't going the way that you
expected to, keep going. When people let you down either by judging or
saying negativate things about you, keep going.
When challenges get tough, keep going. When tribulations get tough, keep going.
When bad days gets tough, keep going. When bad nights gets tough, keep going.
When difficulties gets tough, keep going. When struggles get tough, keep going.
When life becomes tough, keep going. When hardships get worst, keep going.
When you get discouraged, keep going. When you miss someone, keep going."
What are some of your examples do you like of keep going? Do you like any of that I have shared?
I
encourage you to always remember to pray to Heavenly Father whenever
you need to keep going because I know that he is always there to help
you, support you, loves you, and other wonderful things throughout your
life if you allow him to do so.
I also encourage you to
always remember to ask Heavenly Father what you can do better strategy
or a better way for you to keep going if the previous strategy or way
didn't work out the way that you expected to.
We may not able to look ahead as what the future has held for us.
When we trust in Heavenly Father, he knows what's best for us and knows
what's in store for us in his timing. Sometimes his timing is not always right. This post is based on a General
Conference in October 2013 called "Look Ahead and Believe by Elder
Edward Dube."
I will share with you some highlights that I loved throughout the talk.
"My
dear brothers and sisters, the covenant we made with the Lord when we
were baptised, “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all
things, and in all places that [we] may be in” (Mosiah 18:9), is a
lifelong commitment. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf counseled, “Those who
have entered the waters of baptism and received the gift of the Holy
Ghost have set their feet on the path of discipleship and are charged to
follow steadily and fully in the footsteps of our Savior” (“Saints for
All Seasons,” Ensign, Sept. 2013).
The Lord through His
servants calls us to serve in various callings, which we accept with
total commitment. When a release has been extended and a call in a
different assignment has been issued, we joyfully accept it, knowing, as
our forebearers knew, that “in the service of the Lord, it is not where
you serve but how” (J. Reuben Clark Jr., in Conference Report, Apr.
1951,).
As
we look ahead and believe, we need this same teamwork in hastening the
work of salvation as we invite others to come unto Christ. In our
individual capacities, we need to follow the counsel of President Dieter
F. Uchtdorf to “stand close together and lift where we stand” (“Lift
Where You Stand,” Ensign, Nov. 2008). We can tap our full potential,
just as was observed by Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve:
“As
I travel throughout the Church I marvel at all the positive things that
are occurring. Yet I never feel that we, as a people, are living up to
our real potential. My sense is that we do not always work together,
that we are still too much interested in aspirations for personal honors
and success, and show too little interest in the common goal of
building the kingdom of God” (“United in Building the Kingdom of God,”
Ensign, May 1987).
May we all unite in a common objective “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).
Our
guiding principles were taught to us by the Prophet Joseph Smith: “The
fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the Apostles
and Prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and
rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things
which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it” (Teachings of
Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007],)."
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and answer the following question in your own time.
"What does The Strength to Endure means to you?"
This post is based on a October General Conference 2013 talk that I
love and it is called "The Strength to Endure" by Elder Richard J.
Maynes. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was
reading the talk.
"Every morning when we wake up, we face a new day filled with the challenges of life.
These
challenges come in many forms: physical challenges, financial setbacks,
difficulties with relationships, emotional trials, and even struggles
with one’s faith.
Many of the challenges we face in
life can be solved and overcome; however, others may be difficult to
understand and impossible to overcome and will be with us until we pass
on to the next life.
As we temporarily endure the
challenges we can solve and as we continue to endure the challenges we
cannot solve, it is important to remember that the spiritual strength we
develop will help us successfully endure all the challenges we face in
life.
Heavenly Father has organized our journey through
life to be a test of our character. We are exposed to both good and
evil influences and then given the moral agency to choose for ourselves
which path we will take. As the ancient Book of Mormon prophet Samuel
taught, “Ye are free; ye are permitted to act for yourselves; for
behold, God hath given unto you a knowledge and he hath made you free.”
