Stubborn Umbrella

It was raining, my companion and I were walking up the street.

We try to close our umbrella only to find out it wont stay shut. 

Pull it closed.. it pops open.. 

Pull it closed.. it pops open.. etc.

We are now laughing on the street doing our best at trying to get this stubborn umbrella to close.

Can we be a stubborn umbrella?

God knows our potential / proper function

but do we think we know best and pop back open?

Now is the time to fix our umbrella gadgets so we can fulfill our true purpose.

Alma 34: 32-34

 32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

 33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witness, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.

 34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.

Abraham and Wind

Abraham is a man that I truly Love.

He is written about in the first book of the Bible.

Wonderful Prophet of God.

Because he was SO righteous God promised him a TON of blessings.

(children out number the sands of the sea/ dust of the earth/stars in the sky)

Genesis 15:6

"And he believed the LORD."

He didn't just believe the lord because he had an easy life.

He believed the Lord even when things were hard.

He grew old and still had no children.

Yet he knew God didn't and doesn't lie.

I love his example of patience and love of God.

 

The other day it was so windy and crazy outside.

My hair was a mess, my ears were frozen.

Then someone asked me a question about Abraham.

Abraham went through a lot of trial and heartbreak.

Yet he still loved God

Abraham was willing to sacrifice the things he loved the most for the Lord

and in return God blessed him.

I know this pattern holds true.

When we sacrifice the things we love

(perfect hair warm ears etc.)

And do the things we know God would have us do

Our promised blessings will be great.

 

LDS Hymn # 72

"Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him!

All that hath breath, join with Abraham's seed to adore him!"

 

After Baptism we will be numbered as Abrahams children.

We will find rest through our Lord and Savior.

 

 



Follow the...

Recently we were at a dinner appointment.

Missionaries + people from our congregation + food= amazing :)

All was well, conversation was flowing.

And then a sister started telling us about an experience she recently had.

I honestly don't remember what she said but I do remember my thoughts.

It was a still voice.

Yet I felt as if I was hit by a ton of bricks.

It was the thought, 

"There is a Prophet on the earth today."

After everyone was done talking I shared my exciting newfound discovery!

They laughed the "yeah, we know." laugh.

But I thought "there are so many people who don't know."

 

God loves us and wants to help us navigate through this crazy world.

A loving God would not stick us on this earth to fend for ourselves and say "sucks to be you!!"

That's why God shows His love for us by calling prophets.

Bible = words of 66 prophets

Book of Mormon= words of 33 prophets

Bible = Jerusalem

Book of Mormon = Ancient Americas

All 99 of these prophets testify of our Savior Jesus Christ.

What makes a Prophet?

Inspired men called to speak for the Lord.

They don't call themselves but God calls them through His proper authority.

Prophets Testify of Jesus Christ and teach His Gospel.

which is

Faith,

Repentance,

Baptism,

Receiving the Gift of the Holey Ghost

and Enduring to the end.

Because God still loves us we know his pattern of calling a prophet still stands.

 Christ's Gospel is the same.

Therefore His Church is the same.

I know there is a prophet on the earth today.

Recently when this fact hit me I couldn't contain my excitement.

As Christians we always say we will get on the boat if we were told  the floods were coming.

So will you get on the boat?

Will you pray to know if there is a prophet on the earth today?

 

click (here) to listen our Prophet Thomas S. Monson.

(this is a picture from my first area on my mission)

 

 



Perfect Melt Down

During one semester at college I was completely overwhelmed with life.
The point of snapping wasn’t too far away.
My Student Mentor took me aside and watched me cry.
Then he told me these words,
Christ lives
This statement sank deep into my soul.
It was so bold and it rang true.
This week I had a similar melt down.
(*cough* no one said I was perfect *cough*)
Without a word my companion placed a picture of Christ in front of me.
I was taken aback and reminded of those words.

Christ Lives.

I know He Lives.

