Positive Attributes of My Friends :) (Self-Worth)

In the Personal Progress activity I have been working on, we were asked to right down the positive attributes of people we noticed over a 2 week period. So here's mine :)

Elder Daniel Robinson has put up with me since the end of May. He is one of the most kind people and missionaries I’ve ever known. I am so very blessed to know such a loving and caring guy. He’s really funny and is always willing to help. He makes us laugh even when it makes look really silly. If anyone asks him a question and he doesn’t know the answer, he always does his best to find the answer. He is extremely dedicated to his work, which is currently serving as a missionary. I truly could not imagine my life without him. He’s always been here for me through the good times, and the bad. He’s definitely become a very close friend. These qualities that I’ve noticed over the two week period are not some that were present just during this time – they’re always present. Elder Robinson has helped me to learn so much about the gospel and he’s definitely made all of these changes a ton easier, and these things are definitely not always easy.

Jacob Jensen followed the prompting given to him by the Spirit to help me. He says he is very grateful he followed this prompting haha. Jacob is truly a wonderful guy. He’s so loving and caring. He’s always willing to help people. While he says that sometimes he helps simply because it’s his duty to God, I truly believe it’s for other reasons as well. Jacob is very patient and for the most part is not irritated easily. He’s nearly always in a super happy mood and this mood truly influences others. I would say it’s what draws all of us to him. I am very blessed to have met Jacob, as well!

Allison is an amazing girl I’ve known for about four months now. Each day, she always seems happy and wishes me a great day at school. Just seeing that helps so much. She truly brightens my day and encourages me in everything I do. I could not imagine my life without her. During the time I was truly struggling with my testimony, she lifted me up and helped ever so much. That is something she continues to do every single day.

Elder Jason Thomas is currently Elder Robinson’s companion. Elder Thomas is a very funny and easygoing missionary. He makes me laugh each time I talk to him. He is very uplifting and the Spirit is very much present in his life. I very much enjoy each chance I get to talk to him.

Elder Allen Jacques is currently serving as a missionary. Elder Jacques, now “Elder Jakes” is an awesome missionary. He’s always willing to help and serve others. He claims that he hasn’t always been like that. While I completely believe him, I find it very difficult to imagine. He is quite knowledgeable of the gospel and those times he doesn’t know, he tries his hardest to find out. He’s always encouraging me to do my best and constantly reminds me that my best is all I can do and it is good enough for Heavenly Father. I am so very grateful to have met him.

Elder Minan Choe always seems to be in a great mood each time I talk to him. He’s been a very busy missionary, so I really don’t have that much to write about him from these past two weeks. But in past months, he’s been super encouraging. He helped me as I was struggling over the summer to find what is true. He’s very encouraging and uplifting. He’s the type of person you know will stay by your side. He’s sensitive to the Spirit and listens to what it tells him to say or do. And this is very apparent especially when you talk to him. I am so happy I was given the opportunity to meet him!

Elder Dallin Kestner is the type of missionary who is always trying his best, even when it gets hard – and it does get hard… a lot. He’s given me enormous amounts of support, especially when I need it. He’s one of the easiest missionaries to talk to. I never have to worry about him thinking any less of me and I know that’s true for others. He’s also very amusing. One of his favorite things is to share riddles. Sometimes, he truly does stump me. I do believe I have yet to stump him haha.

Kira Northrop taught me when she was serving a mission down here in Texas! She is definitely a very influential person! Always in a great mood and someone I want to be just like. I love her so very much. Over the summer when I was having a very difficult time, she set aside all of her troubles just to help me. I feel this shows how much of an unselfish person she truly is. She is very loving and always willing to help. She’s truly an amazing person!!

Chance Gallagher is someone I’ve known for about two months now. Each time I talk to him, he’s pretty happy. He’s always there for me and is also very knowledgeable of the gospel. I cannot think of a time where he’s said anything negative to me. He truly is an amazing person.

Jason Johnson is now a returned missionary. He taught me between March and May. Jason is the type of guy who’s always there for you. He will listen when you ask him for help and help you decifier the best options, even when the correct way sometimes is unclear. I know I can talk to him about anything. He’s been with me there during my struggles and I know he is a person you can count on. I learned tons from him and would not trade my experiences for anything.

Adam Jensen (is not related to Jacob haha) was an amazing missionary, for sure. And now that his mission is over, he continues to talk to me and help me with everything I need. He’s truly an amazing friend. Adam is very knowledgeable about the gospel and has truly been a blessing in my life. I think each of us meet for a reason, and I know that there was a reason I met him. He is a funny guy and very patient. When I’m not having too great of a day, he always makes me smile.

Brian Parker has truly blessed my life in so many ways. He’s helped me and has taught me so much. He’s helped me in past months to discern what is true and what is not. I think I could almost call him my guardian angel (haha) as he is always there. He’s always willing to help and truly values the gospel. He’s the type of person I hope to be just like. He’s very loving and cares so very much about his family and friends. I am truly blessed to have met him and to have gotten to know him in the small way I have.

"Wrong Roads"

I would like to share this testimony with you guys, as it is one I feel prompted to share.