Heavenly
Father also understood that due to our mortality we would not always
make the correct or righteous choice. Because we are not perfect and
because we make mistakes, we need help in returning to His presence. The
necessary help is provided through the teachings, example, and atoning
sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
If
you can't read the words on the Image above, it says “Because we face
challenges every day, it is important that we work on our spiritual
stamina every day. When we develop spiritual stamina, the false
traditions of the world, as well as our personal daily challenges, will
have little negative impact on our ability to endure in righteousness.” -
Elder Richard J. Maynes.
The Savior’s atoning
sacrifice makes possible our future salvation and exaltation through the
principle of repentance. If we honestly and sincerely repent, the
Atonement can help us become clean, change our nature, and successfully
endure our challenges.
So whatever challenges you wake
up to each morning, remember with the spiritual strength you develop,
coupled with the Lord’s help, at the end of the race you will be able to
enjoy the confidence that the Apostle Paul expressed when he said:
“For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day.”
This post is based on a Article from Liahona in July 1981 called "Overcoming Our Mistakes by Lowell L. Bennion." I love the Image below.
It
is so true and we always need to ask Heavenly Father for assistance,
guidance, help and support to make real change happen. We also always
need to act upon the real change and continue make a habit of changing.
I will share with you some highlights that I loved during reading the article.
"The
second suggestion I have is that we ought to realize that no matter
what we’ve done in life, no matter what we do, God and Christ still love
us just as much as they did before we failed. God and Christ do not
separate themselves from the sinner, from the wrongdoer.
I
remember a missionary who had just recently returned from the mission
field who came into the Institute of Religion when I was there. He had
committed a grave mistake that caused him to think that his life was
ruined forever. And I said to him, “God loves you just as much today as
he did last Thursday,” and he couldn’t believe it. The thought had never
occurred to him.
He wept like a child. You know,
sometimes we think that God loves us to the extent that we please him,
to the extent that we’re good boys and girls, good men and women. Love
from God is not earned. It is not merited; if it is, it is justice and
reciprocity and reward. Love comes from a loving heart, and God’s love
is unconditional.
And he loves the worst of us and the
best of us equally, I believe. We cause him to suffer when we do wrong,
when he sees us live our lives in ways that destroy us, and when he sees
us hurting other people this must cause him pain.
Therefore,
the reason we have to repent is to be able to forgive ourselves and to
be able to get in harmony again with the principles and laws of good
living. We don’t have to repent to earn God’s love, even though some
scriptures portray him as being very angry with the sinner. Others
portray him as angry with sin, not with the sinner.
Another way to overcome the past is
to make amends. We know when we’ve done wrong, but sometimes we’re
afraid to go to those whom we’ve wronged. We are too proud to admit our
failures. But when we have the courage to do it, we find that a great
reconciliation takes place.
It’s the offended person’s
responsibility to react to our efforts to be reconciled. And when we
can’t compensate a person for a wrong, when it’s too late or impossible,
then we can bless other people. We all belong together in this world.
We’re brothers and sisters with the same Eternal Father; we belong to
the same human community. There are others we can bless, though we can’t
repair the damage we may have done to some of his children."
Always
try to find time and talk to whoever is making the mistake. Tell them
how you feel, be honest and don't be afraid to share with him or her or
them this article. It takes a lot of progress of repenting if the
mistake doesn't get dealt straight away.
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and answer the following question in your own time.
"What does Mountains to Climb means to you?"
This
post is based on April 2012 General Conference talk called "Mountains
to Climb" by President Henry B. Eyring and it is one of my favourite
General Conference talks from Henry B. Eyring. I would
love to share with you the highlights while I was reading the talk.
Subheading was "If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as
the easiest times in life can be a blessing." He
mentioned, "I prayed for a test to prove my courage. I can remember it
vividly. In the evening I knelt in my bedroom with a faith that seemed
almost to fill my heart to bursting.
Within a day or
two my prayer was answered. The hardest trial of my life surprised and
humbled me. It provided me a twofold lesson. First, I had clear proof
that God heard and answered my prayer of faith. But second, I began a
tutorial that still goes on to learn about why I felt with such
confidence that night that a great blessing could come from adversity to
more than compensate for any cost.
