A Departing Testimony

I considered naming this post "A Final Testimony" but I realized that just because my time as a full time missionary is nearly over, I will never stop sharing my testimony of what I know to be true.

I know through the power of the Holy Ghost that the Book of Mormon is true.  That book has the power to change lives.  It has changed mine.  I know that Joseph Smith translated it through the power of God.  And I know that he was truly called of God to be a prophet.  He restored the true Church of Jesus Christ on the earth.  There has been an unbroken chain of prophets since the time of Joseph Smith and I know that Thomas S. Monson is our living prophet.

I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  Our loving Heavenly Father sent Him to be our Savior.  I know that through the Atonement of Christ we can be made clean and whole.  I know that He overcame sin and death.  I know that He lives.

I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to testify of these things for the last 18 months of my life.  My mission has been the greatest experience of my life.  I have drawn closer to my Heavenly Father as I have learned what it really means to pray.  I have learned more about my Savior as I have read and reread the scriptures.  And I have come to love deeply the people of Tennessee and Kentucky.  I have come to realize how special and precious each child of God is.

I have learned that I am and always will be an "unprofitable servant."  King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon said,

"I say unto you, that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another—I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants." (Mosiah 2:21; also read verses 22-24)

For the past 18 months I have tried to serve God by serving His children.  But I am still completely indebted to Him because He has blessed me more than I will ever be able to repay Him.  And it will always be that way.  Any time we keep one of God's commandments, He blesses us immediately (see Mosiah 2:24). 

However, I have decided that I want to be the most profitable "unprofitable servant" I can be.  In everything I do, I want to do His will.  I want to "seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion." (see D&C 12:6)  I want to become the most capable servant I can, not so I can be recognized by others, but so that I can better build God's kingdom.

At the close of my mission, the words of the prophet Alma come to mind: "I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?" (Alma 5:16)

I hope that at the end of my life, and now at the end of my mission, I will have been faithful enough for it to be said of me, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things....enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." (Matthew 25:21)

Worn Out in the Service of God

About 6 months ago I bought a new pair of shoes.  I was doing everything I could to hold off on buying them because I really liked my old pair.  But they were getting pretty worn out and the members where I was serving would ask me every time they saw me if I had invested in a new pair of shoes yet.  When a big chunk of the sole of my left shoe fell off I decided I should probably buckle down and buy a new pair.

It was exciting to have a new pair of shoes to walk around in.  I no longer had to worry about my feet getting soaked when it was raining outside because for some reason holes in the bottom of your shoes have a way of letting water in.  And I found that the new pair of shoes was much better on my back.

One day my companion and I probably walked 4 or 5 miles.  Usually that isn't that big of a deal but my feet were killing me because my new shoes hadn't been fully broken in yet.  Every step was painful.  Suddenly all I wanted was to wear my old pair of shoes.  I ended up with some pretty good blisters on my feet by the end of that day.

As I was walking around that day I came up with a parable or an analogy of sorts involving my new pair of shoes.  I decided that embracing the gospel and making it a part of your life is kind of like getting a new pair of shoes.  At first you are so excited and you can see some immediate differences in your life because of it.

But you quickly get a reality check.  Living the gospel of Jesus Christ requires a lot of us.  In fact, it requires our all.  We have been taught through the Prophet Joseph Smith that as we "embark in the service of God" we must "serve him with ALL your heart, might, mind strength."  (see D&C 4:2)  Whether my all is as much as your all, it doesn't matter.  There's a great equality in what is asked of every single disciple of Christ, and that is their all.

Giving our all is difficult.  It initially may be a little painful for us, just like blisters from a new pair of shoes is painful.  But over time, as we consistently live the gospel we will find that we are much stronger.  Figuratively we have broken our shoes in and have callouses instead of blisters. 

Even though we have hills to climb, and at times our shoes get muddy, or we trip and fall, we know that it is only through a life of true discipleship that we can return to our Heavenly Father because our Savior is the one helping us up that hill, who cleans our shoes when they get muddy, and who picks us up when we fall.  We continue down the gospel path because we know that Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6)

I love this story told by President Thomas S. Monson about President Spencer W. Kimball:

"One day I was sitting in the temple near President Kimball. As I looked down, I noticed that he had a large hole in his shoe. And I mean large! His stocking showed through. After the meeting I said to Arthur Haycock, President Kimball’s secretary, 'Arthur, you can’t let the President wear those shoes.'