Today I was watching the Mormon message “Wrong Roads.” (http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages) On the way back home, Elder Holland and his son were uncertain of which road to take, so they both prayed and asked the Lord which road they should take. They both felt very strongly that they should go to the right, so they did. About 400 yards down the road, they reached a dead end and knew with absolute certainty that it was the wrong road. So they turned back around and took the other road.
The boy later asked why they had been told to take the wrong road after praying about it. Elder Holland replied that he believed it was the Lord’s will to get them on the correct road with some understanding and some reassurance that they were on the correct road and that they didn’t have to worry about it. In this case, Elder Holland said, that it was easier for them to go 400 or 500 yards down the wrong road and know with an absolute certainty that was the wrong road and to have that same certainty that the other road was the right one.
I feel that this same sort of thing happened to me. While I wasn’t lost physically, I believe I can safely say I was lost spiritually. I suppose I felt I knew what was best for me, without consulting the Lord first. This became a great mistake because I was relying far too much on my friends and myself for help, rather than seeking the Lord for help and guidance when I needed it. I stopped searching the scriptures and saying my prayers. At first, I couldn’t really feel a difference. The less I prayed and the less I read, the easier things seemed to get. And that was great, for a little bit. But then all that reassurance and all that help felt like it was gone. I couldn’t even feel the love that anyone said they have for me. I could see or hear their words, but I couldn’t feel it and that was pretty scary. Part of it I know was my own doing. But I also think part of it was the Lord’s doing. He allowed me to me what would happen in my life if I continued down the path I was on.
This experience relates to the video in that the Lord allowed me to wander down the wrong path for a little while before helping me to figure out that I was on the wrong path. Now I know with absolute certainty that I need to rely on and look to my Heavenly Father for help rather than asking friends for help first.
I know that as we seek our Heavenly Father’s help, He will help us. He will also not allow us to wander too far from the straight and narrow path without a warning. He loves us and He is always there for us.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Personal Attributes (Self-Worth)

Thursday, June 27, 2013


Elders Robinson and Earley say I am:

Intelligent. I can continue to develop this attribute by learning more and keeping an open mind. By definition, intelligence is: 1) having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree; 2) possessing sound knowledge. I would say that possessing sound knowledge could be attributed to knowing that this Church is the one true church and knowing that the Book of Mormon is true. So, as long as I continue to read and gain a stronger testimony, I will be able to possess sound knowledge.

Full of hope and faith - In Alma 32:21, it says "And now as I said concerning faith—faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." By this we know that we have to hope for things and have faith in those things we cannot see. Elder Holland gave a speech awhile back about trusting in the Lord and hoping and believing in good things to come. We need to hope that there will be good things ahead, even when it doesn't seem like it right now. And we do this through faith. I need to work on my faith and hope that everything will turn out okay with my parents and I can do this by trusting in the Lord and hoping for happiness and help.

Obedient. To be obedient is to do what someone says. For me, I need to work on listening more to the Lord than to my parents. There are many times when He's told me to do something and I haven't done it because I'm afraid of the consequences from my parents. In Matthew 10:37, it says "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." So, I need to work on loving the Lord and listening to Him more than I listen and love my parents.

You have a sincere desire to serve the Lord. My desire to serve the Lord comes from almost 17 years of not doing so. As a child, I chose not to listen or follow the Lord and I can say those were the absolute saddest times of my life. The Gospel literally has saved my life and I encourage all who have not given the Mormon faith a try to do so. It is amazing what happens when you have a desire to learn more about the Lord and the will to do as He says. I can honestly say that a life without the Lord is not worth living. I can improve my desire to serve the Lord by praying and reading my scriptures daily. I know that each time I read my scriptures, specifically the Book of Mormon, my faith continues to grow. As does my trust and faith in the Lord.

Optimistic. This means to have a positive outlook on life. I know for the longest I was a glass is half empty kind of person, but this is not the way to be. We need to look for good things to come and look over past the mountain that is in front of us. For me, this is sometimes quite a challenge. I know I can overcome this and be more optimistic by exercising my faith in the Lord and reading my scriptures daily.

Trusting. My parents always told me this is my biggest downfall in life. I too easily trust those that I know. I also know, though, that if I had not trusted the Lord to help me, I would not have met the amazing missionaries I now know. I need to trust that the Lord will help me and with His help, that everything will turn out alright in the end.

Diligent. Means to be persistent and not stop until you accomplish your task. Currently, my task is to persuade my parents to allow me to attend church. I also need to work on my faith in the Lord. I can do this by diligently (consistently) reading my scriptures on a daily basis and praying to ask the Lord for help.

Cheerful. Is to be happy. I need to learn to be happy with what I have and not wish for more. I cannot go living a life in a negative manner. Through the help of the Lord, I can change this.
Meek and humble - to be meek is to be willing to do as the Lord says. I need to work on not only listening to what the Lord says, but actually doing this. I can do this by developing a greater trust in the Lord. To be humble is to never take more than you need and to be happy with what you have. I need to be happy that I am allowed to meet with the online missionaries and to not concentrate on what I don't have. I can do this through prayer and faith with the Lord's help.

