No Matter Where You Go...

I've always found it interesting how we as people need consistency. Consistency in many areas determines who we are and who we will become. I've grown up my whole life hearing that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the same where ever you go. The building and people will be different but the principles that are being taught will be the same.Two weeks ago I was transferred from Kalispell Montana to Lovell, Byron and Cowley Wyoming. It wasn't until a couple days after we had attended church that a new understanding enlightened my mind. It hit me and strengthened my testimony of this church: That literally no matter where you go The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints WILL always be the same. You WILL have different leaders and a different building but the Gospel (the teachings) will remain the same. You can walk into any sacrament meeting around the world and see the Bishop and his two counselors on the stand. The sacrament will be blessed and passed the exact same way, Nursery, Primary, Young Mens and Young Womens, Relief Society and Priesthood, even the Hymn books are the same.  When you walk into the building people don't care who you are, all that matters is that you are there because we are all spirit brothers and sisters.


God knows of our need for consistency and fulfills those needs by reaching out in love to his children by calling another Prophet on the earth and restoring the same church his son, Jesus Christ, set up when he was on the earth. How grateful I am for a loving Heavenly Father!

I Thank Thee O God for a Prophet

I hope all of you got to listen or watch some of General Conference. Once again it has strengthened my testimony of Heavenly Father (God) and the prophets and apostles He has called to lead and guide us today. I testify that there is a God and that He loves all of Children which is why He has reached out in love by restoring the same church his son, Jesus Christ, set up when he was on the earth and calling another prophet to receive direction for you and I. I leave you the words to Hymn #19 "We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet". They have been on my mind a lot the last couple days with a few changes.

I thank thee, O God, for a prophet

To guide me in these latter days.

I thank thee for sending the gospel

To lighten my mind with its rays.

I thank thee for every blessing

Bestowed by thy bounteous hand.

I feel it a pleasure to serve thee

And love to obey thy command.

When dark clouds of trouble hang o’er me

And threaten my peace to destroy,

There is hope smiling brightly before me,

And I know that deliv’rance is nigh.

I doubt not the Lord nor his goodness.

I’ve proved him in days that are past.

The wicked who fight against Zion

Will surely be smitten at last.

 I’ll sing of his goodness and mercy.

I’ll praise him by day and by night,

Rejoice in his glorious gospel,

And bask in its life-giving light.

Thus on to eternal perfection

The honest and faithful will go,

While they who reject this glad message

Shall never such happiness know.

This is my testimony. I Thank Thee O God for loving us enough to give us a Prophet on the earth today!!

General Conference

I love this time of year for many reasons. One main reason is General Conference. A simple explanation for thoes of you who don't know what General Conference is...  It's when the Prophet and Appostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints address the world. So if you have ever been interested in hearing what the Lord is telling us today, this weekend is a great time to find out. Four Sessions over a two day period will take place. The schedule goes as following

 Saturday     10am-12pm  &   2pm-4pm 

      

Sunday     10am-12pm   &    2pm-4pm

General Conference is a great time to get answers to questions that have been on your mind. Write these questions down and pray about them. I can promise you that as you do, and watch all 4 sessions of General Conference (because you never know which one will have your answer) the answer to your questions will be given. God is the same God yesterday, today, and forever which is why He has reached out in love to his children by calling another Prophet on the earth today and restoring the exact same church his son, Jesus Christ, set up when he was on the earth. The way you can know for yourself is by watching General Conference and praying to know if the things you hear and see are true.

Planting Seeds

"Pray for a good harvest, but continue to hoe" is posted on a billboard in Kalispell. It has been food for thought running through my mind this last week and made me realize life in general is like a garden. In order to be successful or to have something to harvest there are steps you have to take. You can't just walk out to find a green luscious garden. You first have to prepare the ground. This may include tilling, plowing, fertilizing ect... You have to make rows and most importantly you have to plant seeds. And the seeds you plant take time to grow. From experience, you can't plant tomato seeds and walk out the next day to see a vine with ripe tomatoes ready to be picked.  There have been many incidences in life when I've gone to "my garden" to find it half completed. And for some reason am disappointed or question why nothing grew!.... The same goes for our spiritual growth. We have to plant seeds, water them everyday, and pull out the weeds. The process is NEVER over. As long as you want something to harvest from that garden it takes some form of effort everyday. We have to read our scriptures, pray, and look for the Lords hand in our lives every single day. Not once a year, once a month, or even once a week- but on a daily basis. I have seen a difference in my life when I've taken the time to complete all the steps instead of skipping one or two steps to get ahead. Success in anything comes with time. Sometimes remembering that can be the hardest part. But if we didn't have to work for something how would we know the joy that comes from succeeding? How would you know what fresh tomatoes from the vine taste like if you didn't continually water them? You wouldn't experience the sweet relief of finally accomplishing the goal you have been working so diligently towards. So don't give up! Keep sowing those seeds and one day your garden will be more luscious and plentiful than you ever thought possible. Pray for a good harvest, but continue to hoe!

Putting On Your Shoes... Everyday

Sometimes it is easy to disregard the things we know we should do. And most times, those things we don't want to do aren't hard, it's just that we don't want to do it. Be it out of peer laziness or the fact that it isn't very convenient at the moment. The example given in the video is prime. How hard is it to simply put on a pair of shoes? Had the boy taken the few extra minutes to put on his shoes he could have saved himself and his parents a lot of pain and suffering. I have learned a couple lessons in life the hard way just like this young boy. I have a testimony of doing the things we KNOW we need to be doing, even if it doesn't seem easy or what is convenient at the time. By taking a few extra minutes everyday to "put on your shoes", whether it be reading the scriptures or saying morning or nightly prayers, the spirit can and will be with you to help warn you of danger and save you from a lot of physical and spiritual pain and suffering.

One Year

One year and two days ago from today I left what I knew as "my life" and reported to the Missionary Training Center. I chose to serve my Heavenly Father for 18 short months and received my call to labor in the Montana Billings Mission. What an experience these last 12 months have been. I have learned new things about myself, this world, and God. I have stretched and grown and have done things I never thought possible... I know the reason I was able to do those things is because of God. He is our Loving Heavenly Father, and has sent us to Earth for a reason. Part of that reason is to learn and grow, to become more like Him so that one day we can return to live in His presence. I am trying to learn and grow to become the person He needs me to be. Thank you to all of you who have made this possible, for your love and support and for all those who have been a part of it thus far. I couldn't have done it with out you!

A Believer

Two words " A Believer" have been in my mind a lot lately. We read in the Book of Mormon about all the people who were told that Christ would come and after waiting what seemed forever some started loosing their faith. But as with everything, not everybody lost their faith. There were some who kept the faith knowing that someday HE WOULD COME. Several times I've put myself in their situation. Would I be a believer? Would my faith go dim as so many has?... And most importantly- Am I a believer today? Even though I don't see God and Jesus on a daily basis or just because I have never seen them, Am I "A BELIEVER"? As I've thought about this different responses have come to mind. To me A Believer is more than just believing. It's who you are and is part of your everyday life. A Believer is...

Always

Being

Enlightened...

Living

Intuitively... and

Enduring

Various

Endeavors

Regularly

Even those who did keep the faith went through their fair share of trials; just as we all do in this life. But as we endure the various endeavors a remarkable thing can occur. We can change and grow into the person Heavenly Father knows and wants us to become.