He Overcame the World

The world we live in is a crazy place full of crime, injustices, tragedies, and sorrow. We hear so much every day about worldwide calamities and scary events. Confusion abounds in the media and sometimes it is difficult to know who or what is right or what we should do. In our own personal lives and families we experience trials as well. We may become unsure of our future and worry about how we will make it through. These hardships are very real and should certainly be considered seriously. We have to decide where we stand and how we will react in difficult situations. But I know that as long as we have faith in Jesus Christ and put our trust in Him and His teachings, we will not be led astray. We will be inspired to know which way we need to go or how to handle all that is thrown at us. In the end, if we are good and faithful to the gospel, we have nothing to worry about! This is not to say that believing in Jesus is easy, or that once you commit to follow Him you will never have sadness or troubles again. The world is meant to be a place of testing. However, we have been given a map of sorts to follow in order to navigate ourselves safely through the confusion. This "map" is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the steps of having faith, repenting of our sins, being cleansed through baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring obediently for the rest of our lives. If we will stick to this path, no matter what troubles come we can know for a surety that we will be safe in the end.

In John 16:33, Jesus sums this up very well. He says, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Jesus sacrificed Himself for this purpose. Because of Him, all things evil and bad will eventually lose. Light always overcomes darkness. It is frightening to walk in darkness, not quite knowing where you are headed along the way. But, as we look ahead to the "light at the end of the tunnel", we will make it safely back to God. Even more, this knowledge can bring us peace and joy in this life too. The understanding that Jesus overcame the world gives one an eternal perspective. They can work through trials with faith, knowing that whatever hard things they must endure, everything will work out in the end. Jesus does not want us to be sad or scared of the world we live in. He wants us to hope, have faith, and "be of good cheer". There is nothing to worry about if we are living the Lord's commandments and following His chosen prophets.

Lift Up Those Who Have Fallen

In John 8:1-11, we read the story of the woman caught in adultery, or having sexual relations outside of her marriage. It is important to note that adultery is one of the "thou shalt not's" commanded against in the Ten Commandments and had very severe punishments according to the Law of Moses. Therefore the scribes and Pharisees, who were very strict in following the law, brought this woman before Christ to be condemned. They brought her before Christ while He was teaching in the temple, which was a very public place. These men were trying to publicly shame the adulteress for her sins as well as potentially use her as a means to make Jesus look bad. If He forgave her, they could accuse Him of disobeying the law. But if Jesus condemned her, that would go against all that He had previously taught about love, forgiveness and repentance. However, Christ does something they were not expecting. He tells them, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone" (John 8:7). 

All of them left, with none to accuse her. In His most merciful way, Christ explains "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (v. 11). 

This story has great applications for us today. Every single person we meet, including ourselves, commits sin in one way or another. None of us are perfect yet. Yes, you may have issues with temptations that do not bother me, and vice versa. But, this does not make any one person better than the other. We all struggle and we all feel the despair of sin at times. It is our responsibility not to judge one another, but to lift up and love those around us. A particular application of this that all of us can apply has to do with those who struggle with addiction. There are addictions of every kind running rampant in the world today, and many people struggle with them every day. Some addictions are more visible than others, but all of them hurt. They cause pain in the lives of the addict and their loved ones. It can be hard to accept it when someone we love struggles with an addiction or temptation. But, through the atoning power of Jesus Christ, I KNOW that they can be healed and move forward. A big factor in this healing process is helping them to feel the pure love of Christ, which is charity. We can be instruments in the hands of the Lord to love, support, encourage, and accept those we love for where they are now and see the infinite potential that they have. Judgement only opens wounds; it is pure love that heals them.

Mission Farewell Talk

Here's my mission farewell talk for anyone who'd like to read it!

Good morning, brothers and sisters, friends, and family. I am so grateful to be speaking to you today about the Book of Mormon and its influence in my life and in my decision to serve a mission.

The Book of Mormon is an ancient record of scripture, similar in nature to the Bible. It contains the writings of prophets and followers of God. Just as Moses and others in the Old Testament prophesied of Jesus Christ's birth, life and ministry, and Atonement, the Book of Mormon prophets testified of Christ's coming to the Earth. In the Introduction of the Book of Mormon, it explains that the Book of Mormon “is a record of God's dealings with ancient inhabitants of the Americas and contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel.” Jesus Christ made himself known to His people in the Americas, as well as in Jerusalem. In John 10:16, Jesus says, “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.” The crowning event in the Book of Mormon is when Jesus Christ fulfills this duty by visiting the people of the Americas, some of His “other sheep,” after His resurrection. He taught them His gospel and about the Plan of Salvation.