Charity and love. Charity is the pure love of Christ. It is the love that Christ has for the children of men and that the children of men should have for one another. It is the highest, noblest, and strongest kind of love and the most joyous to the soul. Love is an amazing thing and is something I need to work on. I need to be more open to people and not to think I'm better than them. As an athlete, we were encouraged to think that we're better than others, but through the gospel and the missionaries, I have learned this is not correct. Through faith and prayer, I know that the Lord can help me eliminate these thoughts and help me become a more Christ-like person.

Personal Attributes (Self-Worth)

Thursday, September 5, 2013


Jade says I am:

Very hard-working. To be hard-working means you work hard to make sure you get the job done correctly and you will not stop until you have completely finished the task at hand. I can use this quality to help people with tasks that they need accomplished. One of my favorite things to do is tutor people in math. I can use this gift to help make sure they completely understand what it is they should be learning. I can improve this quality by striving to do my best with every task and challenge I face.

Smart. To be smart is the same as being intelligent. You understand what you are doing. When I think of this attribute, the first thing that comes to mind is the ability to almost always do my schoolwork on my own. I can use this gift to help others around me. I can strengthen this quality by making sure I am always challenging myself and not doing work that is too easy.

Friendly. One definition of friendly is being inclined to help or support. I think one of the smallest, yet greatest things we can do is just smile at someone. It is a friendly gesture that often can make a person's day. I know I love seeing people smile. Through this, I can encourage people by being nice to them. My mom often told us that the world is far too mean for us to also be mean to each other. I agree. I think the way I can improve this is by being more open to people and to help support them at each opportunity. I need to make sure I'm not being jealous or envious of what they have and just make sure that I am happy for them for what they have or what they have accomplished.

Positive. I think of the greatest things we need to make sure we are doing is remaining positive. When we do this, we indicate that we trust our Heavenly Father to help us. We know that He will make sure we turn out alright and don't suffer through anything more than we can handle. When we are positive, things often end up seeming far easier than they would if we constantly told ourselves we couldn't do something. People are more likely to want to be around you if you are positive. Positivity also makes you a happier person over all. What I can do with this gift is try to use it to help other people to retain their confidence and not be swayed just because a task is difficult. For me, I need to make sure I am trusting my Heavenly Father in that everything will turn out okay in the end. This is important because this is a faith based attribute and without faith, nothing can happen.
 
Full of faith. As Alma 32:21 says "And now as I said concerning faith - faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." I think I truly have no choice but to trust my Heavenly Father and have faith and hope that He is aware of me and knows exactly what He's doing. Sometimes this is the absolute hardest thing to do because we want answers now, not later. I can use my testimony to inspire other people to remain faithful and learn to trust in the Lord. To improve this gift, I need to try my hardest to trust the Lord and to have faith that He will help me when He thinks the time is best.

Pretty. Pretty can be used to describe many things. Mostly though, it is used to describe the appearance of a person. With this being said, we can use our looks to attract people. People like friends. No one really wants to be friends with someone who does not keep themselves looking clean. I can use this attribute to attract people to learn more about the gospel. I've often been told that many people like my smile, so that would be one I can try to give someone a better day. For me, I think one thing I need to work on is eating right. As an athlete, I never really had to worry about that too much. But now I'm not playing sports like I need to, so diet becomes a concern.

Talented. This is such a broad attribute because it is so vague. One can be talented in so many areas. I'm not quite sure, really, what my talents are. But something I am currently working on is becoming better at art. To do this, I need to make sure I'm always putting forth my best effort in school and striving to do no less than my very best each and every day. No one is perfect so perfection is not something any of us can achieve. So, as I strive to do my best each day, I will become better and develop and learn to recognize my talents.

Loving. To be loving can be an absolute challenge some days. And it's not so much loving someone - it's showing that love. Each of us want to be loved by someone and it means all the more if we are close to that person. To be loving, I think I need to work on not holding things against people in any way, shape, or form and focus on the good things they do. Not their past mistakes.

Kind. To be kind means that we are conscious of our decisions and words that we say to others. I need to make sure that I'm constantly paying attention to what I'm saying so I don't say anything that could be taken the wrong way or that is offensive in any way.

Happy. I always tell one of my best friends that you're only as happy as you want to be. Something I want to continue trying do is finding the positive side in everything. There always is one, it just can be hard to find sometimes. But as you keep searching for it, you will find it. When we focus on the good things in life, and not the bad, we become happy. One other way to remain happy is reading your scriptures daily and trying to become more like Christ. When we do this, we can become happy. 

Personal Attributes (Self-Worth)

Thursday, September 5, 2013


Brian says I am:

Smart. I think for being smart, one of the greatest things you can rely on to help you is your Heavenly Father. I have definitely noticed a huge change in my grades since I started learning about the gospel. Now, Heavenly Father is not going to do all of the work for you, but if you do your best and study as you're supposed to, He will help you remember the things which you learned. What I can do with this is I can help others with homework and the like. To improve this attribute, I can continue my education in school and work on studying more. 

