The feelings of my heart

 Yesterday, my companion and I had a great opportunity of going to a woman house to "rake apples" I had never heard raking apples before going to her home! Her trees were overgrown, and many apples had fallen to the ground already rotting and a busy dinner destination for hornets! We did not have time to change out of our skirts and nice shoes, but wanting to surprise her before she got home, we busily worked until the job was done. As we worked I thought about my life, I thought about the times in my life when I have enjoyed doing service and the times when I have not. I realized that even when the job has been sticky, muddy, hot, and difficult the reward has been sweet. That reward is the sweetness of serving your fellow neighbor; your brother or sister. I am so grateful for opportunity of service.

 José L. Alonso said, "Each day we have the opportunity to give help and service—doing the right thing at the right time, without delay. Think of the many people who have a difficult time obtaining a job or who are ill, who feel lonely, who even think that they have lost everything. What can you do to help? Imagine that a neighbor, caught out in the rain with his car broken down, calls you for assistance. What is the right thing to do for him? When is the right time to do it?"

The answer is ANYTIME!! I know that in my times of need, I have been so grateful for those who have come to my aide. It was not the most convenient time for them, but as they listened to the influence of the spirit and acted upon it, I was greatly blessed! My challenge to you is to serve someone today! I love you all!

Matthew Chapter 22: vs 36-39 The Savior is asked:

36: Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 

37: Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy  soul, and with all thy mind. 

38: This is the first and great commandment. 

39: And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  

Love Thy Neighbor!

A young couple, Lisa and John, moved into a new neighborhood. One morning while they were eating breakfast, Lisa looked out the window and watched her next-door neighbor hanging out her wash.

“That laundry’s not clean!” Lisa exclaimed. “Our neighbor doesn’t know how to get clothes clean!”

John looked on but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, Lisa would make the same comments.

A few weeks later Lisa was surprised to glance out her window and see a nice, clean wash hanging in her neighbor’s yard. She said to her husband, “Look, John—she’s finally learned how to wash correctly! I wonder how she did it.”

John replied, “Well, dear, I have the answer for you. You’ll be interested to know that I got up early this morning and washed our windows!”

 -President Thomas S. Monson :Charity Never Faileth, Oct. 2010

  https://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/charity-never-faileth?lang=eng

I love this story! I know that as we all treat each other with kindness we will feel our Saviors love, and we will want to strive to become more like Him. We will feel love for those around us, it will make us happier in our day to day lives and we will feel peace. This life is the time for us to prepare to meet God, he loves each of us and wants us to return back to His presence. We aren't perfect, and we will make mistakes, but through our Savior we can repent and strive to become better everyday!

Matthew Chapter 25: 35-40

  For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 

The Book of Mormon

The Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ

The Lord Jesus Christ by Heinrich Hofmann

The Book of Mormon is another witness that Jesus is the Christ. That He is the Savior of all mankind, and that it is through Him, that we may be freed from our guilt, repent from our sins and return to live with God.  

The Prophet Joseph Smith by Alven Gittins

It is a record translated by the prophet Joseph Smith, in the year 1830

Lehi discovers the Liahona by Arnold Friberg (See 1 Nephi 16)

It begins with a family in Jerusalem. Prophets at that time were testifying to the people that Jerusalem would be destroyed, if they did not repent. Lehi, one of these prophets,  prayed to know God's will and was commanded of the Lord to leave Jerusalem. 

Lehi and his people arrive in the promised land. By Arnold Friberg (See 1 Nephi 18)

Along with his family, Lehi left Jerusalem, and headed to the seashore. God commanded them to build a boat, and through His divine guidance they sailed across the ocean.

Alma baptizes in the Waters of Mormon By Arnold Friberg (See Mosiah Chapter 18)



Landing in the Americas, they began to establish a civilization, and kept a record of their dealings with God and their witnesses of  Jesus Christ. God spoke through his servants the prophets and they learned about and performed sacred ordinances such as baptism. 

Samuel the Lamanite prophesies By Arnold Friberg (See Helaman Chapter 16)


Prophets testified of Jesus Christ, that He would come and save them from their sins. God gave them the choice to accept or reject that message. When they rejected the message they would fall into unbelief and wickedness. Because of Gods love, He consistently provided the way for them to repent. 

Jesus Christ visits the Americas By John Scott (See 3 Nephi 11)

The crowning event in the Book of Mormon is when Jesus Christ, appeared to the people after His resurrection. 