I have grown up reading the Book of Mormon and learning about it. I think I have always sort of known in my heart that it is true, but I didn't understand how or why. Especially in the past year, as I have more intensely and individually studied the Book of Mormon and prayed about it, I have found truth in its simple message. The gospel of Jesus Christ is one of mercy, of grace, and of hope. Basically, we are to use our God-given free will in order to choose to follow Jesus Christ. Our life is a refining process in which we learn, grow, repent, improve, and make sacred promises. As we turn our lives towards Christ, He will make us better and provide the way for our salvation. The Bible and the Book of Mormon work together to testify of Jesus Christ. They show how straying from Christ leads to pain, suffering, and confusion, while striving to be more like Him will bring happiness, hope, and clarity to our lives. In the Book of Mormon, it explains that the Book of Mormon was written that we may believe in the Bible, and if we believe in the Bible, we will believe in the Book of Mormon as well because they both testify of Jesus Christ, of the power of God, and the miracles which He has done for us.

As a full-time missionary, I will be working with a companion to teach the people of Brazil in our area about Jesus Christ and His gospel. I want to share the truth that I have found in the Book of Mormon and in Jesus Christ's gospel and plan of salvation. Our humble invitation is for others to come unto Jesus Christ and obtain salvation and happiness through His gospel. In the Book of Mark, chapter 1 verse 4 it explains how John the Baptist preached “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins”. The gospel that Jesus Christ taught while on the Earth was just this. To obtain salvation, we must have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This faith leads us to want to become better people, and to repent of our sins. As we repent, we turn our lives towards Jesus Christ and follow His commandments. This change in our lives is manifested by being baptized by immersion for the remission of our sins. When we are baptized, we make covenants with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that we will serve them, keep the commandments, be witnesses of Jesus Christ, and always remember Him. Baptism solidifies our commitment to Christ and shows that we are His disciple. It also allows us to be spiritually born again, and cleansed from all our previous sins. We are given a clean slate! Heavenly Father's promise to us is that we can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a spirit who guides, directs, comforts, and inspires us for good. After baptism, we can receive the gift of constant companionship with the Holy Ghost if we live up to our promises. This makes it easier for us to live righteous lives and make good decisions, as we endure the trials and troubles of mortal life to the end. As long as we remain faithful to our covenants, or promises with God, we will live with Him again, alongside our families, in eternal happiness. God's “work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”

Everyone who came to the Earth knew about this plan before they were born, and it is my purpose as a missionary to invite God's children to come back to it and live their Heavenly Father's plan. The Book of Mormon outlines the purpose of life, the gospel of Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father's plan for us to come back to Him. Not only does this plan outline our means for eternal happiness after death, but living the gospel in our lives now brings blessings of happiness, peace, and strength. As a missionary, I will do as the Book of Mormon prophet Alma taught, and “stand as a witness of God at all times, and in all things, and in all places”.

There are three major things taught in the Book of Mormon that testify to me that it is true. They are the principles of purpose, progress, and potential. I want people to know what I know about why we are here, what we can become, and how we can do it. God is a loving Heavenly Father, who has sent us all to Earth so that we may learn, grow, and become better people. In the Book of Mormon it says, “This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God” (Alma 34:32). Our purpose on Earth is to become worthy enough to live in the presence of God. Luckily, He has given us the means to do this. We know of the Plan of Salvation, in which we must live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Through faith, repentance, baptism, and living the commandments, we become refined and improved. We grow a closer relationship to our Heavenly Father and to His Son, Jesus Christ. Our lives will be happier, more fulfilling, and we will be better equipped to deal with the inevitable challenges of life. Though we will not become perfect in this life, or be happy at all times, living the gospel of Jesus Christ with diligence will give us an anchor to hold to. It is a foundation that if we build upon it, we cannot fall. The Book of Mormon helps us to know know of the divine and amazing potential that we have, simply by being children of a Heavenly Father. Just as children often grow up to become like their parents, we have the potential to become like God. Through His grace, forgiveness, and mercy, we can turn our lives around and become whole.

As part of our divine potential, I also am excited to teach others about the eternal potential of our families. God designed the family to be the fundamental unit of society. If mothers and fathers raise children in righteousness, teaching them to follow the gospel of Jesus Christ, and receiving the blessings of the temple, families can be together forever. A loving family is the most important support in our lives, and it is so exciting that we can have these loving ties for all eternity. Elder Robert D. Hales said: “The family is not an accident of mortality. It existed as an organizational unit in the heavens before the world was formed; historically, it started on earth with Adam and Eve, as recorded in Genesis. Adam and Eve were married and sealed for time and all eternity by the Lord, and as a result their family will exist eternally.”