Hard-working. I am the type of person who doesn't like to leave until the job is done. One such example would be with my art project. Being a perfectionist, I really like to make things as perfect as I can get them. So, I will spend hours and hours working on something until I get it just how I want. This sort of hard-work helps me especially when I am tutoring other students because I try my best to work with them and find a way to help them understand what it is they are doing. Generally, I don't feel like I can stop helping someone until I am sure they understand the particular concept. One way to improve this would be relaxing a bit and not having to have everything be just how I want it. It helps a bunch when I'm in school doing art or something, but it also takes away a ton of time that I could be spending with my family.

Able to function with little sleep. I don't know if this is necessarily a good thing, but I don't need that much sleep. Usually five hours is enough. One thing that makes this a beneficial attribute is that it means I can stay up late studying and do just as well as someone who got double the amount of sleep I do. It means I can help others who need it and still have enough time to do my work. One thing I do need to work on, though, is getting more sleep and I can do this by making sure I prioritize my activities and that I keep myself from being distracted as easily.

Truth seeking. I think one of the most important things we can do in our lives is establish our own personal system of beliefs. That is something I've been working on - finding what is the truth? For me, this pertains to the gospel, but there are a variety of other things it relates with as well. To find the truth has taken quite some time. And the truth, while it never changes, you do so you need to keep studying it and seek to learn more. I can use my testimony to inspire others to learn more about the church and find what is true. I personally can continue trying to establish a healthy daily habit of prayer and scripture study.

Curious. I love learning. So with that love follows a certain curiosity to always want to know more. I love the gospel and I love learning as much as I can about it. Part of holding a want to know more is asking questions. And when I'm not asking questions, I try to find the answers myself. I can share with others what I've learned from my own personal studies and what I've learned from asking the missionaries questions. What I can improve on is working more diligently when I'm studying the gospel and trying to find the answers on my own first, then ask for help. I also need to make sure I'm asking Heavenly Father for help rather than asking the missionaries. By doing this, I will build a much better relationship with Him.

Inquisitive. To be inquisitive is nearly the same as being curious. Something that I've noticed that is different in the definition is it is a desire to research. Now in my opinion, this seems like something, when you're not asking questions, you'd be doing on your own. And even still, you can research your own questions. Something I can do is I can encourage others to ask questions and try to find the answers to them on their own. This is something I need to work on doing as well.

Kind. Being nice to people is sometimes a really hard thing especially since we live in such a judgmental world. I strive to be kind to all that I meet, but sometimes that's really hard especially since we all have a tendency to judge people before we really know them. I will admit to having done that multiple times. Unfortunately, that also happened very recently. I want to make sure I'm really getting to know a person first before I make any opinions about the person and I can encourage others to do that, too.

A good example to those around her. Sometimes it's hard knowing that people are always watching your actions and more so with little kids, imitating what you do. I try to do what I know Christ would want me to do. I like the slogan "Choose The Right." It means to do the right thing even when everyone else around you isn't. It also is based off of integrity, or what you do when no one is watching. I need to make sure that the decisions I make are the right ones and that I am doing what Christ would want me to. Leading by example is very important. When others see your good example, they will follow.

Faithful. Having faith means trusting and sometimes this is the very hardest thing to do. Especially when we really don't know what's going to happen. And yet, this is the most important thing. We need to trust our Heavenly Father and have faith that He knows what's best for us. When we do this, we find that we are much happier. Last night, I decided that I was just going to put my full trust in Heavenly Father and not ask why He tells me to do something. I need to trust that He knows what He's doing and that it will help me in the bigger scheme of things. I need to work on not worrying so much about things. I can use my experiences to help others build their faith in Heavenly Father, as well, by setting an example and then asking them to follow this example, like for daily scripture reading.

A super cool cat!. I really don't know what to say about this one. I suppose the best thing I can come up with is just trying to do my best and encourage others to do the same.

Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time

Sunday, August 4, 2013


One of my favorite Mormon Messages is called "Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time" by Quentin L. Cook (Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ). I think one of the reasons it has such meaning to me is because it lets us know that Heavenly Father is truly aware of everything we go through each and everyday. He knows our pains, sorrows, and afflictions. He also knows our joyous moments and helps us so much through the blessings He gives us. I encourage anyone who is having a hard time right now to watch this video :) It's only 3 and a half minutes long and is truly eye-opening.

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911161808001

Infinite Power of Hope

Sunday, August 4, 2013


While on Facebook, I saw someone's comment mentioning a video about Hope. Curious as to what it said I looked it up on YouTube. I would encourage anyone who is in need of Hope to watch this video. It is extremely uplifting and helpful. Because of Christ, no matter how despairing our lives may seem right now, there is always Hope and something to be grateful for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbsU3b2srQA

Waiting On Our Road to Damascus

Sunday, August 4, 2013


"Let us not wait too long on our road to Damascus." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Many of us know the story of Saul who became Paul. In this Mormon Message, President Uchtdorf describes the importance of not waiting and waiting for a miracle to cause us to act on something. It is our responsibility to make sure we are moving forward and not just stuck in one area. So often, time passes us by and when we finally realize how much time has actually gone by, we wish we had acted sooner.

