General Conference!

"11. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; 

and some, pastors and teachers;

12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, 

for the edifying of the body of Christ:"

Ephesians 4:11-12

There is no coincidence that I have not had time to write another blog post until today, and this happens to be the next scripture on the list of 25 to memorize. God gave us prophets for the perfecting of the saints, and guess what? General Conference is THIS WEEKEND! We get to hear from the beloved prophet of God, who will teach us by the power of the Holy Ghost. I absolutely LOVE General Conference! For those of you who don't know what General Conference is - it is when the Prophet and some of his Apostles speak to the entire Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worldwide. It is broadcast all over the world so that anyone can listen to the revelation that has been given to these wonderful men for the "edifying of the body of Christ." We are God's children, and because He loves us He gives us prophets. The messages that will be shared at General Conference are for ALL of God's children, not just those who are members of the Church. Invite everyone to come watch Conference with you and your families, I can promise you, as a missionary and a disciple of Christ, that everybody who listens to the messages they have to share will be touched. God gives us the Holy Ghost to be an answer to our prayers, He gives us scriptures to answer our prayers, and He give us prophets. 

This weekend will be full of messages inspired by God for YOU. This is why we have General Conference. To help answer our questions, concerns, hardships, and any other thing you might feel uncertain about. I love Conference so much, and I am so excited to hear what God has to say to me this weekend. I'm grateful that we have a Prophet today, President Thomas S. Monson, to receive revelation and inspiration as to how to help us, God's children, to grow and have a better understanding of God's love for us. I encourage everyone everywhere to heed the words of the Prophet and his Apostles. You will not be disappointed. 

The Chief Corner Stone

"19. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, 

but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the houshold of God;

20. And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, 

Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;"

Ephesians 2:19-20

I love this scripture! It starts out making sure you know that you are no foreigner to God and to the saints, but that you are known, loved, and recognized as a child of God, then tells you that your foundation must be Christ. Those two things are wonderful to put together, because we can know that we are loved by Christ, who is the "Chief Corner Stone" of the Gospel, and of life in general. Do you know what a corner stone is? It is the stone that holds the entire thing together.

Without the corner stone, or keystone, the whole building, or arch, or bridge, or whatever it is you are trying to build, would come crashing down. It is in this way that Christ is the corner stone of our lives. Without Him, we would be a big crumbly mess of stone. Nobody wants that! There is another scripture that I love that has to do with building your foundation on Christ. It is Helaman 5:12 - 

 "12. And now my sons, remember, remember, that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shalls end forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

Isn't that beautiful? I love that scripture so much! We must build our foundation on Christ, for when we do this, we cannot fall into Satan's temptations and his many attempts to bring us down. It is a simple thing that we must do, but with grand rewards! Focus the things you do every day on Christ, and the devil will have no power over you. What a blessing! 

Baptisms for the Dead

"29. Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?"

1 Corinthians 15:29

My companion and I had a conversation with someone yesterday who wasn't so sure she believed in fully "believed" in baptisms for the dead. This scripture that President Taylor asked us to memorize helps to explain the purpose of it a bit. As a part of the Plan of Salvation, we are taught there will be life after death. After our spirits and our bodies are separated, our spirits will go to the spirit world, where we will have the opportunity to share/learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is where we will be until the Second Coming of Christ to the Earth, after which, we will all be "resurrected" and our spirits and our bodies will be reunited forever. There will be some people however that will have lived their entire lives without knowing about Christ's Gospel, or some who will have not followed it during their earthly life. It is for those people that we do temple work such as baptisms for the dead. We do as many of the earthly ordinances that need to be performed in order to fully accept the Gospel and Jesus Christ for those that didn't have or take the opportunity to do so for themselves while they were alive. We are not forcing the Gospel or these ordinances on them at all, it simply gives them the opportunity to choose to follow it or not. This seems like a complicated topic, but it is truly very simple. I apologize that this explanation is so short, but I am out of time. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments. Otherwise, always look to the scriptures for answers! Heavenly Father will answer you through His written word EVERY time you ask.

In Christ Shall all be Made Alive

"21. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive."

1 Corinthians 15:21-22

It's interesting that this is the scripture I am sharing today, because the subject that I wanted to talk about relates perfectly to it. A dear Sister in my mission, Sister Parrish, found out last week that her parents and two younger siblings passed away due to carbon monoxide poisoning. We were all devastated, but being so close to the Gospel while out here serving our missions has helped immensely. I have been reminded a lot of the Plan of Salvation, and the truth of "families can be together forever." That means beyond this life. When our bodies and spirits are separated, we live on. This earthly life is not the end, and we are promised that along with making certain covenants comes eternal life with our families. I am so grateful for my Savior and His Atonement, and the plan that Heavenly Father has made for each of us individually and as families. Because of the Atonement and the Plan of Salvation, I KNOW that I can be with my family for eternity, and I will be forever grateful for that. 