"Arthur responded, “Has he got that pair out again? He has many pairs of shoes, and I frequently hide that pair, but he searches and finds that particular pair most of the time.”

"President Kimball was known for his statement showing his humility: 'My life is like my shoes—to be worn out in service.^'"

We learn from the scriptures that when we serve others we are also serving God. (see Mosiah 2:17)  Our shoes can figuratively be "worn out in the service of God" as we live the gospel with complete dedication and devotion.

We Value People (part 6)

The final part of my family motto talks about what our ultimate goal is: eternal life.  Through empathy for others and enduring to the end, despite our struggles, we can receive exaltation and eternal life.

Empathy comes from charity, the pure love of Christ.  When we have empathy for others we feel compassion and understanding for whatever situation or trial they may be going through.  Having empathy for others will come as we strive to develop charity.  The Book of Mormon prophet Mormon taught that we must "pray unto the Father with all energy of heart, that [we] may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ." (Moroni 7:48)  Developing charity is so important that the prophet Moroni, Mormon's son, said, "Except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God." (Moroni 10:21)  If our goal is to live with our Father in Heaven again we must be filled with charity. 

Enduring to the end means that we remain firm and steadfast to God's commandments even though we may face temptation, opposition, and adversity.  It is a life of consistent gospel living.  It requires a lifetime of devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Savior said to His apostles, "He that endureth to the end shall be saved." (Matthew 10:22)  Christ also said, "Behold, 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."  (3 Nephi 15:9)  

Exaltation or eternal life is to live in God's presence and to continue as families.  The whole purpose of our Heavenly Father's plan for us is to gain a body and have experiences so that we can become like Him.  He wants us to live with Him again and because He knew we would make mistakes He sent His son Jesus Christ to pay the price for our sins.  Through His infinite atonement we can be made clean and pure so that we may be worthy to enter God's kingdom.  

Exaltation and eternal life is our goal and through charity and enduring to the end and because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can live with our Father in Heaven and our families for all eternity.

We Value People (part 5)

The fifth part of my family motto teaches what we can do to strengthen our family relationships.  Through loyalty, laughter, and love we can more fully nurture and enjoy the relationships we have with our families.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught that "the crowning characteristic of love is always loyalty."  Our loyalty to our family is a manifestation of our love.  When we are loyal to someone it means that we are faithful and committed to them.  In the context of family relationships, loyalty means looking out for and standing up for your family.  It means being there for them when they are struggling and when they need help.

 

There is an excellent article in the September 2007 Ensign that talks all about the power of laughter.  (I would encourage all of you to read it!)  In this article the author says, "I have learned that the ability to laugh at everyday family difficulties helps keep life in perspective.  If we will learn to laugh and play more with our families, not only will we feel better but so will they."  One of my very favorite things to do with my family is to just talk and visit because I know we are without fail going to end up laughing.  Laughter bonds us as a family and it makes life more enjoyable all around.

 



Okay y'all I have something really embarrassing to admit.  You may wonder how this applies to my family motto, but I promise it relates.  As missionaries we don't get to listen to a large variety of music.  Because of this limitation, my companion and I have resigned ourselves to listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  (It's really not that bad.)  One of the CDs we have been listening to is their 'Showtime' album.  And on that CD there is a song called "Fill the World with Love" that I'm kind of obsessed with.  It drives my companion crazy.  Here's a video of MoTab singing it:

I don't know why, but I am so inspired by this song.  I guess because I want to be able to say at the end of my life that I "filled the world with love my whole life through." We can each do this by speaking kind, uplifting words to others and serving others in thoughtful, meaningful ways.  Elder M. Russell Ballard said:  "There is power in our love for God and for His children, and when that love is tangibly manifest in millions of acts of Christian kindness, it will sweeten and nourish the world with the life-sustaining nectar of faith, hope, and charity." 

We Value People (part 4)

My family motto continues on by teaching us about three guideposts we can follow in our lives so that we can someday return to live with our Heavenly Follow.  These three guides are prophets, the prinicples of the gospel, and the promises we make with God.

Because our Heavenly Father loves all of His children, He has consistenly sent, throughout the history of the earth, prophets to guide and teach us.  We can learn from ancient prophets as we study the scriptures.  As I have studied the Bible and the Book of Mormon, I have found answers to my questions and direction and guidance for my life.  And we are extremely blessed today to have a living prophet and apostles who continue to teach us and counsel us.  (Click here to read what the living prophet, Thomas S. Monson, shared just a few weeks ago.)