Moroni Buries the Nephite record  By Tom Lovell (See Mormon Chapter 8)


Moroni, was the last prophet to write in their records, giving a profound testimony of the things that were written. We can read His promise in the Book of Mormon: 

Moroni Chapter 10: 3-5

 3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how ^amerciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ^bponder it in your ^chearts.

 4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ^aask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not ^btrue; and if ye shall ask with a ^csincere heart, with ^dreal intent, having ^efaith in Christ, he will ^fmanifest the ^gtruthof it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

 5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may ^aknow the ^btruth of all things.

Read the Book of Mormon Online:

http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm?lang=eng

Our Foundation, Our Savior

In the story The Three Little Pigs, it describes three pigs who each build a home to protect themselves from their common enemy, the wolf. The first pig takes little time and effort into his home, piecing it out of straw. The second pig, however, takes a little more consideration into the matter. He carefully gathers sticks to build his home.  What I want you to consider is the last of the three little pigs, he being wisest of all, picking bricks to construct his home. This took more time than that of the others, and each day his friends encouraged him to leave his work to come play. We know that the wolf does come, visiting the first two homes he huffs and puffs easily blowing them down. Running to the aid of their friend the three little pigs find refuge in the carefully built brick home.

 In my life I have experienced times where it seems like I am the more foolish of the three pigs, taking little thought to what I do. Other times I have been the last pig, taking more consideration on the things that matter most. Living our lives in harmony with Jesus Christ and His teachings help build us a strong foundation. Doing what seems like the small things: prayer, scripture study, and church attendance are our building blocks to building our strong foundation.  So that when our enemy comes we will find strength through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Helaman Chapter 5:12
" 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 shall send forth 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." 

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go..."

 Decision making is not my strong point.  I must admit that in a store I must pick up an item of clothing four or five times before deciding on whether or not to purchase it!  I am THAT girl that struggles to decide what to eat at the restauant, and more than a few times hesitated on what to wear in the morning.  Frustration may set in for the cashier or the waiter, but after a few moments discouragent has left and relief has set in.  Although these skills may be laking, there are some that need no hesitation.

I know that I am a child of God, that He loves me, and has a plan for me.  This plan involved each of us coming to Earth, I know that this was my choice.  There is a goal in life and that is to live with our Heavenly Father, even God and His son Jesus Christ once again.  How amazing is our God!  That He has given us the opportunity to come to Earth, obtain a body, provide a Savior for us, even Jesus Christ. That we may be able to repent from our sins and come back to live in His presence!  We make choices everyday, some that are good, some that our bad. Through our choices we gain experience, knowledge, and testimony of our Savior. As you experience life, and learn to trust God through your trials I know that you too will not hesitate to follow Him and His Son, Jesus Christ.

To learn more:

  http://lds.org/plan/earth-life?lang=eng

The healing power of the Atonement

Throughout our lives we experience both physical and spiritual pain. While attending church this Sunday I reflected on my life, and why it is that our Heavenly Father allows us to experience this. I thought about Eric, a friend who died unexpectedly in High School.  I remembered the comfort that was given to me as I prayed and studied the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I learned that through our pains we will grow closer to Him, appreciate joy, feel humble, patient and compassionate.

Alma Chapter 7:11-13

And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

I am so grateful for Jesus Christ! I know that He really did suffer for each one of us. That He has felt our sicknesses, our pains, and our afflictions of every kind.

Plant what?

I absolutley love flowers, and gardening! You have to work for a beautiful garden: weeding, watering and fertalizing it to become beautiful. The same principle applies to our life. In order to live happily, we must take care of our hearts, strengthening them through love, and kindness.

In the book of Ephesians chapter 3 vs: 17-19 we learn that:

 ".. Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." http://lds.org/scriptures/nt/eph/3.17-19?lang=eng#16

This goes back to my original question: "Plant what?" Through prayer, and scripture study we will "plant" Jesus Christ and His gospel into our hearts. He is the Bread of Life, the nourishment to our soul.

I truly do know that this is true!  The gospel of Jesus Christ has helped me to overcome the difficulties that I face and recieve comfort that I need, even daily.  I know that you too, can feel Jesus Christ in your life. Through prayer, and scripture study you will feel Him in your heart. As you read the posts of my blog I pray that you will search for yourself, to know if these things are true.