You and I have
faith that the way to rise through and above trials is to believe that
there is a “balm in Gilead” and that the Lord has promised, “I will not
forsake thee.” That is what President Thomas S. Monson has taught us to
help us and those we serve in what seem lonely and overwhelming trials.
But
President Monson has also wisely taught that a foundation of faith in
the reality of those promises takes time to build. You may have seen the
need for that foundation, as I have, at the bedside of someone ready to
give up the fight to endure to the end. If the foundation of faith is
not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble.
My
purpose today is to describe what I know of how we can lay that
unshakable foundation. I do it with great humility for two reasons.
First, what I say could discourage some who are struggling in the midst
of great adversity and feel their foundation of faith is crumbling. And
second, I know that ever-greater tests lie before me before the end of
life. Therefore, the prescription I offer you has yet to be proven in my
own life through enduring to the end.
I
have visited with a woman who received the miracle of sufficient
strength to endure unimaginable losses with just the simple capacity to
repeat endlessly the words “I know that my Redeemer lives.” That faith
and those words of testimony were still there in the mist that obscured
but did not erase memories of her childhood.
I was
stunned to learn that another woman had forgiven a person who had
wronged her for years. I was surprised and asked her why she had chosen
to forgive and forget so many years of spiteful abuse.
She
said quietly, “It was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I just
knew I had to do it. So I did.” Her faith that the Savior would forgive
her if she forgave others prepared her with a feeling of peace and hope
as she faced death just months after she had forgiven her unrepentant
adversary.
She asked me, “When I get there, how will it be in heaven?”
And
I said, “I know just from what I have seen of your capacity to exercise
faith and to forgive that it will be a wonderful homecoming for you.”
I
have another encouragement to those who now wonder if their faith in
Jesus Christ will be sufficient for them to endure well to the end. I
was blessed to have known others of you who are listening now when you
were younger, vibrant, gifted beyond most of those around you, yet you
chose to do what the Savior would have done. Out of your abundance you
found ways to help and care for those you might have ignored or looked
down upon from your place in life.
When hard trials
come, the faith to endure them well will be there, built as you may now
notice but may have not at the time that you acted on the pure love of
Christ, serving and forgiving others as the Savior would have done. You
built a foundation of faith from loving as the Savior loved and serving
for Him. Your faith in Him led to acts of charity that will bring you
hope.
It is never too late to strengthen the foundation
of faith. There is always time. With faith in the Savior, you can
repent and plead for forgiveness. There is someone you can forgive.
There is someone you can thank. There is someone you can serve and lift.
You can do it wherever you are and however alone and deserted you may
feel.
I cannot promise an end to your adversity in this
life. I cannot assure you that your trials will seem to you to be only
for a moment. One of the characteristics of trials in life is that they
seem to make clocks slow down and then appear almost to stop.
There
are reasons for that. Knowing those reasons may not give much comfort,
but it can give you a feeling of patience. Those reasons come from this
one fact: in Their perfect love for you, Heavenly Father and the Savior
want you fitted to be with Them to live in families forever. Only those
washed perfectly clean through the Atonement of Jesus Christ can be
there."
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and answer the following questions in your own time.
"Do you love sharing your Testimony in front of church members and non-members on Fast Sundays?"
"Do you ever feel afraid of not knowing what to say when you feel prompted to share your Testimony?"
"How often do you share your Testimony?" "Is it once a week?" "Is it once a month?" "Is it once a year?"
"Is it a few times in a week?" "Is it a few times in a month?" "Is it a few times in a year?"
I always love sharing my Testimony often. Whenever I am about to share my Testimony in front of members and non-members on Fast Sundays, I always have a fair idea what I would like to share in my Testimony and I always feel prompted by the Holy Ghost to share my Testimony.
Most other times, I still get prompted to share my Testimony but without a clue of what to say. I kept reflecting a lot of times when I shared my Testimony a lot whenever I was with the Missionaries and I love stating what is true to the non-members and recent converts of the Church at the time.
