Three Men and a Door

A woman is ill in the hospital.
We were out one day looking for her family to see if we could help.

After we walked up to what used to be their house the door was off and three men were working inside. By working I mean, one man was scraping off the bottom of the front door with a dull knife, another was watching and the other was keeping busy doing something else. Although I was worried for the dull knife mans fingers we were all instant friends.

The conversation easily turned toward the gospel and all the different religions to be found.
Then we quickly explained how we believe in the Book of Mormon and handed one to the men.

Our minds were still focused on the sick woman and finding her family,
miraculously they did know of her and directed us to her family in the connecting apartment.
We left in a hurry and we were grateful to talk to the family.

As we were off to our next appointment we realized we didn't set a
time to see those men again.
Sitting in the car we didn't bow our heads or close our eyes, we
simply sat in silence and we prayed. A simple prayer to help those men
come closer Christ and if we could be the ones to help with that,
great :)

The next day we received a text from an unknown number asking 

"Is this the blonde or the brunet?"
Our prayer was answered! lol!

We know Christ doesn't come knocking at the most ideal time and we know we don't always have time to kneel down and offer up an elaborate 30 minute prayer.

But Christ does knock and prayer is real. God is also in the details.
His knock may come from a loved one, friend, acquaintance, blond,
brunet, red head, stranger or anything in between :)

I know God loves those men in whatever life situation they are in. I also know God loves that family to help our limited information in finding them. Through this experience I again know prayer does work. Even simple informal prayers. If we are honestly seeking we will find
what we are looking for :)

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and
it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and
to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
Matthew 7:7-8

(a quick clip on the Book of Mormon)

Pornography Can Seem Appealing...

Pornography is so sad.
During my sophomore year of high school I choose to do a project on
pornography for my English class.
Thinking back I have no idea why I did this!
What 15 year old girl says " I want to publicly talk about porn and
its effects on society today!" -_-
Any way, it was a nightmare! There I was standing in front of my class
with a modest paper stick figure woman for display.

The cat calls started as soon as I started my object lesson on modesty.

There I was shaking as I read quotes on the poison known as pornography and eventually the teacher asked me to sit down. 

-_- 

Although I am no longer 15, Pornography is still a huge huge problem!

God gave us these beautiful bodies we eat, breathe, and live in.

These bodies He has trusted us with are important to Him.

"And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments."

(D&C 59:21) 

Yes, our bodies are beautiful and wonderful! They are creations of God!

We all are His masterpiece.

No wonder pornography can seem appealing.

Our bodies are beautiful! 

Although porn may seem appealing it truly is not. 

Looking at porn, creating porn or even thinking pornographic thoughts is forgetting God.

No, we are not perfect and in this world it may seem impossible to get away from the poison that is porn. 

But with God all things are possible.

I love you :) and I don't need your confessions but God does.

Go and confess to Him.

Our bodies are Holy. 

I know as we do our best to turn away from sin God WILL ALWAYS make up the rest.

He is there to help clean out the poison. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen 

(here is a link on overcoming pornography)

For those Unbarable Life Moments

This last weekend a woman had an assisted suicide in Oregon.
That is where doctors help with someone's wish to take their own life.
I don't know the details because as a missionary we try not to focus
on the news but the people around us.
When I heard this my heart reached out to this woman.
I am not here to judge, her trials must have been hard and I know her
decision has people across the world thinking about their lives and
the value of them.
God gave us our bodies and our life here on earth.
They are His and we are here to take care of them the best we can.

We all go through hard things. I am reading in the Book of Mormon
where there is a very stubborn, set minded people.
They are going through some extremely rough and hard battles.
Reading their experiences has really helped me understand the
importance of trusting God. Although this passage is a little harsh it
also helped me understand the importance of having Godly sorrow for
our trials rather then a self harming lamenting sorrow.

"And it came to pass that the Nephites began to repent of their
iniquity, and began to cry even as had been prophesied by Samuel the
prophet; for behold no man could keep that which was his own, for the
thieves, and the robbers, and the murderers, and the magic art, and
the witchcraft which was in the land.

Thus there began to be a mourning and a lamentation in all the land
because of these things, and more especially among the people of
Nephi.

And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and
their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to
rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the
Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that
they would again become a righteous people.

But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto
repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the
sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them
to take happiness in sin.

And they did not come unto Jesus with broken hearts and contrite
spirits, but they did curse God, and wish to die. Nevertheless they
would struggle with the sword for their lives."

Mormon 2:10-14

What I am inviting myself and the rest of you to do is take care of
the body and life God has given you.
We are His children and I know He is in control even when things may
seem unbearable.
Please have hope in Him.

Let us not curse God even in our hard trials. Let us take care of the
gifts He has given us and let us turn to our Savor who is quick to
forgive and to save. This is my testimony that it is only through Him
we may live! In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

(here is a link to a kind of cheesy by good message on suicide)