And loves me too,
The Spirit whispers this to me
And tells me it is true.
Although I may not be perfect I know that Our Savior is.
He lives.

Heleman 5:30

"And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul"

Here is a link about recognizing the spirit in your life. (here)

Battle Wounds

There was some sort of silly misunderstanding today and it ended with a Sister Borchardt analogy.

If we receive some sort of major wound with dirt and debris in it what do we do??

We normally don't think this:

"Oh well... I guess I have to live like this forever.."

"Perhaps if I distract myself I wont notice the pain/ dirty grossness.."

"Possibly if I ignore it well enough it wont get infected or bleed out."

"I think I can keep my arm if I just sit here and believe"

How do we fix a dirty road rash bleeding arm?? 

We wash it

Disinfect it

Bandage it 

And if it is really bad we go to the Hospital and /or ask for help!

These are just a few minor steps to be healed physically

But how are we healed spiritually?

Just like there are consequences for not getting your arm checked out there are consequences for our sins. 

"Becoming clean from sin is being healed spiritually."

The only way we can be healed spiritually is through our Savior Jesus Christ.

The way Christ suffered for us relieves our consequences but NOT our responsibility.

Christ gets it 

Because He gets it He tells us to repent.

The blessing of repenting and being baptized is eternal life. (no big deal)

3 Nephi 9:13

As Christ is speaking to the people he asks them,

"Will ye not now return unto me and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?"

Repentance (saying sorry) leads to conversion (knowing Jesus is our Savior)

Conversion truly leads to Christ

Christ leads to true Healing 

"In the case of sin, there is a wonderful reforming process called repentance that allows us to clear our internal hard drives of the clutter that burdens our hearts. The gospel through the miraculous and compassionate Atonement of Jesus Christ shows us the way to cleanse our souls of the stain of sin, and once again become new, pure, and as innocent as a child."

-Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

Pouring Rain

The other day it was pouring rain.

It was dark and we were walking along a busy street.

As we were walking we came across this man

hooded, head down, earphones in, not interested.

We smiled at him and offered him a card.

He was kind of confused why we were handing him a card

(two young sister missionaries, 9 pm, raining, side of the road.)

Soon we were talking and he told us his story.

Son of a preacher.

Then he decided to rebel big time.

Years went by.

He didn't think God cared enough for him to want to change.

Got himself into a sticky situation.
He knew things were bad but he didn't care.
Then it happened
As fast as lightning!

Had an undeniable experience where he Knew it was God who helped him out.
He was in shock
God did care.

His story was the light two soggy sisters needed on a cold night.
God does care.

Alma 7:14
"Now I say unto you that ye must repent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness."

Didn't Answer

The other night we were out knocking on doors.

 We came to one that made my heart pound with a feeling of "This is where we need to be!"

 

We knocked and no one answered

So we knocked again

Still no answer

Finally we couldn't justify standing on this porch any longer so we left.

I told my companion how I felt really good about that house and I didn't understand why no one answered.

Her response was

"It's because God loves them. That love is still there even if they don't answer."

 

I know God loves the people in that house just as much as he loves me and you.

I know this because I felt it.

I invite everyone to pray and ask God the simple question

 

"Do you love me?"

 

If you believe you can receive an answer then you will.

 

Moroni 10:4-5

 

 " And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

Secret to Life

Things I will work on throughout 2014
(All these points are from my Mission President)

Secret to life

=

learning how to do things that others wont do

Learn how to turn to the Lord so you can learn/ know...

how to do hard things
discipline
reach down, find something inside you didn't know was there and just do it
study scriptures (gain understanding)
find answers to prayers
stay in communication with Him (prayer and inspiration)
how to communicate with those around you
our differences are our strengths (take that knowledge into a marriage and you have success)
how to be an adult (no whining)
God doesn't do random
the Lord knows where people need to be
the Lord knows how you will learn
how to trust the Lord (then you have the blessing of being trust worthy)
listen to the lord with all your heart and you can understand what you need to be taught.