Lastly, I would like to invite everyone to read the Book of Mormon. Whether you have read it several times, or have never even seen one, please read the Book of Mormon. It is a true book given to us from God and it's message is one of peace, hope, happiness, and salvation. Whenever I feel lost, confused, or upset, reading the Book of Mormon brings me peace, understanding, and joy. But, don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself if it is true. At the end of the Book of Mormon, in the book of Moroni chapter 10 verses 4-5 it says:

4. 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.

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

Heavenly Father is anxious for us to know the truth. But He cannot answer our questions unless we ask them. I testify that this gospel is true, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Best Youtube Channel out there

So this week I just want to put a quick plug in for the "Mormon Messages" Youtube channel! It is full of short, inspiring videos and I love watching them because I always learn something or feel comforted and touched by the Spirit. Here's the channel: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4E784EC0770935C0, and this link is also on the sidebar of my blog.

And here's one of my favorites to get you started:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdN8rfwW3SI&list=PL4E784EC0770935C0&index=6

Enjoy!

Trust in His Plan

For the past few weeks I have been thinking a lot about God's plan for us on Earth and as individuals. I know that we are all on the Earth for a purpose and that is to learn, grow, make choices, and come to know our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. They want us to be able to come back and live with them after we die, and have provided a way to do this through the Plan of Salvation. (See this post to learn more about the Plan of Salvation: http://searchingandfindingtruth.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-way.html). This plan gives me comfort because I know that I am not just wandering aimlessly here on Earth for maybe seventy to eighty years for no reason. It gives me reason to live, to work hard, to change, to grow, to endure tough times, and to keep pressing forward. I love that God is so organized and has given us exactly what we need to do to find happiness and salvation. It's no mystery and is open for all to learn, believe, and know.

Similarly, I believe that we all have different things to accomplish in our lives. Things that we can do to serve others and to change the world. I have recently discovered how little I truly know about the world, and really the universe in general. Though it may be a hard thought, I really do not have much power over the world around me. Of course, I have the power to control my own decisions, actions, and behavior. But, I cannot control what others do or what challenges come my way. My knowledge and faith in God gives me hope that everything will work out as it should. Anything that I could plan and hope for my life may certainly be good, but I know that if I follow God and serve Him, He will bless me beyond what I could dream of. He will refine me and make my life so much more meaningful and important. Sometimes, I worry about the future. It bothers me not to know exactly how my life will turn out sometimes. But, I realized that I do not need to know every little detail of the future to have hope that it will be good. As long as I follow the commandments of God, I will be guided and directed through the darkness of this world to happiness and light. As humans, we naturally want to feel in control. Psychologically it gives us confidence and eases our anxiety to feel like we have all the power in our lives. Think how much more secure of a feeling it is to know that the Supreme, All-Knowing, Creator of the Universe knows YOU, loves YOU, and wants to take care of YOU. He has set forth the way to follow. All we have to do is choose it and act on it.

I'm back!

So I know that I have kind of been neglecting this blog for the past month...I guess final exams, moving, and being crazy busy with things to get done will do that to you. But I'm home and have a lot more free time! I guess I should give a bit of an update on the many events that have been happening in my life recently. I received my mission call on my 19th birthday (how fitting, right?) and opened it with my family and roommates. Here's the video: Mission Call Opening!


It was such a special moment and has made me even more excited to serve the Lord as a missionary. I have already grown to love Brazilian culture, the Portuguese language, and the people there. I can't wait to bring happiness and knowledge to others about the great blessings of our Heavenly Father that await them. Ever since I have received my mission call, my testimony of the gospel has strengthened as well as my knowledge that I really am supposed to go on a mission. I have felt the attacks of Satan in my life ten-fold, but also the blessings of the Atonement and of a loving Heavenly Father. I know that any stumbling blocks that appear in my life trying to prevent me from going on a mission are surmountable if I keep the faith and continue to do what Heavenly Father wants me to do. An example of this is my visa paperwork. Obtaining a visa for Brazil is especially difficult, and the Church Travel Office impressed to me that if I did not have all of the paperwork they gave me sent back to them by May 7, that my visa would be delayed and I would probably not be able to go on my mission on time or would have to go elsewhere. This stressed me out at first because I wasn't returning home until April 30, giving me exactly 1 week to gather over ten documents, most of which needed to be signed, notarized, and authenticated by the State. I was worried, but prayed that I would be able to get it all done in time. Though it was not an easy process, everything did work out and fell into place. I was able to get my paperwork in a day early even! Of course, it isn't definite that I will get my visa on time still, with the complicated laws of Brazilian visas, but I am confident that whatever does happen will be right and that I can go forward with faith that things will turn out as they should. I am so excited to serve as a missionary, and Heavenly Father has blessed me so much even just in the past week that I know that He loves me and is watching over me and my family.

