Showing posts with label my faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label my faith. Show all posts

Sunday, August 18, 2013

CHT//DAY ONE

Redeye from PDX to JFK, 4 hour delay (& I'm sure NSA just looooved us), then another short plane ride and we were there, in Palmya, New York; the place where it all started. We quickly changed into our church clothes in the airport bathroom (easily one of the most uncomfortable things I've done), hopped on the big green tour bus, & went straight to the Palmyra temple.  
 


{Wet hair & no makeup=temple swag}. 

 //The Palmyra temple is such a gorgeous temple. It's really small too, so we had to split up the boys from the girls & do separate baptism sessions. Having the whole baptismal font room full of girls was such a great experience that brought an amazing spirit.



//The Hill Cumorah.
 
 
 
//The Whitmore Farm. I loved looking at all the different art that were on the walls at these different places.


 
 


//The Book of Mormon publishing site.
 
 
Day one was great. It was tiring, I mean reeeeally tiring. When you're going on almost two straight days with absolutely no sleep (trying to sleep on planes is just the worst, you know?) it can make it kind of hard to focus on things & feel the spirit, however the difference between our physical bodies & our spiritual bodies became really clear to me that day. Even though all of our physical bodies were tired, our spiritual bodies were wide awake and ready to go! 
 
///Many, many more pictures from the church history tour, plus a few words, coming soon.
 
 


Sunday, July 21, 2013

CHURCH HISTORY TOUR







I've spent the past week and a half traveling around the country in a giant green bus.
We visited all of the historical sights of the early lds church, and on the way my testimony was strengthened, I made so many memories, and I met new lifelong friends.
I can't wait to share all of my journeys with you in many more posts to come!

Thursday, December 6, 2012

I FOUND THIS POST IN MY DRAFTS. IT'S REALLY OLD. OH WELL.


It's time to get real here, okay guys?
If I'm being completely honest, these last couple months have been really sucky. Like in a everything-little-thing-is-going-wrong-but-i-don't-really-have-a-good-reason-to-think-my-life-sucks kind of way. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I don't either. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm a big baby. Lately I've been finding myself complaining about the little things and not trusting in God and his timing. I could sit here and name off all of the dumb things that have happened since school started, but I wont, because that would be obnoxious and no one would want to read it. Instead, I'll share all of the things I am thankful for. Because it's November, dangit. And looking on the bright side of things always helps. 

  
THINGS THAT I AM THANKFUL FOR:
//taylor swift and her new cd, because it's perfect in every single way//friends that make me laugh//the temple//movie marathon parties//oregon in the fall, because i'm pretty sure this is exactly what heaven will look like//dutch brother's peppermint hot chocolate//a loving family//my three best girlfriends, and talk about a little 'last hurrah' in disneyland//having my licence and a car that i can drive in//a mom that will take me out of school for the day to go shoe shopping//playing the guitar and piano//hunter hayes//real, paying photography jobs//missionaries; past, present, and future.//the new missionary age change, and other answered prayers//sweater weather//my advanced junior english class, because we're basically like a family and i've never, ever laughed that much in school//instagram//blogging//the talents i have been given, because they make me special//seminary//journaling, even though i am terrible at it//pink hats that i am pretty sure are magical//cherry vanilla sprites//"no school november"//the beatles//boys with nice hair//

Sunday, October 7, 2012

WHAT I LEARNED FROM CONFERENCE


All young men and young women should serve a mission, if able. Missionaries are representatives of Christ. They are heroes and heaven sent angels. Have a question? Need help with something? Ask the missionaries, they can help you. They are here for you. Sister missionaries make a very large contribution and are wonderful to have. It is clear that missionary work is very, very important right now. Put aside the many trivial things of life to serve.
The youth of today are constantly affecting those around them whether they know it or not. They have never been stronger. Remember that the lord often answers other people’s prayers through you. So be a good example, even when you think no one is watching.

 Immersion in the scriptures is necessary for spiritual growth. Don’t just read them, but live them. Deeply study them. Memorize them. Make them your new best friends.

Ask yourself, “Am I prepared to meet God? Am I keeping myself blameless?” If not, remember that it is never too late to use the atonement. Repentance will always be there for us. 

The crowning characteristic of love is always loyalty.

When we joined the church, we enlisted to serve God. When we got baptized, we promised to take on the name of Jesus Christ. Because of these choices, we now have a big responsibility. We must not only emulate Christ’s example, but also take on the Christ-like qualities that Jesus taught. Be gentle, long suffering, kind without guile, give charity to all men, and have virtuous thoughts. With practice, we can become more like the Savior. Whether you are 8 or 80, never forget your baptism and the promises you made to your Heavenly Father.

Separate yourself from unrighteousness and worldly conduct. Leave the past behind and move forward with clean hands and a pure heart. Your mindset should be, “I will give away all my sins to know Thee"

Take action to feel the spirit now. Be patient with yourself, perfection is not for this life. Don’t demand of yourself things that are unreasonable, but demand of yourself improvement. Do not feel guilty for things you cannot change. Do not punish yourself.
Never be afraid to say, “I’m a Mormon. I know it, I live it, and I love it.” In fact, confidently declare that statement. Live the gospel more than you live anything else. Share your beliefs, your testimony, and your joy for the gospel to anyone and everyone. Do not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.
Remain focused on what matters most in life. Spend more time with those you love, and allow yourself to be happier. You do not want to look back on your life with regrets and what-ifs.
The family is our foundation for love, peace, and spirituality. Never forget that or take it for granted.
We must become the person Heavenly Father intends for us to become. Follow His plan for you, He knows best. We need to open our eyes to our unknown and unimagined talents and future opportunities. Our futures are bright as long as we stick with Heavenly Father.  
When you are sick, you listen to the doctor. When you're spiritually sick, listen to Christ and His word.
The pavilion that seems to intersect of divine aid doesn't cover God, but occasionally covers us. God is close to us, and aware of us, and never hides from His faithful children. He loves us, and is mindful of us. He will always be on our side, as long as we do what is right. "Fear not, I am with thee, oh be not dismayed."