A principle is a basic doctrine, truth, or law.  In the fourth Article of Faith we learn that the first principles of the gospel are faith and repentance.  What is faith?  I have learned that faith in Jesus Christ means that we trust Him and we put our confidence in Him.  Our faith will grow as we read the scriptures and pray because we will come to know Him better and realize that we can absolutely, without hesitation trust Him.  As our faith in Christ grows, we recognize our need to repent.  Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can be completely forgiven of our sins. We will experience lasting peace in our lives as we diligently exercise our faith in Christ and as we daily repent of our sins and shortcomings.

When we are baptized we make certain promises with God.  These promises are also known as covenants.  At baptism we specifically promise that we will take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, keep His commandments, and serve Him to the end.  As we keep this covenant or promise, Heavenly Father promises us that we will always have the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  It is a sacred privilege and responbility to make covenants.  In temples we have the opportunity to make more promises with our Heavenly Father.  Temples are holy places and are a source of great joy and peace in our lives.

 

Following ancient and modern prophets, the principles of the gospel, and the promises we make through sacred ordinances will bless our lives.  Our goal is to return to live with our Heavenly Father and following these three P's will guide us and keep us on the path that leads us back to Him.

We Value People (part 3)

The "O" of my family motto has taught me about three very specific characteristics that are important to develop: obedience, openness, and optimism.

Obedience is such a vital attribute to develop.  Through our obedience we are able to demonstrate our love for the Savior.  Christ said, "If ye love me keep my commandments."  And President Ezra Taft Benson : "When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power."  So obedience is not only a manifestation of our love but it is also a source of power.



I have learned that open communication and service are essential to having a happy, rewarding relationship.  Whether you are trying to improve your relationship with your mom, dad, brother, sister, friend, significant other, mission companion, neighbor, whoever, one of the best things you can do is to serve them.  And there won't be nearly as many misunderstandings and incorrect assumptions if we will take the time to openly communicate about our feelings, concerns, and frustrations.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shared this about optimism and hope:

"I love what Elder Orson F. Whitney once said: 'The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience.' We should honor the Savior’s declaration to 'be of good cheer.' (Indeed, it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other!) Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself."

Life is much more enjoyable when we have an optimistic, hopeful attitude and outlook.  President Thomas S. Monson, our living prophet, has said, "Be of good cheer. The future is as bright as your faith."  When our lives are founded upon the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can be optimistic about our future because our faith leads us to act. 

We Value People (part 2)

The second part of my family motto emphasizes personal growth and development.  An important aspect of our purpose here on earth is to learn and become more like our Heavenly Father.  Our Father in Heaven has a plan for us, a plan for our salvation and for our happiness.  In this plan, He provides us with countless opportunities and experiences so that we can achieve the potential that He sees in each of us.

The Lord has said, "Seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." (D&C 88:118)  Lifelong learning is a hallmark of disciples of Christ.  As we continue to learn by study and by faith, we will be better prepared to face challenges in our lives and we will draw closer to the Lord.

This video demonstrates well the daily need to strengthen ourselves physically and spiritually.  Just as our bodies require sustenance each day, our spirits need the day to day nourishment we can only obtain through personal prayer and scripture study.

 

I absolutely love this quote by President Gordon B. Hinckley: 

"This is the great day of decision for each of us. For many it is the time of beginning something that will go on for as long as you live. I plead with you: don’t be a scrub! Rise to the high ground of spiritual, mental, and physical excellence. You can do it. You may not be a genius. You may be lacking in some skills. But so many of us can do better than we are now doing.  ...We are people with a present and with a future. Don’t muff your opportunities. Be excellent."

We are so blessed to live here on this earth at this time of great opportunity.  We don't have time to be lazy.  We can't just settle for being average or mediocre.  Our potential is so much greater than we can even imagine.  Our Heavenly Father will provide us with opportunities for education, for physical and spiritual growth, and for excellence as we diligently seek for such.

We Value People (part 1)

My family has a family motto.  You might say that is kind of lame, and you might be right.  Though I didn't realize it when I was younger, it has had a big impact on me in my life.  The name of the Smith Family Motto is "We Value PEOPLE."  "PEOPLE" is an acronym that explains our values and goals as a family.  Each letter has 3 statements associated with it.