Mission Papers are in! Read more about it here! :)

I have made the decision to serve my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) as a missionary for 18 months after this semester. I realized that a lot of you may not be familiar with missionary service, so I thought I would take the time to explain what I will be doing and why. As a missionary, I will be devoting all of my time and energy to serving the Lord and teaching others about the gospel of Jesus Christ. I will work alongside another female companion, and we will visit and teach people together. Along with teaching, missionaries participate in a lot of service in the communities they are assigned to. They strive to help others understand God's plan for our salvation and come to know their Savior Jesus Christ. Since most of my time will be devoted to this work, I will put aside school, dating, and employment for the 18 months that I am out serving. I will have a day each week in which I can write letters and e-mails to family and friends (I'd love to hear from you!), but most of the time I will be focused on my assignment to serve.

I have been working on my application to serve as a missionary for the past few months, which has involved dental and medical evaluations, interviews with church leaders, and several other preparatory steps. I officially am submitting my paperwork this weekend!! This paperwork will be sent to the Mission Office in Salt Lake City, Utah. The leaders of the church review all the applications and prayerfully assign each missionary based on revelation from God as to where they are needed to serve. This decision will be made sometime next week, and I will hopefully receive my mission call in the mail about a week after that!! I am so excited to find out where the Lord needs me to serve Him! There are 405 mission areas all around the world, so there are many places I could go! (Guesses start now!) No matter where I am called to serve, I know that it is where I am meant to go and that I will be able to serve the people there with help from God. I know that God has a plan for all of us to bring us back to live with Him because He loves us so much!  I can't wait to share this knowledge with other people, wherever that may be. When I get my call, I will be assigned to report to a Missionary Training Center (MTC) on a certain date sometime this summer. While at the MTC, I will learn how to teach the gospel and be a good missionary. I may be learning a new language as well, depending on where I am assigned to serve. After a few weeks at the MTC, I will be off to whichever mission I am assigned to and will start my service as a missionary! I am so excited about this opportunity to serve others and to teach people the truth that I know. I recognized that this is quite a different experience, and it is going to be one of the greatest in my life. I hope you will ask me any questions that you may have, I would love to talk to you about it! Please don't hesitate to ask anything you may be wondering about. Also, thanks to everyone that's been reading my blog; I've been learning so much by writing it and am grateful for the opportunity to share what I'm learning with others.  If you enter your e-mail address at the top of the page, you can subscribe to my blog too! Thanks everyone, I love you!

The Law is Fulfilled

In Biblical times, the people of Israel were given the Law of Moses, a specific code of commandments and ordinances to be followed. This Law was given to the people by a prophet to guide them and help them be better prepared to follow Jesus Christ when He came. It was never intended to be the law forever, but was a preparatory motion for the people of Israel. When Christ came to the Earth and completed the Atonement through His suffering, Crucifixion, and Resurrection, He overcame death of the body and set forth a new law.

In the Book of Mormon, Jesus tells the people "Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel; therefore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfill the law; therefore it hath and end" (3 Nephi 15:5). He then introduced the doctrine of Christ, the higher law, saying: "I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life" (v. 9). This doctrine shows the way to return to Christ by having faith, repenting of our sins, being baptized for a remission or cleansing of these sins, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit to be with us always, and enduring through life's inevitable struggles faithfully by following the commandments of God. I know that this gospel that Jesus Christ set forth is true, and although much of it was lost or confused as history went on after His death, the fullness of the gospel has been restored to the Earth through the prophet Joseph Smith. I testify that we can all look to Christ and follow His gospel as we learn to have faith, be obedient, and open our hearts to the truth that He has brought to the Earth through His servants, the prophets.

As I prepare to serve a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints beginning this year, I have increased in my study and focus on the Book of Mormon and God's plan for all of mankind. As part of my Book of Mormon course at Brigham Young University, I am encouraged and inspired to share the insights that I discover with others. The most effective way to me to do this is through this blog, where I will post weekly reflections on my thoughts, impressions, and learning as I prayerfully study the Lord's word in the Book of Mormon. It is my hope that these posts will be of some inspiration, enlightenment, or benefit to you who read and follow them. I want to share the knowledge and hope in Christ that I have and will continue to gain with all those who are willing to hear it. :)