You cannot just dip your toe in the water and claim you went swimming; you are capable of so much more.
We are in charge of our own happiness. Life is not a race, it is a journey. Enjoy it, and find joy in the journey. Our years on earth are precious, so do not wait for a certain point in life to be happy. Happiness is already available. We cannot take for granted one single day; we must truly learn to live now.
We must always listen to prompting of the spirit, regardless of our fear of embarrassment.

First observe, then serve! In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of his precious children. With faith, this can be accomplished. You will be able to discern specific needs of those around you. “Not my will, but thine be done"

Be doers of the word, not just livers of the word. 

Take the next step in your conversion. Conversion unto the lord requires both persistence and patience. It takes all of our heart, all of our might, all of our mind, and all of our strength. We must act, and not sit in thoughtless stupor. When doubt comes, we will not turn back.

Are there walls within us that need replacement? Windows of our soul that need fixed? If so, replace and fix them. We deserve the best, because we are children of a king and our bodies are temples.

If we properly prepare for the sacrament, it will change our lives. Have a feeling of gratitude during sacrament meeting. Come to sacrament with your questions and concerns, because you will receive answers. Memorize the sacrament prayers.  
At the end of each day ask yourself, “Have I done any good today?” The answer should always be, “Yes!”

We are to go to the rescue of the lost, the last, and the least. Our mission is to warn people, as kindly as possible, that repentance is the only way.
The Lord knows the level of your efforts and whether or not you have done your very best. When your efforts are less than best, move quickly towards improvement.
Do not let your faith falter. Treasure your faith. Protect it and defend it.
Trials of faith are designed to make you stronger. When faced in a trial, put your trust in Jesus Christ. With faith come trials of faith, bringing increased faith. Every person is eventually backed up to the wall of faith and there must take his stand. Don’t be surprised when it happens to you.
We are under the savior's command to care for each other. Teach by example. Reach out to protect the little children of the world.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

a fire still burning

Sorry for the absence. I'll be back soon. In the meantime, enjoy this!



Did you freak out? Because I freaked out.
He may be the most adorable man I have ever laid eyes on.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

general conference {saturday session.}

 {laura and erik and i. we're babes, don't deny it. also, please note that i am wearing a bowtie. bahaha.}




oh boy, where do i begin? today was conference. it's a time set aside twice a year where our prophet and church leaders speak to us worldwide. i love conference weekends. i always hear the things i needed to hear, and i find a whole lot of comfort in their inspired guidance and love.



things that i learned at conference today:




when you read the scriptures, it makes it easier to obey the commandments. scriptures are tools to help us. use these tools. they are pure truth. read your scriptures every day. studying & memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinet full of friends and truths that can be called upon at any time. great power comes from memorizing scriptures. ponder what you read.


when you pray, believe you will get an answer. god will answer in his own way and in his own time. never give up. always pray. make prayer a daily habit. trust in the lord with all your heart. listen for the voice of the spirit that is felt rather than heard. as you seek revelation, you will walk in the light of the lord.


whom the lord love, he corrects. learn of the church before you go around preaching it. trust in the lord with all your heart. testimonies come little by little. our testimony + faith in the lord + knowledge of the plan of happiness is what we need to get us through hard times.


dreams we have now can be fulfilled later in life. do not give up on your hopes and dreams.


no building is more important than the temple. go to the temple often, as often as you can.


learn of christ and follow his example. christ is the perfect example. when we serve others, we are serving christ. those who are lost rarely even realize they are lost. we need to help and love them.


we are being raised in enemy land. we are the strongest of the strong, the bravest of the brave, the best of the best. we were saved for this day and time to fight for our beliefs and help others do the same.


do not believe that you are not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough, etc. those thoughts are from satan, and they are not true. the worth of souls is great in the sight of god. we are everything to god. the lord uses the scale very different from that of the world to measure self worth. he loves each and every one of us. we are all special and we all have a reason to be here. do not let satan discourage you.


i am a daughter of god. i am a daughter of a king.


the book of mormon will help us with our problems and give us guidance.


some of the greatest souls that have ever lived are not in history books.


do not worry. live your life to the fullest. go on a mission, get married, have a family, watch your children and grandchildren grow up. you will not run out of time. everything will work out.


the church is pressing forward--press forward with it.


do the best you can, and the lord will do the rest. all will be well. do not stress.


be humble. do not complain. be a good influence to those around you. let your light shine to the world.


no matter what, you are not invisible to your father in heaven. what is going on now will not be forever. love your heavenly father in word and in deed. he sees you as his child. he sees you as the being you can and will become. he wants you to know that he loves you.


there is always time to serve others. service can be small. let us be as quick to kneel in prayer as we are to text. get rid of the time wasting things in your life. make sure being busy means you are being productive. continue to prepare to meet god. use the internet for good.


it is better to look up.


always remember christ. pour out your heart in prayer. have a hearing ear and a seeing eyes both directed upward.