The underlying principle behind the first "P" in my family's motto is agency.  Agency is the ability to choose.  Elder Russell M. Nelson just recently taught in General Conference that:

"Each day is a day of decision. President Thomas S. Monson has taught us that 'decisions determine destiny.' The wise use of your freedom to make your own decisions is crucial to your spiritual growth, now and for eternity. ...Each day brings opportunity for decisions for eternity."

Because the choices we make everyday are so important, my family motto helps me to more carefully consider the decisions I make.

Our relationships with our family members and friends are the source of the greatest happiness and joy we will experience in this life and the life to come.  Because these relationships are so important, we need to diligently and purposefully make decisions that will strengthen these valuable relationships.

The Lord has said, "Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness." (D&C 58:27)  There is so much we each have to offer this world.  There are countless opportunities to contribue through community service, humanitarian aid, and just by small, everyday acts of helping others.

All throughout the scriptures we are admonished to "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." (Matthew 7:7)  God truly is our Heavenly Father and He wants to help us.  He will answer us, direct us, help us, support us, and warn us as we seek His guidance through prayer. 

As we are proactively strengthen relationships, productively contribute to society, and prayerfully seek our Heavenly Father's help, we are making decisions that will determine our destiny.

An Heritage of the Lord

A couple of days my twin sister gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.   Lily Ruth Ure was born October 11, 2013 at 12:01 am, and weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 20 inches.  In a month from today I will get to hold my  niece.  I already love this precious little girl so much!

With all of the excitement of having a newborn in my family, I just wanted to take this opportunity to share what prophets and apostles have taught about children.

President Boyd K. Packer has said, "Children are the past, the present, and the future all blended into one. They are consummately precious. Every time a child is born, the world is renewed in innocence."

The Psalmist wrote, "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward." (Psalms 127:3)


The Savior was very straightforward about the severity of abusing one of God's children.  He said, "But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6)

Children are so precious to our Heavenly Father.  He loves them because He truly is their Father.  He is placing His trust in us every time we have the opportunity to care for and influence one of His children.  We are responsible for His children and He will hold us accountable for our actions.

I am so excited to be an aunt!  I am looking forward to seeing sweet little Lily grow up and feel so privileged to be a part of her life. 

The Word Which Healeth the Wounded Soul

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Jacob called the people together to teach them God's word.  He said that some of the people in the congregation had "come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul." (Jacob 2:8)

This weekend, we each have the opportunity to listen to "the pleasing word of God" during our semi-annual General Conference. During this 2 day conference, living prophets and apostles will speak to us. Their messages build our faith, inspire us to live God's commandments, invite us to repent, fill us with hope, and heal our souls.

I personally have been blessed on countless occasions by the counsel given by prophets and apostles.  Their words have changed my life and truly have healed my soul. 

 

My invitation to each one of you is to make the time to watch General Conference this weekend. I know that something in one of the messages that will be shared this weekend will touch your heart and will heal your soul. 

Living After the Manner of Happiness: Goals

Alright y'all this is the last post for my series "Living After the Manner of Happiness."  I would like to think this blog series has been instructive and inspiring, but at the very least I hope it has been relatively interesting.  For this last post I will be talking about goals.

 

Why are goals important?  How does setting a goal and achieving it bring happiness into our lives?  I think this MormonAd illustrates the importance of goals quite well:

Goals give us purpose.  They give us something to work towards.  I feel immense satisfaction when I set a goal and I actually accomplish it.  I've decided that there's no faster way to become depressed than constantly feeling like a failure because you didn't achieve your goal.

 

One of my favorite quotes about goal setting is by Elder M. Russell Ballard. He said:

“I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.”



Each and every single one of us have so much potential.  There is so much we can accomplish in this life.  As we set goals and do everything we can to accomplish them, we can reach our full potential.  Our lives will be filled with happiness and satisfaction as we consistently and diligently do everything within our power to achieve our goals.

Our ultimate goal should be to live with our Heavenly Father again.  If we can keep this most important goal in our minds, the way we live our lives will be a reflection of this goal.  

Living After the Manner of Happiness: Endurance

One of my all time favorite scriptures is 2 Nephi 31:20.  It says, "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

This scripture gives me such hope because our Heavenly Father tell us what we must do in order to have eternal life.  We must have faith, hope, and charity.  We need to feast upon the word of Christ.  And we need to endure to the end.