This wonderful video emphasizes and shows the importance of needing to move forward. I encourage everyone to watch it :)

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=1452683656001

Lesson on Faith

Monday, July 8, 2013


There are many times in our lives when we sit down to pray and we wonder if our Heavenly Father really hears us. Sure we address Him by name and share our hopes and dreams, tell Him what's bothering us, what we would like to have or accomplish and what we are thankful for. But even when we think of all that, we still wonder if He actually hears us. I can think of a time even in the past few weeks when I've wondered if He hears me. Sometimes I feel like I'm just talking to a brick wall. We have to have faith, though, that He really does hear us. I think Alma 32:21 gives an excellent description of what faith is. And it says "Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen which are true."
We are not going to know why everything that happens in our lives happens. We don't know what tomorrow will bring. We really don't know much at all and that is why it is absolutely imperative that we rely on our Heavenly Father.
Without Him, we are nothing. Heavenly Father has set up a plan for us called The Plan of Salvation. It is also called The Plan of Happiness because that's what He wants each of His children to be - happy. From constant prayer, I know this to be true. We can know this to be true by looking at 1 Peter 5:7, which says "Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you."
There is more to The Plan of Salvation than what a simple diagram could show. The diagram only shows you living in Heaven as spirit children, coming down to Earth, then dying and all. A major part that is not shown in this diagram is how we need to live our lives. People can say that we need to live a Christ-like life, but what does that really mean?
Heavenly Father, through revelation, has set forth Laws and Ordinances which help us while here on Earth and help enable us to one day return to live with Him. One such law would be the Law of Chastity which states that we should not have sexual relations with anyone but whoever you're legally married to or cause the arousal of the powerful emotions which should only be expressed in marriage. Laws such as these protect us. Heavenly Father has faith that we will follow these and we must have faith that these will help and protect us.
If you ever question what you are doing or about to do, you probably should not do it. But if you need to, you can pray to ask Heavenly Father. To receive an answer, you must ask with a sincere heart and you need to faithfully follow the answer you are given. In Moroni 10:4-5 it tells us, " 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 has given us this wonderful gift of communication with Him and it really is special. We need to trust that He hears us and we need to have faith that He will answer us in His own time. That's what faith really is - trust.
Romans 8:39 "Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
http://www.mormonchannel.org/mormon-messages-for-youth?v=2505987918001

Qualities Of A Good Mother (Faith)

Saturday, March 2, 2013


There are many qualities a good mother should have. They should be patient and kind, as well as loving. "The Family: A Proclamation to the World" says the traits everyone should have are faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.
In the story of the mothers of Helaman's stripling warriors, the mothers exercise great faith in God when they simply let their sons go off to war. Two thousand sons left and not one mother questioned God's doing. They completely had faith in God. These mothers also taught their sons the importance of great faith. Because of this, each one of them came back alive. Faith is something we use every day. When we pray, we have faith that God hears us and will help us. When we are in a tough situation we have faith that God will help us find a way. This is something our children need to learn. Without faith, we have almost nothing.
Prayer is the most powerful way of communication we have with God. Prayer enables us to talk to Him and ask Him for help. Prayer is the way we ask for forgiveness or guidance, for help making a decision. Prayer is something every child should learn because it is important that they turn to God for help. He is the one who knows all. He is the one who can help us when we most need it.
Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, through repentance we are saved. Our children need to learn that the only way we can be saved is through repentance. Repentance is simply when you feel bad about something you did and ask God for forgiveness. A mother should also teach her child that no sin is too big to forgive. No matter what you do, as long as you follow the correct procedure for repentance, you will be forgiven.
Forgiveness is something every child should learn. It can be as simple as saying you're sorry, thereby asking for forgiveness. Or it can be someone else saying they're sorry because they wronged you. Through the teachings of Christ, we learn that forgiveness is vital. We need to forgive everyone because we are not perfect. No one ever has been or ever will be perfect, except Christ. Through Christ we learn through repentance, we are forgiven.
Respect is something every child owes their parents, and something every parent owes their child. Respect can be shown through something as simple as following directions from your parents. It can also be respecting a decision, whereby you show your understanding and let them be.
Every child should be raised in a loving and caring environment. Every child should be loved by their parents. Love is a deep compassion felt for someone. Like love for your parents. You should love your child as much or more than your parents. After all, your child is literally a part of you. If you want someone to learn to love, you must first love them. If they don't know what love feels like, they cannot express it themselves.
Compassion is a sympathy you feel for something or someone. You show compassion for your child when you help them. Compassion is an emotion that should be in every child's life. Love and compassion go hand in hand.
Work is something we do everyday. A child must learn that we work for everything we have in life. Nothing is ever just given to us. Sometimes the amount of successful work you've done is shown in material items, and others it's like getting closer to God. You work to learn the Gospel so you may hope to understand our Heavenly Father. Each child must be taught that work is a vital part of our lives.
Wholesome recreational activities shows us the importance of taking care of ourselves. Taking care of ourselves means getting plenty of rest, exercise and eating properly. We were also given the commandment not to consume harmful substances like alcohol, tobacco, coffee or tea. These substances keep us from living the life God wants us to. They impair us physically which keeps us from being able to do the activities we need to. Participating in sports is a good way to keep ourselves fit. Children need to learn the importance of living a healthy life. Exercising is one of the ways to do this.
With the help of the Spirit and one of the returned missionaries, this is my testimony of the traits and qualities a woman needs to teach her children. These qualities will also help her become a better woman in general, wife, as well as a mother.