The Good Shepherd

"14. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."

John 10:14-16

 

This scripture is beautiful. It is just another way that Christ tells us He knows us and that He is there for us. My favorite LDS musician, Hilary Weeks, has a wonderful song that talks about this scripture. It is called, "The Good Shepherd," and it's beautiful. Take a listen!

 

The Good Shepherd

 

Christ invites us to come closer to Him, to know Him, and to invite others to do the same. That is why I am here in Vancouver, Washington: So that I might invite others to come unto Him, just as I have chosen to do. I love my Savior, and I know that He knows and loves me more than I could ever comprehend. I look forward to the day that I will get to meet Him in the flesh again, and to tell Him how grateful I am for all He has done for me.

 

 



Be Not Troubled

"38. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

39. Behold my hands and feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."

Luke 24:38-39

 

Christ is our Savior. There are so many things that I could talk about in reference to this scripture, but the biggest one that comes to mind is that He knows me perfectly. Do we know Him? We should! Someone gave a talk in General Conference a long time ago about knowing Jesus Christ, and as a part of their talk they told the story of three interviewees. I don't remember exactly how it went, but to sum it up, the first two entered their interview and were confused at the questions the interviewer was asking. Things like, "How great is your faith?" and "Do you know Jesus Christ?" They left the interview feeling confused and discouraged, for they didn't get to share any of their professional qualities! The third man entered the room for his interview, and as soon as he saw the interviewer, fell down to his knees and cried, "My Savior! My God! How I love thee!" Christ was the interviewer. Think on this for a moment... If we ran into our Brother, our Savior, and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, in an unexpected situation, would we recognize Him? Would we immediately fall to our knees in love and gratitude for all that He is and all that He has done for us? Or would we be too caught up in the things of the world to recognize Him? This scripture in Luke 24 is an invitation to know Him. Do not be troubled by the things of the world. Instead, do all that you can to know your Savior. He is a comforter, and He will guide you through all of your troubles and trials. All you have to do is come closer to Him, so that you might be able to recognize His role in your life.

 

His arms are open, we just need to come to Him



His Prophets

"7. Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing,

but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

Amos 3:7



 

One of the many ways that our Father in Heaven has shown us His love for us, is by calling Prophets to guide and direct us, according to His word. The first prophet in this dispensation was Joseph Smith. When Joseph Smith inquired of God as to which church was true and which one he should join, God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him that none of them were complete, and that he would be the one to help them restore God's complete church on the earth. This is such a blessing! This scripture in Amos tells us that God will inform His prophet of the action He wants taken, and the way He wants to go about it. I KNOW that we have a prophet on this earth today, President Thomas S. Monson, and that He receives revelation from God so as to help lead and guide the rest of us on our earthly journey. I love President Monson, and I love my Heavenly Father. I am grateful that He has given us prophets and that He continues to show His love for me every day.

 

 

"I need not remind yout that this cause in which we are engaged is not an ordinary cause. It is the cause of Christ. It is the Kingdom of God our Eternal Father. It is the building of Zion on the earth, the fulfillment of prephecy given of old and of a vision revealed in this despensation."

-Gordon B. Hinckley



Better Than I

"8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, said the Lord.

9. For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:8-9

Sometimes we confuse our own thoughts and feelings with the promptings of the Spirit. Ultimately, any good thought or intention or action that we have or take comes from God, but that does not make His thoughts our thoughts. When struggling with deciding which road to take, the answer is simple: God knows what is best for us, and if we are listening, He will guide us to the right path. We may sometimes feel that we have found an answer to our prayer, but we find after acting on that answer, that we are in a deeper hole than before! Often times that is because we followed the answer that WE wanted. God knows better than we do, and following His plan will benefit and bless us greatly.

There is a wonderful song about this performed by my former voice teacher, Jessie Clark Funk, called "Better than I." Take a listen, and ponder the feelings you have as you seek an answer to your prayers. Are you following the answer that YOU want? Or are you following what God is trying to tell you? I love my Father in Heaven, and I am trying every day to do His will instead of mine. He is there. He is listening. And I know that He will direct me and answer my prayers. All I have to do is listen.

Better Than I

A Marvellous Work and a Wonder

"13. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

14. Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."