I had an amazing opportunity to share my Testimony on Sunday evening of Young Single Adult Convention at the Gold Coast and I had another amazing opportunity to share my Testimony again at my new ward Springwood Ward on last Sunday morning. I was looking forward to share my Testimony again today but I did not get the opportunity to share my Testimony but that is okay.
Most times after Church, I always see some church members come and see me to thank me for sharing my Testimony and how my Testimony has helped them. It always makes me feel good. When I go to a different ward to share my Testimony, I always get asked if I was a Returned Missionary. It is always a great feeling.
I love what the Image above says. If you can not see the Image says above, it says "A testimony is more like a dimmer switch that makes possible an almost infinite number of settings between total light and total darkness. Just as there are levels of light, there are levels of testimony as well.
I know.
I believe.
I desire to believe.
I wonder.
I doubt.
I don't believe.
John Bytheway."
Do you think that Image is powerful? In my opinion, I think the Image is powerful. I do strongly encourage everyone to work on their testimonies including you and your Testimony.
If you are able to recognise your Testimony is weak, learn how to strengthen your Testimony. If you do not know how to strengthen your Testimony, I know that you can always strengthen your Testimony by listening to other's Testimonies, reading your scriptures often, praying often, striving your best to go to the Temple often and striving your best to go out with the Missionaries.
If you are able to recognise your Testimony is strong, learn how to keep your Testimony strong. If you do not know how to skeep your Testimony strong, I know that you can always seek opportunities to share your Testimony with your immediate family members, your extended family members, your true friends, etc.
DO NOT FEEL AFRAID OF SHARING YOUR TESTIMONY WITH OTHERS!
I have been striving my best to remind myself that there were a lot of saints who were making a lot of sacrifices to enter inside the Temple lately and one of the main issues of them getting to the Temple was their way of getting to the Temple in other words their transport.
Their transport was not always reliable. We are so lucky today that there are a variety of ways of getting to the Temple. There are church members who travels on public transport such as buses, and trains to get to the Temple. There are church members who travels via driving themselves to the Temple.
I encourage you to think about and answer the following questions in your own time.
"What does the Temple means to you?" "Does it means a little to you?" "Does it means a lot to you?"
"Does it mean somewhat little to you?" "Does it mean somewhat a lot to you?"
"What is your main purposes of going to the Temple often?" "Is it receiving answers to unanswered questions?" "Is it to feel more peace and comfort?" "Is it to feel more happiness?"
How often do you go to the Temple near you?" "Is it once a week?" "Is it a few times in a week?"
"Is it once a month?" "Is it a few times in a month?" "Is it once a year?" "Is it a few times in a year?"
"Whenever you go to the Temple, did you remember to bring any of your family files to be done?"
"Whenever you go to the Temple, did you invite one of your immediate relatives to join in with you?"
"Whenever you go to the Temple, did you invite one of your true friends to join in with you?"
I love what the Image says above and if you can not see what the Image says, it says "The Lord will bless us as we attend to the sacred ordinance work of temples. Blessings there will not be limited to our temple service.
We will be blessed in all of our affairs. - Boyd K Packer."
My goodness, I can not believe that I attended a session at the
Temple last Saturday and here I am back again at the Temple today and
attended another session at the Temple. I am so grateful that I live
somewhat close to the Temple.
I love making the
scarifices to go to the Temple often, well as much as I can because I
always love feeling more peace, more comfort, more happiness, more joy and many other
uplifting feelings when I go to the Temple often.
This post is short and sweet. I encourage you to think about and answer the following questions.
"In what ways do you show to your immediate relatives that you do care about them?"
"In what ways do you show to your extended relatives that you do care about them?"
"In what ways do you show to your true friends that you do care about them?"
"In what ways do you show to your employees that you do care about them?"
"In what ways do you show to your managers that you do care about them?"
"When was the last time did you express to someone that you do care about them?" "Was it today?"
"Was it yesterday?" "Was it a month ago?" "Was it a few months ago?" "Was it a year ago?"