I have thought a lot about what it means to endure to the end.  Enduring to the end doesn't mean we just get through life.  It doesn't mean we just let things happen to us.  Endurance is much more proactive than that; enduring to the end is a lifestyle.  In fact, enduring to the end is essentially "living after the manner of happiness."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: "Enduring to the end is a process filling every minute of our life, every hour, every day, from sunrise to sunrise. It is accomplished through personal discipline following the commandments of God."

Enduring to the end is a pattern of progression.  As we continually exercise our faith, repent daily, make and keep covenants, and live worthily of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost through our own personal worthiness, we are enduring to the end. 

We can find joy in our journey as we keep in mind that the finish line is eternal life with our Heavenly Father.  When we remember that this is our goal, we will do everything within our power to keep the commandments our Heavenly Father has given us, so that we might become "a good and faithful servant."

Living After the Manner of Happiness: Music

I love music.  Music somehow transcends the struggle we often feel in trying to verbally express our emotions. It can trigger memories of people and places and experiences.  I love it.  Music is so powerful.

President Benson said, "Inspiring music may fill the soul with heavenly thoughts, move one to righteous action, or speak peace to the soul."  I love the hymns of the Church.  One of my very favorite hymns is "Press Forward Saints."  I have a memory of singing that song one Sunday in Church when I was like 9 or so and just absolutely being filled with the Spirit, though at the time I didn't understand that what I was feeling was the Spirit.  I was just completely filled with feelings of hope and peace and happiness.

Because music can influence so strongly our thoughts and emotions we need to be careful of the music we choose to listen to.  This picture poses great questions we can ask ourselves in determining if the music we are listening to is uplifting:

 

Music can invite the Spirit more quickly than almost anything I know.   I am grateful for music and the joy and happiness it brings into my life.  And as we seek to listen to uplifting, inspiring music (and that doesn't just have to be Church music), I know we will experience more happiness and joy in our lives.

Living After the Manner of Happiness: Friends

Back in March I started a blog series called "Living After the Manner of Happiness."  When this series is finished, there will be 12 different posts that talk about ways we can each experience more happiness in our lives.  These 12 ideas are taken from a talk given by President Ezra Taft Benson called "Do Not Despair."

So far I have written about repentance, prayer, service, work, health, reading, blessing, and fasting, and my next topic is friends.

In President Benson's talk I mentioned above he said this about friends:

"The fellowship of true friends who can hear you out, share your joys, help carry your burdens, and correctly counsel you is priceless. ...Ideally, your family ought to be your closest friends. Most important, we should seek to become the friend of our Father in heaven and our brother Jesus the Christ.  What a boon to be in the company of those who edify you."

I feel so incredibly blessed to have the friends that I do.  In my moments of discouragement or in those times I'm feeling depressed, it has been my friends and family who have lifted my spirits.  My parents and my brothers and sisters are my closest friends and biggest supporters. 

 

I am beyond grateful for the friends I had growing up in Virginia.  The friends I made at BYU mean the world to me.  And I absolutely treasure and cherish the friendships I have made as I have served my mission here in Tennessee and Kentucky.

I can't help but think of this quote by Elder Neal A. Maxwell when I think about each one of my friends:  "One of the reasons we love each other in the kingdom is that our friendships are not friendships of initiation at all but are, instead, friendships of resumption!" 

My life has been filled with these "friendships of resumption" and it is so clear to me that our Heavenly Father puts us in each others' lives so that we can experience joy and happiness together, and help each other along the path that leads to eternal life with our Heavenly Father. 

Living After the Manner of Happiness: Fasting

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the first Sunday of every month is what we call "Fast Sunday."  On these Sundays members go without food or water for at least 2 meals.  We then donate the money we would have spent on those meals.  This money is used to assist the poor and needy.
 
The purpose behind fasting is to draw closer to our Heavenly Father and to seek blessings from His hand.  We become more sensitive to the Holy Ghost because we are submitting our physical needs to our spirits.

Our Savior Jesus Christ set the example of fasting.  He fasted for 40 days (see Matthew 4:2) and during His great Sermon on the Mount he taught us to fast and give alms, or offerings, privately so that our "Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly." (see Matthew 6:1-4,16-18)

I love the story of the widow's mite.  I have consistently seen in my life that when I give a generous fast offering, even when I'm tight on money, the Lord always, without fail, blesses me generously.