-Isaiah 29:13-14

 

God promises us many things. We covenant with Him (or promise Him) that we will follow Him, and obey His commandments. And in return He promises us many things! This particular scripture applies to many people in many ways, but for me I like to think of it in a matter of obedience as a missionary. God promises me that if I will follow Him, and honor Him in word and in deed, that He will manifest of the truth of His Gospel to the people that I meet and teach. We met a woman yesterday who had a lot anti-Mormon "facts" to share with us, and everything she thought she knew about the Mormon church was wrong. I just wanted to help her understand what the church is really about, which is coming to Christ! She wouldn't listen to a word we said, and that broke our hearts. This scripture in Isaiah helps me to know that "the wisdom of their wise men shall perish," meaning that if I keep drawing near to Him in word and in deed, the incorrect or incomplete things that people like this anti-Mormon woman have to say will be silenced by the understanding of God's TRUE and COMPLETE word through His Gospel, which we are striving to bring to people every day. This scripture has been a comfort to me as a missionary, but that is not the only way that it is applicable. It can apply to every single person! Do your best to follow God and to honor Him in all that you do and say, and He will bring you to a greater understanding of Himself and of His Gospel.

 

 



Trust Him

"5. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

Proverbs 3:5-6

 

This is one of the 24 scriptures that my mission President has asked us to memorize. For the next 24 posts, I will go through those scriptures and discuss their importance to me. I picked this one to start with because it has been one of the most common answers to my prayers. When I am sad and wondering why I am in a certain situation, I get the answer, "Trust me. You will grow from this." When I am having the time of my life and I'm not sure why I'm so happy, I get the answer, "Trust me! I know you!" This scripture could answer just about any prayer I offer to my Heavenly Father.



Take His hand and follow Him. Trust Him with everything you've got.

He knows me so exactly, and I have come to realize that nobody knows what I need better than He does. He knows what I need to experience in order to grow into the person that both my Heavenly Father and I want me to become; He knows what I need in order to feel comforted; He knows what I need every hour of every day. Just like "I Need Thee Every Hour," He knows exactly WHAT I need every hour. As my Father, He cares for me, disciplines and teaches me, and shows me compassion and love at all times. Do not attempt to understand the mysteries of God on your own, rather acknowledge Him and that He knows what He is doing. TRUST Him. He loves you and trusts you to do your best, and to learn and grow here in this life. We should all do our best to do the same for our Heavenly Father by loving, trusting, and relying on Him in return.

Recognizing His Hand

In Ether Chapter 3, the brother of Jared asks the Lord to touch some stones he has brought from molten rock, and make them light, that he might use them to light their ships while they cross the sea. The Lord touches the rocks and because of the brother of Jared's faith, he is able to see God's hand reach down and touch these stones. He is astonished by this because he didn't realize that God was flesh and bone, he expected to simply see the stones turn from rock to light. But his faith was great, and God says that never before has he seen such faith! That is why He showed His hand to the brother of Jared. In verse 13 it says,

"And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you." 

 

Because the brother of Jared recognized His Hand, the Lord parted the veil and showed Himself to him, telling him that because of his faith, he was saved. We can all learn something from the brother of Jared. He had faith enough to know that God would turn the stones to light, and he actually SAW God's hand working that miracle! We should all strive to see God's hand in our lives. From the little things that He does for us daily to the big miracles that come from our faith in Him. Being here in Vancouver, Washington as a missionary doing the work of the Lord, I have seen His hand in just about EVERYTHING around me! The beautiful trees, the refreshing rain, the smiles on His children's faces, etc. Every single thing is a gift from God, and I am personally trying to be more like the brother of Jared, able to see His hand in all that surrounds me. I love Him, and I hope that you will look for the gifts He is giving you every day as well. He loves YOU! Express your gratitude for the things He gives you, and you will be blessed.

 

Love Like Christ

Yesterday was Valentines Day, and all I could think about was true love. What is true love? Not the sappy, infatuation-like love, but true and infinite love. Elder Holland touches on this in his talk entitled, "How Do I Love Thee." He says,

"I suppose no one is as handsome or as beautiful as he or she wishes, or as brilliant in school or as witty in speech or as wealthy as we would like, but in a world of varied talents and fortunes that we can't always command, I think that makes even more attractive the qualities we can command - such qualities as thoughtfulness, patience, a kind word, and true delight in the accomplishment of another. These cost us nothing, and they can mean everything to the one who receives them.

 

True love blooms when we care more about another person than we care about ourselves. That is Christ's great atoning example for us, and it ought to be more evident in the kindness we show, the respect we give, and the selflessness and courtesy we employ in our personal relationships."

 

 

I love my brother, Jesus Christ, and my purpose in this life is to come unto Him. I am striving every day to show my gratitude for what He did for me, and continues to do for me every day. Love should not be celebrated one day out of the year, but should be a continuous effort. We should be showing those we love how much we care about them by doing the simple things like sharing true interest in the things they are enthusiastic about, saying only kind and encouraging words, and doing small things here and there to affirm our love for them. Christ does this for us every single day. I encourage you to take the time to think about what He has done for you today to show that He loves you. You will ALWAYS be able to find something, for He is always finding ways to show us how much He cares. I hope we can all strive to follow His example and try a little harder to love a little easier.