I must admit, I may not show to others often of how much I care. I know deep inside that I do care. I care a lot. I care about the gospel because the gospel has blessed my life in many ways. I care about my immediate relatives because they mean a lot to me.
I care about my extended relatives but I may not show it often. I care about the employees and managers who I work with because they seem to be great people to work with even when I am feeling down and sad. They know a great way to cheer me up even if I turn up to work and feeling tired.
I care about my true friends because they are there when I need to talk to someone, and the list goes on. I would like you to know that I care and I will always care.
If you can not see the Image above, it says "I CARE. I will always care." I encourage you to express to your immediate relatives, your extended relatives, your friends, and other people that you do care about them.
You can say in person that you do care about them in person or you can give them a hug or check up on them such as a visit or calling them, etc.
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and answer the following questions in your own time. "Have you ever thought about praying for happiness when you are feeling down, sad and alone?"
"Have you ever thought about praying for comfort and to feel peace when you are scared?"
"Have you thought about praying for someone who is a relative and currently sick or unwell to feel better soon?"
"Have you thought about praying for someone who is a relative and currently afflicted or injuried to get better soon?"
"Have you thought about praying for someone who is a friend and currently sick or unwell to feel better soon?"
"Have you thought about praying for someone who is a friend and currently afflicted or injuried to get better soon?"
"Have you ever thought about praying for guidance?" "Have you ever thought about praying for some help?"
"Have you ever thought about praying to seek some answers to unanswered questions?"
"Have you ever thought about to pray when you needed to talk to someone because no one else is listening?"
"Have you ever thought about to pray for when you needed something?" "When was the last time did you pray?" "Was it last night?" "Was it this morning?" "Was it this afternoon?" "Was it this evening?" "Was it a month ago?" "Was it a few months ago?" "Was it a year ago?" "Was it a few years ago?"
"What did you prayed about?" "Was it to overcome your current challenges and difficulties in life?"
"Was it to overcome your current challenges and difficulities at work?"
"Was it to overcome your current hardships in your family?" ls of friendships?"
"Was it to overcome your current weaknesses at work?"
I love the Image that I have shared for this post and if you can not see what the Image says, it says "PRAY. Do battle today, like you have never have before. Go to the only one who truly understands your situation. Just pray."
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and answer the following questions in your own time.
"What can you do to actively act upon the promptings from the Holy Ghost straight away?"
"When was the last time did you receive the promptings from the Holy Ghost?"
"Was it this morning?" "Was it this afternoon?" Was it last night?" "Was it a month ago?"
"Was it a few months ago?" "Was it a year ago?" "Was it more than a year ago?"
"When you receive the promptings of the Holy Ghost, what do you do?"
"Do you actively act upon it straight away? or do you ignore it?"
If
you can not see the Image above, it says "Follow the light promptings.
Every whisper from the Holy Ghost is worth listening to."
I would like to share with you my experience of what happened today as I actively acted upon the promptings of the Holy Ghost. This afternoon, I was hoping to go back to sleep and have another nap but it kept getting distrubed. I saw a friend named Jess and her full body was shaking and I did not know what to do.
The first reaction was to access the internet and search what does it mean when someone's full body is shaking. As I was doing that, I said a silent prayer to Heavenly Father and I mentioned "What can I do to help? She is my house mate, my friend, etc."
I was crying and I felt prompted to call the ambulance. I did not know the number. As I stopped browsing the internet, I saw Jess grabbed her daily planner and she wrote "seziure" at the section of time and day it was. She closed her daily planner.
I opened her daily planner and I read it. I guess I should not have done that but I was feeling scared and worried. I went straight to call ambulance and I saw my fingers was dailing the digits for ambulance. I knew Heavenly Father was by my side for the whole process even though I felt like a failure.
I was able to get a hold of ambulance within a minute and the ambulance arrived within ten minutes later. I am glad that she was okay and was taken care by doctors and nurses. Thank goodness for the spirit of the comforter that I was able to cheer up and stop crying before the ambulance arrived.