In modern revelation fasting has been equated with rejoicing.  (see D&C 59:14)  I know that we will find great strength and joy in our lives as we live the law of the fast and as we each give our equivalent of the widow's mite to care for the poor and the needy.

I am grateful for the opportunity to fast.  There are rich blessings in store for us and for others as we live this divine law.

For Time and All Eternity

Yesterday, my older brother Jacob got married!  Though I've never met his wife Shannon, she's already my favorite (and technically only) sister-in-law. 

They were sealed to each other for time and all eternity in the Draper, Utah Temple.  Temples are sacred, holy places.  In temples a man and a woman can be sealed to each other for time and all eternity as husband and wife.  In God's eternal plan, families can be together forever.

This sealing power was spoken of by Jesus Christ when he said to Peter, "And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."  (Matthew 16:19)  These priesthood keys which can bind us together in our families for all eternity is found in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I'm sad that I couldn't be with Jacob and Shannon on their special day, but I find a lot of joy in knowing that my purpose as a missionary is to teach others the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father's great plan of salvation so that others may have the opportunity to be with their families for time and all eternity.

Upon the Palms of His Hands

I have decided that we as human beings have a fear of being forgotten. 

Here's a personal, recent example of this fear.  This past week I left Manchester, TN and was transferred to Antioch, TN.  I didn't want to leave.  It was heartbreaking to me to leave the people that I had served for 5 1/2 months and that I had come to love so much.  And if I'm being completely honest, it made me sad to think that I was so easily replaceable.  With each area that I've served in and then left, I've worried that I will soon be forgotten.

As I consider my personal fear of being forgotten, I find comfort in knowing that my Father in Heaven will never forget me.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "Wherever you are, whatever your circumstances may be, you are not forgotten. No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love."

I know that just as our Heavenly Father loves us, our Savior Jesus Christ loves us.  He loves us so much that He suffered our pains and afflictions, He paid the price for our sins, and He died so that we may live once again with God.  He loves us so much that He has engraven us upon the palms of His hands. 

"Can a woman forget her sucking child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." (Isaiah 49:15-16)

Our Heavenly Father and our Savior love us.  They have not forgotten us, nor will They ever forget us.  The very marks in Christ's hands are evidence of His love.

Puppy Poop, Wooden Beams, and Dirty Windows

When I was about 10 years old our dog Rosey had a litter of puppies.  There were 9 cute little puppies and they were so much fun.  However, you would have to be very careful where you stepped because there was a high risk of stepping in something you really would rather not have on your shoes.

One day my twin sister and I had a friend over and we played outside all day long.  And of course we played with the puppies for a majority of that time.  At one point I could smell something not very pleasant.  I knew that one of us had stepped in some puppy poo.  I told my friend and my sister to check their shoes but they said they hadn't stepped in anything.

For hours and hours I would catch a whiff of puppy poo and would tell my sister and my friend to check their shoes.  I was getting super irritated that neither one of them had cleaned their shoes because I was so convinced that they had gotten it on their shoes.  It wasn't until I was climbing up something that I caught a glimpse of something on the bottom of my shoe.  The reason I had been smelling puppy poo all day long was because I had been the one to step in it! 

I was so quick to put the blame on my sister and my friend and not once did I consider that I had been the one to step in the puppy poop.  As I've reflected on this experience I can't help but think of what the Savior taught us: "And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (Matthew 7:3)

How quick are we to put the blame on other people?  How often do we judge others without recognizing or acknowledging our own faults and weaknesses? 

In a beloved hymn we sing a line that always resonates with me: "Who am I to judge another when I walk imperfectly?" (Hymn #220)

President Thomas S. Monson once spoke on this very topic of judging others.  This video shows what happens when we look through "dirty windows."

 

 

I am trying to become better at this.  Before I judge anyone else I want to first check myself for puppy poop, wooden beams, and dirty windows.  And as Mother Teresa once said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them."  I hope that each of will follow the admonition of our Savior and "Judge not." (Matthew 7:1)

 

 

Living After the Manner of Happiness: Blessing

It's been a while since I've written a blog in my series "Living After the Manner of Happiness", so to continue with that I wanted to share just a couple of thoughts about blessings.