Jesus Christ

Friday, May 31, 2013


Tonight, while seeking for help with planning a lesson, I was asked "why is Jesus Christ important?" To anyone that is asking or wondering about this, here is my answer:

In Moses, we learn that Christ was chosen by Heavenly Father over Satan to be His Only Begotten Son. This occurred because Christ chose to give the glory to Heavenly Father rather than keep it for himself. Heavenly Father recognized this. From this we can learn that what we have been given is because of our Heavenly Father. He gave us Christ to come to earth and save us from our sins. Christ completed the Atonement so that we may repent for our sins and be forgiven. Something significant to remember is that while Christ was in the Garden of Gethsemane, he experienced every pain anyone could ever feel. Knowing this, we can take great comfort in that he has experienced our every pain and has complete understanding of everything we go through.
In summary, Christ can be thought of as our "key" to Heaven. And this is because no unclean thing can enter Heaven. With that being said, we need Christ so that we may repent for our sins and become "clean" so that we may one day be able to live with our Heavenly Father once more.






Atonement - As used in the scriptures, to atone is to suffer the penalty for sins, thereby removing the effects of sin from the repentant sinner and allowing him or her to be reconciled to God. Jesus Christ was the only one capable of carrying out the Atonement for all mankind. Because of His Atonement, all people will be resurrected, and those who obey His gospel will receive the gift of eternal life with God. (http://www.lds.org/topics/atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng)
Repentance - Is one of the first principles of the gospel and is essential to our temporal and eternal happiness. It is much more than just acknowledging wrongdoings. It is a change of mind and heart that gives us a fresh view about God, about ourselves, and about the world. It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness. It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments. (http://www.lds.org/topics/repentance?lang=eng)
Sin - To commit sin is to willfully disobey God's commandments or to fail to act righteously despite a knowledge of the truth. (http://www.lds.org/topics/sin?lang=eng)

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The Atonement

Sunday, April 7, 2013


Readings:          Hebrews 5:4, John 15:16, Luke 6:13, Matthew 10:1-10

One of the most amazing gifts that was given to us by Christ is the Atonement. The Atonement in essence allows our sins to be forgiven through repentance. Before Christ, this was not possible because this gift had not been bestowed upon the world. People sinned and were unable to have their sins forgiven as easily. In the Old Testament, for example, people had to sacrifice animals to make up for their mistakes.
Christ brought the world out of this state. Christ gave His twelve Apostles the priesthood authority so that they could go and heal the sick, bless those who needed to be blessed, and provide guidance to those who needed it. Part of the priesthood authority is the ability to give a priesthood blessing. Also, one can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands by proper authority (someone who holds the priesthood).
A name for the Spirit is the "comforter" because that is exactly what it does. One thing I have struggled with is not being able to feel its presence. Those who have the gift of the Spirit have it as a constant companion. So, as long as they live worthy of it, the Spirit is always with them. For me, with the help of a lot of missionaries, I have concluded that the reason I rarely feel its presence is because I'm not meeting with the missionaries right now. And if you don't have the gift, in order to feel the Spirit, you must be around someone who does have the gift. That's why you can feel the Spirit around missionaries, for example. The Atonement is the reason we have the ability to attain this gift and the reason it can be given to us.
Through the reading above, I have found two verses in Matthew, chapter 10, that really appealed to me. The first one is verse 16, which says "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need." This really does show how the Atonement works. We can go to our Heavenly Father and obtain mercy from Him as long as we repent for our sins.
The other verse that really stood out to me was verse 12, which states "For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the truth in our testimonies is revealed to others. Without the Spirit, this would not be possible. The Spirit shows the truth to us. It guides us, it provides comfort, and most importantly it shows us the truth. We can recognize the Spirit by the feelings it allows us to feel. In Galatians 5:22 we are told "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering [forbearance], gentleness, goodness, faith."
The Atonement is essential to our existence because it allows us to eventually return to our Heavenly Father. Without this, we would not be able to go to Heaven because no unclean thing can enter God's kingdom. Christ gave us a gift that we should treasure forever and do all we can so that we really and truly deserve the gift that has been given to us.



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"If Any Of You Lack Wisdom, Let Him Ask Of GOD"

Wednesday, April 3, 2013


Readings:          Acts 10:34-43, Amos 3:7

Our Heavenly Father so loved the world that He has blessed us with the gift of prophets, apostles, and prayer. Prophets have direct communication with God, like we do, but they seem to receive far more answers through revelation than us. Apostles also help guide our lives. Both help us to better understand God. They also share testimonies with us that enable us to learn more.
While I was in a frustrated state, Elder Eberle kindly shared James 1 with me. James 1 expresses the necessity of patience. Elder Eberle said that "challenges help us build patience, and patience builds experience, then hope, and hope is awesome :)."
As I was reading James 1, there were a few verses that really stuck out to me. The first one is verse 5 which says "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him." In this verse, we are told that we can ask God for help when we need it. But I'm sure many of us feel like we don't get answers. I think verses 6-8 answers why this is. They say "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed (6). For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord (7). A double minded man is unstable in his ways (8)." These say the reasons as to why the Prophet and Apostles receive far more revelation than we do. Elder Haggard asked me to watch one of the Apostle's testimonies and I can say that his faith was absolutely unwavering. There was not a doubt in his mind.
If we also ask and trust in faith, we can also receive more revelation and help from God. Have faith, trust God.