Jess was sent to Ipswich Hospital with the ambulance, and as I left home, I collected my phone and my car keys. I did not care about anything else. I followed the ambulance to the hospital and I found somewhere to park. Where I parked was downhill from the hospital, and I ran uphill to go to where Jess was which was emergency department.
I was not allowed to go in as she went in. I was feeling a little upset. I waited for fifteen minutes and I gave up waiting because I did not want to be late for work. As I started heading my way to work, Jess texted me and she mentioned "don't wait for me."
I was very grateful that I did not wait for ages. I felt so priviledged to use the work company's car for that work shift and I did not have to ask my manager if I can use the company's car. I felt so happy. Jess called me during work and mentioned the doctor would like to talk to me. I mentioned to her, it was not a right time to talk to me as I was working.
I must admit, I called Jess back in twenty minutes or so later and she told me that she was better. I was so amazed that she got better but also crazy enough that she mentioned to me that she was on her way via public transport where I work.
My goodness, when she told what causes her seizure, I was not surprised but I was more a litte shock than expected. I prayed to Heavenly Father again and I expressed how grateful I was that Jess was feeling better.
From that day, I did not want to ignore any future promptings from the Holy Ghost and I made a new goal to always actively act upon the promptings of the Holy Ghost straight away. I strongly encourage you to do that same thing.
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and answer the following questions in your own time.
"When was the last time did you say I love you to one of your immediate family members?"
"When was the last time did you say I love you to one of your extended relatives?"
"When was the last time did you saw one of your immediate family members?"
"When was the last time did you saw one of your extended relatives?"
"How do you contact your immediate family members?" "How do you contact your extended relatives?"
"Is it through Facebook messaging or calling them or is it text messaging?"
"How often do you see your immediate family members?" "How often do you see your extended relatives?"
"Is it once a week or is it once a month or is it once a year or is it everyday?"
"How do you prove to your immediate family members that you do love them like you truly do?"
"How do you prove to your extended relatives that you do love them like you truly do?"
"Do
you ever say I love you to your friends?" "If yes, how often do you
express to them that you do love them?" and "When was the last time did
you say I love you to one of your friends?"
The main purpose why I asked the questions is to relate to the Image that I have shared for this post. If you can not see the Image abovem it says "Saying I love you is only a beginning we need to say it,we need to mean it, and most importantly we need consistently to show it. - David A Bednar."
I encourage each of us to say I love you to mean it and show it often especially to all of our loved ones whenever we get the chance to see them.
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and answer the following questions in your own time. "Did you know that Heavenly Father loves you?" and "If yes, how much do you know he loves you?"
I would like you to know that I do know the following statements that I will be mentioning next is true. I know that Heavenly Father loves you and he truly does. I know that he loves all of
his children equally and he truly does including some of his chuldren who does not believe in him on this present day/evening.
I know that he knows all of his children as an individual such as their weakenesses, their strengths and so much more. I know that he loves seeing all of his children to be happy and cheerful. I know that he loves seeing all of his children are striving their best to achive their short term goals and long term goals.
I know that he loves seeing all of his children making progress at different stages throughout their daily lives. I know that he loves seeing all of his children using their agency
to make their own choices. I know that when he sees his children down and upset, he always strives his best to insure them that he is there with them and allow them to feel peace, happiness and comfort again.
I also encourage you to think about the statements and pray about the statements to find out what I said is true or not. Have tissues with you because you may cry when you receive the true and correct answer.
I love what the Image says and if you can not see the Image above, it says "Do you suppose it matters to our Heavenly Father whether your makeup, clothes, hair, and nails are perfect? Do you think he wants you to worry or get depressed if some un-friend or un-follow you on Facebook or Twitter? Do you think outward attractiveness, your dress size, or popularity make the slightest difference in your worth to the One who created the universe?
HE LOVES YOU not only for who you are this very day but also for the person of glory and light you have the potential & the desire to become. - Dieter F. Utchdorf."
I also encourage you to think about how you can apply what the Image says to your daily life.