 

When Christ was on the earth His ministry consisted of teaching, preaching, and healing (see Matthew 4:23).  There are many recorded accounts of the Savior healing people and there's no way to know how many unrecorded instances there are of His miraculous healings.  The Savior gave His 12 apostles the power to bless and minister to the people.  It's only through faith and God given power that such miraculous blessings can be given.

 

Here are just a couple of examples:

"And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them." (Mark 10:16)

"And...he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. ...And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." (Mark 6:5, 13) 

Today the same power that the Savior and His apostles possessed is on the earth.  In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we call this power and authority to act in God's name the priesthood.

 

I am so grateful that our Heavenly Father restored this priesthood power to the earth once again.  In times of sickness or in times of discouragement, each one of us can seek a blessing from the hands of one who has been ordained to the priesthood of God.  One definition I read about blessings is, "To confer divine favor upon someone. Anything contributing to true happiness, well-being, or prosperity is a blessing."  

 

I have seen so many miracles occur because of a blessing of the priesthood.  (If you want to read an especially inspiring account read this blog!)  I personally have been blessed and healed.  God wants to bless us and He has provided a way for each one of us.

 

 

Turning Back

One day when I was serving in Mayfield, KY my companion and I had a day that was a complete bust.  Either no one was home, didn't have time for the missionaries, or straight up ignored our knocking.  Needless to say we were feeling a little discouraged, but we had decided to try to meet some people who had formerly been taught by missionaries.

I knew the streets of the city of Mayfield pretty darn good and so I made my way over to where the house of a former investigator was.  We were going down a street and then at the end of that street we would turn right and the house would be just up to the right. 

Well evidently I didn't know the streets of Mayfield like I thought because when we came to the intersection I found out the road I needed to turn onto was a one way street and I could only turn left.  This was the sign we saw at that intersection:





It seemed to mock all of our efforts of the day.  (It summed up our day so perfectly that we had to take a picture of it!)  By that point I wanted to just give up and go home and take a nap.  But we didn't and instead we found a different route to get the house, and of course, to follow the pattern of the rest of the day, no one was home.

I've had times on my mission when I've felt like I did that day.  All I wanted to do was give up and go home.  At a time when I was feeling discouraged and thought it would be easier to just give up, I started to notice a couple of people in the Book of Mormon who I think at one point could relate with me:

"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back..." (Alma 26:27)

"And it came to pass that he did preach, many days, repentance unto the people, and they did cast him out, and he was about to return to his own land..." (Helaman 13:2) 

(Some other good scriptures on turning back are Alma 8:13-18, Helaman 10:1-12, D&C 67:14)

Turning back.  Easily one of the greatest temptations we face in life.  It's so much easier and more comfortable to return to our old ways and our old life. 

But we can't turn our backs on the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  We can't turn our backs on the mission the Lord has given us or on the covenants we have made with Him.  We can't turn back and not suffer.  We will suffer because we are turning away from the source of peace and happiness, even if the road before us may be difficult.

The Savior Himself taught us that, "No man having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62)

So I guess what I'm trying to get across is that even when the road is hard and you face rejection on all sides and it seems so much easier to give up and turn back, the Lord will comfort, sustain, and support you.  He will bless you in your efforts to follow Him.  He's promised us that:

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10)

Walking On Water

Growing up, I spent a lot of summer break in the pool we had in our backyard.  My parents had bought a really nice pool cover that we could open and close automatically.  My parents told us that the pool cover was so high quality that it could hold an elephant.  (I'm pretty sure they made that up.)  But we were convinced and had almost as much fun running across the pool cover as we did actually swimming in the pool.  I think I liked it so much because that was the closest I have ever gotten to actually "walking on water."

Recently I was at a meeting with a bunch of other missionaries and our mission president and we actually read through the story of Jesus walking on water.  Here's the account of it from Matthew 14: 

25. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 

26. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out with fear. 

27. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

28. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

29. And he said, Come.  And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.

30. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 

What I realized in reading through this account is that Peter understood that Christ has the power to save us.  We call Him the "Savior" because we know that if we call out "Lord, save me!" like Peter did, He will come to our rescue.

But I think that maybe Peter didn't fully realize that Christ not only can save us, but He can also empower us to do miraculous things, like walking on water.