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Love Your Family

Tuesday, April 2, 2013


Readings:          (none)

Families are ordained of God and therefore in their own way are sacred. Our families should be the most important people on this Earth to us. Without our families, we would be utterly alone. Truly, they are the only people you can call upon for help or guidance. But that's how it should be. This is because you've grown up with them, learned about them and love them. What greater power is there than love?
Through even modern day prophets, God has expressed to us how important our families really are. When we think about it this way, that God says families are important, how does that make us as individuals look? We run around playing with friends all day while we could be assisting our mothers instead. Or we come up with excuses like practice for sports as to why you can't join the family for dinner.
Make time for your family each and everyday. They are the most valuable people in your life. Your parents are there to raise you in the values of the church and other virtues you should attain. Your siblings, no matter how annoying, teach you to love, be compassionate, and patient. All qualities you need later in life especially when you have a family of your own. Family also teaches you discipline in that you should make time in your schedule for time together.
Love your family and make sure you set aside time to be with them each and everyday.



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Take Each Day And Treasure It And Learn To Love Others

Monday, April 1, 2013


One of the things I did while I was on my 8 week ban from reading The Book of Mormon was I wrote Testimonies about some Bible scriptures. One of the sister missionaries was ever so kind as to email me the lessons to where they coincided with the Bible rather than The Book of Mormon. Thank you Sister Frisan! With that being said, the next few posts will be my Testimonies from the Bible or relating to the Bible.

Readings:          John 3:16-17, Acts 17:27-29, Romans 8:16, Hebrews 12:9, 1 John 4:7-9

In these readings we are told of God's love for us. That we are His offspring and that the Holy Ghost will bear witness to this and a testimony of this being true to us.
I think this is a gentle reminder to us that our Heavenly Father is much like our parents, or rather, they are much like Him. Our Heavenly Father is there to guide us much like our parents do. Today I saw something about how parents love their children more than life itself. I think this very much applies to the love our Heavenly Father has for each of us.
In 1 John, we are told to love one another just as God loves each and everyone of us. He loves us no matter what and this is how we should be. We need to follow His example and loves each other unconditionally.
I saw a post the other day that more or less said "If we don't love each other, than how can we love God? For God is love." He is also the life and salvation.
On a day to day basis, we need to strive to show each other that we love the other. It can be as simple as sharing food. My example of love today was not just saying I loved someone, I showed it. I shared my lunch of Cheez-It crackers with both my sister and friend.
Take each day, hold it as a precious, special day and learn to love each other.



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Absolute Miracles From The LORD (Faith)

Some days, I'm sure we can all agree that we are unfaithful to the Lord. We feel like He is not answering our prayers.
I did end up talking to my mom. I shared with her my experiences with the Church and how God Himself, through the power of the Holy Spirit confirmed to me that I am doing what He wants. I shared with her each of my testimonies. Many of the Elders I spoke to said that prayer and reading as well as faith is enough. The Spirit would help me along the way.
At the time, I believed they were wrong. I did everything they said. I fasted before talking to my mom, I prayed to have the Spirit with me, watched a few videos, talked to the Elders and I tried my hardest to have faith that she would be okay with it. One of the Elders and I even did scenarios to help me figure out how to react in each general situation. One would think that'd be enough, right? And I suppose in a way, it was.
A few hours after doing this, I told my mom we needed to talk. We both went outside and sat down. As I spoke to her, I did not feel the presence of the Spirit. It was not there and at that time, I truly felt on my own. After we talked, my mom denied my request to meet with the missionaries. Not only that, but she said I was not allowed to do anything Mormon related. This included reading The Book of Mormon, talking to the missionaries about religious matters, watching Mormon videos, etc. Of course, prayer and the Bible were still allowed because they are not unique to the Mormon faith.
The days following, I was very irritated. There was not a day that went by that I did not just sit down and cry out of frustration. I knew I was losing faith and it was so hard to keep it. A few days after not reading and learning from the missionaries, I had felt something had changed. But I wasn't sure what. A few weeks went by and I lost the feeling of the presence of the Holy Ghost. It scared me and I had never felt so lost in my entire life. Yes, I could pray, but I never felt the reassurance that my prayers were being answered at all. I constantly asked for my parents' hearts to be softened, but it didn't seem to work.
Many weeks went by and I was still unable to do anything but read the Bible and pray. But I didn't read. And I doubt my prayers were as sincere as they could've been. About two weeks ago, my friend died. His death changed everything. I was absolutely irritated that I lost another person who was close to me. I was wondering how could God possibly have taken my grandfather away at Christmas and then my friend away from me as well. I wondered how He could've possibly allowed this to happen. And not just them. I lost my friends when my grandpa died. So between all of that, everything was a challenge.
The day after my friend died, I decided to only go to half a day of classes out of pure grief. I went to a chapel near my house and just sat there. I expressed my feelings to God and asked Him for some scripture that could help bring comfort to me at this time. I received the impression that I needed to read the gospel according to Luke. I read a few chapters and then left feeling much better.
I continued this for about a week. Reading in the morning for a half hour and then the afternoon for another hour. And it helped a ton.
Then I stopped reading. I'm not sure what exactly happened. But I lost my love to read. This occurred after meeting with a pastor from my church to discuss my interest in the Mormon church.
The night before my birthday, so this past Wednesday, I asked my mom if I could start meeting with the missionaries again. Part of the agreement the pastor and I made was that I would continue exploring both churches for a year, until I am 18. I told my mom the only way I could do this is by meeting with the missionaries as well as the pastor to get everything from both sides. In the end, she agreed. She wasn't happy about it, but she said yes and right now, that's all that matters.
This was such a huge change in my life. I spent my birthday happier than I've ever been. Overjoyed that I could continue in faith to search and learn more about our Heavenly Father. If He can do this for me, He can do absolutely anything for you.



