Love music?

The other day we were doing choir practice at the church with some of the missionaries in our zone. We were practicing a hymn that we are going to be singing on Sunday. 
As we were practicing, I couldn't help but watch everyone. I noticed how we were all laughing and smiling and having fun while we were practicing. After practicing the hymn one of the elders went to the piano and started playing songs on the piano. Before I knew it we were all gathered around the piano singing along.
During the time that we were practicing I felt so much love within that room. Later that night I thought about why there was so much love in the room and so much happiness.
The next morning for my personal study I wanted to know and understand why we have music. There are many things in the Bible that talk about music, even the people in the Bible times laughed and enjoyed singing and playing music.
"For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me.." (Doctrine and Covenants 25:11-12)
We were singing a hymn, which is "a prayer unto [God]".
This was the Lord speaking to the Prophet Joseph Smith, for his wife Emma to put hymns together.
As a missionary, I teach how the gospel of Jesus Christ blesses families and draws our family closer together. This night at choir practice was just another testimony to me that this is true. I am miles away from my mom, dad, brother and sister. However, the people I meet here, and the missionaries, I consider my family. This night being gathered together singing hymns just drew us closer together.

I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ does indeed draw family and friends closer together! I love the comedy show "I Love Lucy". There are many times in the episode when it show the four friends singing together, happy and joyful songs. It is those happy, joyful, and uplifting music that brings us closer together. I know Heavenly Father wants us to be close and I know that music is a great blessing to have.

Do you sin? Guess what?!.. SO DO I!!!!

I've blogged alot about challenges and hard times. We all have them right? We don't have them once or twice a year.. We have them ALOT...

Sometimes people think that to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints you needs be perfect. Some might think that there are to many rules, and we aren't free to do the things that we want to. How do you feel?

I can say that, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints you do not need to be perfect. When I was a teenager I thought that I had to be perfect all the time. When I was about 17 years old, I got sick and tired of it and chose to rebel. I still had a testimony of Jesus Christ, I knew that He was indeed my Savior but I just purposely did things to make others mad or do something to give someone something to talk about. I was a not so happy person.

I thought I was happy, I laughed, I smiled but deep down I was SO miserable and angry.
Now, that I am a missionary I think back on the things that I have done and said to others and I'm not proud of it at all. I have felt SO much guilt, and often thought of just giving up.
I think about how I felt back then, and how I feel now. There is a HUGE difference!
We are to remember the sins or mistakes that we have done, so that we can be reminded how it felt and not do it again. It takes a long time to heal, "healing blessings come in many ways." Remember that the Lord reveals to us our weaknesses so that we can be stronger and strive to be more and more like him. Sounds like alot of work yes? Well, I love what Elder Packer said this general conference. He said.."If someone is looking for a church that requires very little, this is not the one. It is not easy to be a Latter-day Saint, but in the long run it is the only true course." I know this comment to be true. I know that other people have had it worse than I have, but looking back on my decisions and my way of thinking was no bueno. Ya it was easier but I wasn't going anywhere in life. This gospel of Jesus Christ is the way of life! It is mine! Its one of the greatest things that I could have. I will not go back to the person I was because I see what is important. My Savior Jesus Christ is important to me. He was willing to suffer for not just me, but the WHOLE world just so we wouldn't have to. So when I make those sins and mistakes, because we ALL do, I can kneel down and ask Him to forgive me and learn from those mistakes that I made.

I don't know everything about the church of Jesus Christ, and I wont know everything here in this life. What I do know, is that it changed me to be a better person. I know this gospel does bring much happiness into peoples lives, I am a witness of this. I've seen many lives change here in California. Its been one of the greatest things that I have seen, and I feel very blessed to have witnessed these miracles. I thank my Father in Heaven for helping see the things that matter most in life. I thank Him for never leaving me, even when I was a rebellious teenager and a brat to my family. We all sin, but there is ALWAYS repentance! "..as oft as [you] repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent [you] were forgiven." (Moroni 6:8)

Remember who you are and what you stand for!

Monkey Trap

How many of you have heard of a monkey trap?
Well, if you haven't allow me to explain.. Like this picture there is a box, and in the box are bananas, apples, all kinds of fruit, something that is appealing. The hole in the box, however, is just big enough to get the monkey's hand in the box. When he grabs the food he isn't able to get his hand out. The monkey just doesn't want to let go of that fruit so he will try and try and TRY to get his hand out, and isn't able to and becomes trapped. We can see that as the monkey is trapped his freedom is taken away, and can no longer do anything else.
Think about whats going on in your life... What are your banana's? Apples? Or other fruits? How long will you hold on and not let go? 

A marked Generation, As Children of GOD!!!!

We have been born

As Nephi of Old

to goodly parents who love the Lord

   

We have been taught and we understand

that we must do as the Lord commands

We are as the army of Helaman

we have been taught in our youth

and we will be the Lords missionaries to bring the world His truth

Remember......

This morning I was going through some of my notes from the MTC (Missionary Training Center). I found some scriptures and I started reading them. One caught my attention and goes along with my last post. Its in the Book of Mormon in Mosiah 4:30, " But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."