I believe many of us can relate with Peter.  I certainly can.  I have a strong testimony that the Lord can rescue me from sin, sorrow, loneliness, pain, etc.  I know He can save us.  I have faith in His saving power.  But I am not so sure that I understand His enabling power. 

Elder David A. Bednar taught, "The enabling and strengthening aspect of the Atonement helps us to see and to do and to become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity."

Peter recognized that in his limited mortal capacity there was no way he could walk on water, especially in the midst of boisterously blowing winds, and so he began to sink.  The same goes for us.  But as we look steadfastly to Christ as our source of strength and power I know we will begin to see changes and miracles within ourselves.  We will be able to confidently say, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13)

The Truth Shall Make You Free

The Savior once told a group of his followers, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."  (John 8:31-32)

I am thoroughly convinced that we will never be able to fully progress in life if we don't accept and embrace certain truths.  These truths are what set us free from any doubts or sins that hold us back.

One truth that is essential for us to understand is that we are children of God.  As we embrace this truth we gain a confidence that we are of worth and value.  President Dieter F. Uchtdorf once said, "Brothers and sisters, the most powerful Being in the universe is the Father of your spirit. He knows you. He loves you with a perfect love."  How could our lives be changed if we more fully believed this one most basic truth?

Another truth that sets us free is the understanding that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can repent and be forgiven of our sins.  This truth enables us to correct any behaviors or thoughts that are not in line with the Lord's standards and enjoy the freedom that comes as we keep the commandments of God.

I love what the third verse of the Battle Hymn of the Republic says:

In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea,

With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me.

As he died to make men holy, let us live to make men free,

While God is marching on.

 

We can help to make men free as we share these precious gospel truths with others.  I feel so blessed to be a full-time missionary because I get to witness people experience the liberating power of the Atonement.  The gospel of Jesus Christ truly changes lives.  I have seen it time and time again, including in my own life.

The Savior taught, "I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life." (John 14:6)  It is only through Jesus Christ that we can truly be free. 

The Measure of Our Love

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, once said, "The measure of our love is the measure of the greatness of our souls."

I want to share some things I have learned about love from some remarkable individuals.  These exceptional people have been my mission companions.  And according to Elder Wirthlin's definition, they are some of the greatest people I know because they are so filled with love for God and their fellowman.

My companion in the Missionary Training Center has a very fun-loving spirit.  We spent a majority of our time in the MTC laughing.  We had so much (maybe too much) fun with each other and the missionaries in our district and zone.  Her fun-loving nature not only brought lots of laughs and good times, but it also brought a spirit of unity.

 

My trainer in the mission field is one of the most amazing people I know.  She taught me (and continues to teach me) about pure love.  She is so sincere and genuine.  People are so drawn to her because she radiates the pure love of Christ.

My second transfer in the mission field my trainer and I received another companion.  This companion taught me a lot about demonstrating love.  When she loves and cares about someone she just can't help but put her arm around them and give them a hug.

 

My first transfer in Mayfield, KY I served with an individual who has become one of my best friends.  She loves people so deeply and fiercely.  And she has this way of making you feel like you are her favorite person in the world.  (I am thoroughly convinced I was her favorite mission companion.)

 

My second companion in Mayfield taught me a lot about unconditional love.  She put up with a lot from me as I had many different personal struggles.  Even though there were times she had no reason to love me, she did and would serve me in many little ways.

  

My third companion in Mayfield is one of the most accepting peole I know.  She has this inherent understanding of the worth of a soul and loves and accepts people despite their flaws and shortcomings (especially her companion's).

 

 

I served one transfer in McMinnville, TN and my companion there taught me about the loyalty and commitment that comes when you love others.  She is always concerned about the welfare of others and would do absolutely anything for those she loves. 

My first companion here in Manchester has this amazing ability to make connections with people, whether it's figuring out a mutual friend or a common interest.  She cares so much about people that she remembers little details of their lives.

 

My current companion is the type of person that everyone wants to be around because she always has something nice to say and a compliment to give.  It's so easy for her to love people because it's so easy for her to see the good in everyone.  She's like BYU TV, she sees the good in the world.

I have learned so much from these incredible individuals.  I truly consider them sisters.  I am inspired by their example of keeping the commandment to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" and to "love thy neighbour as thyself."  (see Matthew 22:37-39)

May each of us "pray unto the Father will all energy of heart, that [we] may be filled with this love." (Moroni 7:48)