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Choose This Day And Be Rewarded (Faith)

Saturday, March 16, 2013


Today, I was faced with a challenge that I still haven't completed. That challenge is confessing to my mother my involvement in learning about the Mormon faith for almost two months now. I can't think of anything I have ever been more scared to do in my entire life. It did cross my mind to quit and just stop, to cease my learning in the Church and my care for the Church itself. But as I was talking to Elder Alvarenga, I realized that's not an option. I can't just quit because something's hard. That's even more reason to push on, to trust, to hope, to have faith, and to pray.
While watching some videos on the Mormon Channel, I found two videos that were of extreme significance to me. The first one is Choose This Day (http://bcove.me/25qre13p). In this video, we are reminded not to wait too long and saying that you will do something someday is a very bad habit to get into. Someday does not mean today, it means eventually. The word eventually is not a specific time period. This means that you could say that you will do something someday and never do it. That's of course not something you want to do. It's better to do that something today than wait. This is something I have discovered while talking to my friend David as well as all of the Elders and Sisters who have been so kind to talk to me.
The second video is called He Will Give You Help (http://www.mormonchannel.org/mormon-messages-for-youth?v=912461270001). This video teaches us literally what the title says. Our Heavenly Father will give us help. In the Book of Mormon, we are shown that often times we have to ask for the Lord's help; it's not just given to us. We actually have to pray and ask for help or guidance.
In Psalm 30:5 we are told that "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." This serves to remind us that even though there are some tough times and some very difficult trials in our lives, they will end eventually. And when they do end, we will feel joyous because we have endured through the trial we were faced with. Remember to "Never give up on the Lord. His blessings are eternal." The Lord has promised never to abandon us. It is for that reason that we should never give up on Him. Psalm 119:105 tells us "The Lord's word is the lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Follow the Lord, He will guide you; always. In Matthew 28:20, the Lord promises us that "He is with you always, even unto the end of the world." The Lord is here with us forever and ever. He promises not to leave us. He promises to be with us and guide until the end. In 2 Nephi 25:23, the Lord promises us that we will be "reconciled to God" after we have done "all that we can do." Heavenly Father knows that we are not perfect. He has granted us so many promises and yet He decides that He will reassure us that even if we mess up, even if we have tried our hardest, He will make up for what we could not do.
In both Alma 32:21 (And now as I said concerning faith - faith is not to have knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.) and Ether 12:6 (And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.) we are told that to have faith is not to have knowledge. You must trust that God knows what He is doing and will lead you where you need to go. If we were just told everything, then how would we learn? Making mistakes IS the way we learn, repentance is the way we apologize for the mistakes we've made. It is also our promise to God to change ourselves so that we don't make the same mistake again. The Lord reminds us in Alma 32:43 (Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.) that after our trial is over, we will receive a reward from it. Sometimes this reward is more knowledge and other times, it's simply happiness and being more faithful toward the Lord. But know, He is always there whenever we need His help. All we have to do is ask sincerely.



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How Could We Possibly Be Afraid? (Faith)

Friday, March 15, 2013


I confessed to Elder Eberle that I am truly scared to tell my mom about my interest in the Church. I am also afraid to tell her that more than likely (more like for sure) I will convert. It is my heart's desire and thankfully the will of the Lord that I be baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Elder Eberle shared this with me (Doctrine & Covenants 122:7-9) "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.
The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art though greater than he?
Therefore, hold thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever."
How can we with this knowledge be afraid? The Lord is more powerful than all and no matter what happens, He will always be with us. It is through faith and knowledge that I have reached the courage to tell my mother. Our Heavenly Father has blessed us with the gift of prayer. We can ask Him for help whenever we need it, wherever we need it. All we need to do is ask. And ask sincerely. Through faith, time, and prayer, you will always receive an answer. The Lord has promised that.



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