First and foremost, I encourage you to think about and reflect on all the positive things that you have achieved throughout today and this evening. I also encourage you to think about and answer the two following questions in your time, "How was your day?" and "How was your evening?"
The best word to describe my Sabbath was long and there are many reasons why today was long. I would like to share with you what I have achieved throughout today. The beginning of the day; it all started with waking up from staying at a family friend's house overnight, I read a few chapters of my scriptures, I had yoghurt for breakfast and I was all dressed up ready to go to my work meeting.
I attended my work meeting and it went shorter than expected which makes me happy because I was planning on going to my new ward today. After work meeting, I had to find directions how to get to the chapel where my new ward meets from work and it did not take long. It was fifteen minutes to twenty minutes drive from work.
I have arrived in time for sacrament for my new ward, and after that, the new Bishop shared his testimony. After he shared his testimony, I shared my testimony and I mentioned about "I know that I am in the ward stake, but not in the right ward," 2 Nephi; chapter 25, verse 26, my Temple attendance, families can be eternal, etc.
After sharing my testimony, I found out that I was in the right ward and of course I stayed at church for the other two hours. The ward was great, I knew some people and I felt welcomed by members who I have met. As just before I left the chapel to head to my house, I logged into Facebook and I did not plan to go on Facebook today but I am glad that I did.
I searched up the YSA housing group and I found a post from a Young Single Adult named Jess who was looking for a house to live in. Knowing me as a bubbly young woman, I private messaged her and I also left a comment for her to private message me on Facebook.
Long story short, Jess and I talked about house arrangements and meeting up arrangements. I went to the Temple from the chapel to meet her. She became my house mate and after the Temple, I drove to drop by to where Jess was staying at since last Wednesday to pack up her stuff and head to where I live.
On the way home, me and Jess was getting know each other for a little while and talked about other things. When I finally arrived home after not being home for a few days, I felt so strange. I decided to not to share what happened next.
I like the Image that I have shared for this post and if you can not see
the Image that I have shared for this post, it says "And God blessed
the seventh day, and sanctified it. - Genesis 2:3."
I would like to share with you, my notes from the first hour at Church of the Young Single Adult Convention.
First Speaker: Maddie D-Jensen
"What is the purpose of taking the sacrament?"
Being revenant to think about Jesus Christ.
- Having the companionship of the Holy Ghost
- Prepare in advance
- The Savior knows us individually
- How can I make the sacrament more meaningful?
- Spirit of humility
Second Speaker:
- Strengthening my faith in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father
- Create good relationships
- Understanding the true doctrine
- Covenants is a big thing
- Temporal self reliant.
1. Walk in obedience
2. Faith is the gift.
3. Influences around us.
Third Speaker:
- Life is a journey
- Think aboutyour life journey
- What would you like to tell your story?
- Everyone takes different routes, ways, etc.
- Agency, courage to act.
- Choose the harder right, than the easier wrong.
- tender mercies comes from Heavenly Father
- We are all sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father
- We have his grace with us
1. Social with faith
2. Repantance, desire to change, have courage to act
3. Humility - humble
4. Obedience - grace to grace
5. Receive the Holy Ghost - teacher and witness of all the truths
6. Gifts of the spirit.
Prepare to receive God's grace by hearing faith, repenting, etc.
This post is short and sweet. First and foremost, I encourage you to think about answer the following questions in your own time.
"What does obedience means to you?" "What does faith means to you?"
"What does love means to you?" "What does spirit means to you?"
"What does Christ means to you?"
I love what the Image says above. If you can not see the Image says above, it says "Obedience is the Price. Faith is the Power. Love is the Motive. Spirit is the Key. Christ is the Reason."
Always remember to use obedience in your everyday life, it can be simple as obeying your parents' orders. Always remember to use faith in your everyday life, it can be simple as testing your faith in things.
Always remember to use love in your everyday, it can be simple as expressing a loved one that you love him or her.
Always remember to strive your best to have the spirit with you everyday, it can be simple as by willing to become a better person each day.
Always remember to strive your best to have Christ in your everyday life, it can simple as remembering him each day.