The word remember really hit me in the MTC.. As you can see the title of my blog is REMEMBER who you are and what you stand for. All we have to do, is remember the things that our Savior did, learn of Him and His commandments and live it. Of course Satan is against this and he will "..whispereth in their ears until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance." Satan will do everything he can to make us forget our Heavenly Father, and that He loves us. He will try to make us doubt the promptings of the spirit that we have. I've been feeling this way for a couple days. Just thinking if I made a right choice. I think about the time the spirit told me, that I needed to come here. I cant deny that Heavenly Father wants me to be here.  I have to trust that everything will be OK and trust that God knows me and knows what will make me happy.
I love the praise Remember, who you are and what you stand for! It will always remain in my head, and it helps me to truly remember who I am .. I know that I am a child of God.
So.. Remember who you are and what you stand for!

We are fighting a battle

Have you ever had one of those days where you can't stay focused? You have so many things going through your mind and can't seem to pay attention? Ya Ive been having one of those days. So many things have been going through my mind, things that don't really matter right now. My whole mission I've been really good on focusing and paying attention to what I am out here to do, and that is to teach the restored gospel. So why am I having such a hard time right now? Things that didn't bother me before are now bothering me and I cant seem to stop thinking about it.

Being an online missionary we often talk about Christ and His gospel and the blessings that come from living His gospel. Following Jesus Christ and His example helps us to be happy and to understand true happiness. I've never talked about the one that does not want us to be happy, he wants us to be miserable. Yes, I'm talking about Satan.

I read a weekly letter from our dear mission president that he sent us via email a couple months ago. As I read this letter I've been thinking about what Satans purpose is. In the Bible dictionary it explains him being, "..the enemy of righteousness and of those who seek to do the will of God... he does strive to lead men and women from the work of God... One of the major techniques of the devil is to cause human beings to think they are following God's ways, when in reality they are deceived by the devil to follow other paths."
Satan is really willing to destroy us, how does he do this? President David O. Mckay said, "The greatest battle of life is fought within the silent chambers of your own soul." What does this mean to you?
Does Satan have power to place a thought in my mind? Yes!

Sometimes we think that it might be us ourselves and the way that we feel causes those feelings to come.

President Joseph Fielding Smith said, "We should be on guard always to resist Satan's advances. He has power to place thoughts in our minds and to whisper to us in unspoken impressions to entice us to satify our appetites or desires and in various other ways he plays upon our weakness and desires." See (2 Nephi 28:22).
Remember, Satan was in heaven with us before he was cast out. He does know our weaknesses and uses them against us. The things that have been on my mind is a weakness of mine. I've often thought if I really made the right decision to come here and serve the Lord. I know all of a sudden, Satan is putting putting this thought in my mind to distract me from the work I am here to do. Its been a challenge, I know though, that I have the Lord on my side, that the Lord also knows my thoughts and the desires of my heart. With the Lords help I can overcome Satan, and I will be able to not be distracted. Prayer has really helped me these past couple days to remember the thoughts and feelings I had in my decision in serving the Lord. I know that the Lord wants me here at this time, and no matter what, everything will work out. The Lord wants us to be happy, He sees the bigger picture. I love my Father in Heaven, I'm grateful that He sent us the Holy Ghost to help lead and guide us and to help us resist the temptations of the devil!
I know its an ongoing battle we must face every single day. I know that by follow the Lord counsel we can be able to win that battle against Satan.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He is our Savior. I know that Satan never gives up on us and he is trying his hardest to distract us from the things that matter most.
Remember we are all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father, He will never lead us astray!
Remember who you are and what you stand for!

I love you Mom!

Hey Ma,
Well, its mothers day (Sunday). I thought about writing about mothers but I thought that I would write to you instead!
I love being here in the Santa Rosa Mission serving the Lord my God. I want to thank you for your love and support.

Lately I've been thinking about the past times that we have spent together. There was alot of smiles and laughter, but also hard times. Times of fighting, tears and heart ache.
Remember the times cracking nuts and watching the David Letterman show? Staying up late on a school night talking to you about my frustrations and troubles? Walking around Salt Lake City taking pictures of all the Olympic stuff and 2-3 o'clock in the morning? Ya, good times. You have always been there to help me whenever I needed it. But what I will always remember most, is your love for the gospel. No matter what came your way no matter how hard it was for you, you always remained faithful to the Lord. If it weren't for your example, I'm not sure if I would be were I am today. You taught all us kids what it meant to stand up for what you believe in and to always trust in God.
Thank you for being there and trusting in the Lord, and doing what you know to be right. I know that He is proud of you and your desires to live close to Him. I'm proud of you for the mother that you are and the mother you have become.
I love this gospel with all my heart, and my Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives and we can live with Him again. I'm grateful for the temples and the blessings of the temple, that I can be with my family forever. I'm glad that I get to be with you, my father, my brother, my sister and their families for time and all eternity. What a great plan Heavenly Father has for us! I hope that you will continue to always remember this plan and strive to be more and more like our Savior Jesus Christ.

I know that He continues to guide us through His prophets, that President Thomas S. Monson, is His prophet on earth today. I'm grateful for the scriptures, Bible and Book of Mormon, for the greater knowledge and understanding of His gospel and plan for us.

He lives! Thank you for all that you have done for me, I'm grateful for you and the things you have taught me.

Mom, Remember who you are and what you stand for! I love you! Happy Mother's Day!!!!