Good Things Await...

Hey again. I hope y'all had a great week and are enjoying your sabbath.

Great announcements for the week:
1. Institute is Wednesday @ 7pm in B092 JFSB.
2. Thursday night is our ward karaoke/untalent night in 214 Crabtree building. It's the building behind the Wilk, on the South side where the Cougareat doors by Subway let out. The room is on the main floor. As you enter the front of the building, immediately turn right, and it's the only room you can enter.
3. Stake Quick Connect is also on Thursday.
4. Friday is Valentine's Day.
5. Thursday, the 20th, is our Ward Temple trip.
5. Thank you for helping keep the sacrament room more reverent this week as you entered. Let's continue to set an example for the ward and watch the improvement. :)

Brittany was our amazing teacher today, with guest lecturer Christine. They taught from the Joseph Fielding Smith manual, chapter 3, the Plan of Salvation. I tried really hard to keep up with the notes today, but the Spirit was touching people's hearts a lot faster than my fingers could touch the keyboard. Please forgive me if I misquoted anyone, or left something out. Feel free to add your testimony or comments below. This really was a beautiful lesson.
http://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-joseph-fielding-smith/chapter-3-the-plan-of-salvation?lang=eng

On April 29, 1901, Joseph Fielding Smith’s 18-year-old sister Alice died after an extended illness. Joseph was just finishing a full-time mission in England. His response to the news of Alice’s passing revealed his love for his family and his testimony of the plan of salvation. “It is a dreadful blow to us all,” he recorded in his journal. “I did not realize the seriousness of her illness although I knew she was sick. I fully expected to meet her again with the rest of the family within a few weeks, but the will of God be done. It is at such times that the hopes which the gospel present[s] to us are most welcome.

Brittany: I want to take a step back and go over the elementary things of the Plan of Salvation.
When I was investigating the Church, I don’t know if the Sisters had ever heard the lesson, but for me it changed the entire beginning and end of the universe.
They asked me how I felt and I had no idea. It’s huge. I want us all to appreciate how profound the Plan of Salvation is.
I feel like I’ve been close to people who have gone through these trials before, but it’s so much more comforting to know that not only does God have a plan, but that we have a part in it.
The hope he has when his sister dies, is in the Plan of Salvation.
Ryan: I kind of had an epiphany a couple weeks ago. I went to a Baptist church with my friend. My understanding was if you accept Christ, you go to heaven and chum around all day. I was grateful for this plan because not only does He have a plan for me here on earth and I have a part in this plan, but I can become a goddess and have a part to be there.

We shall all meet again on the other side to enjoy the pleasures and blessings of each other’s presence, where family ties will no more be broken, but where we shall all live to receive the blessings, and realize the tender mercies of our Father in heaven. May I always walk in the path of truth, and honor the name I bear, that the meetings with my kindred may be to me indeed most sweet and everlasting, is my humble prayer.”
Serving as an Apostle and later as President of the Church, President Joseph Fielding Smith repeatedly testified of the hope that comes through an understanding of the gospel. He taught, “We have the plan of salvation; we administer the gospel; and the gospel is the sole hope of the world, the one way that will bring peace on earth and right the wrongs that exist in all nations.”

Brittany: I hope that we’ll take time to ponder this lesson afterwards. “We have the plan of salvation; we administer the gospel; and the gospel is the sole hope of the world, the one way that will bring peace on earth and right the wrongs that exist in all nations.” That is really cool and important to understand. I was thinking at this point we’d have a guest lecturer. So for this next minute, I want you all to think about someone you love who doesn’t have the Plan of Salvation in their life. Think about the issues that might be confusing to them, what questions they might have, and how you would teach them.

Christine is going to draw the Plan of Salvation and teach us.

Christine: The Plan of Salvation meant a lot to me on my mission. Every time I taught it, I felt like I was learning. This is going to be fast, and really simple, but think about it as that person and ask some questions like they would.

The Plan of Salvation is one of the greatest things we can know. One of my favorite scriptures is in 2 Nephi 2:25.

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

Think about that. Men are here on this earth right now to have joy. That’s why God sent us down here. He wants us to be happy. We learned about this before we had bodies.
In the Pre-Earth Life we were with God and Jesus Christ. We were all together. They taught us. That’s great to me because he knew us. He doesn’t only know us here, but he knew us there.
We came to earth to become like him. We came to earth to experience joy and sorrow. Moses 1:39. I know that seems like a lot, but not so we can just stay here, but so we can progress and become more like our Heavenly Father.
Everyone dies right, but one of the most amazing things is that we don’t have to be afraid of that. We keep moving on. That’s because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know that’s a big word. It has to do with Jesus Christ living a perfect life and dying for us. One question I had was why is it important that Jesus Christ died 2000 years ago for me. But it’s so we can be perfect.
After we die we go to a place called the Spirit World. There is paradise and prison. Paradise is when we’ve learned the gospel and we rest. Prison is when we don’t understand the gospel. We’re scared because we still don't understand the gospel. But we can still learn it.
Then there’s the Celestial Kingdom. That’s where God lives. There are other places where we can go if we haven’t accepted the gospel. The Terrestrial Kingdom is where we go if we lived a good life but don’t accept the gospel. The Telestial Kingdom is where we go if we didn’t live a good life and don’t accept the gospel.

What are questions that you have as that person you’re thinking about?

Ginger: I’m happy doing the things I’m doing now, but I don’t think I’d be doing those things if I was in God’s presence. Why should I want those things if it’s as good as you say it is?
Christine: If you have that eternal; perspective, and show them this, then they can internalize it. Plant those seeds so they can think about it.
Brittany: I had the same thought before I was baptized. I believed that in the end my happiness would expire. Even accepting the gospel and not having that goal realized, I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Just invite someone to experiment with more happiness.
Ashley: I just went through trial x.y.z and it doesn’t seem like God wants me to be happy.
Christine: That’s part of what the Atonement does. It doesn’t right all our wrongs, but just like Adam and Eve, they fell, but they fell forward. With the Atonement, we are raised back up past our trials. We’re not raised back up to be even, but better. Those trials won’t be big enough to do anything to us anymore. God makes us stronger.
Ginger: We’ve talked before about God not always caring about our comfort in the moment, but what’s in our future. With Christ, he had a hard life, and how excruciating it was, God allowed him to suffer, but right now he is glorified and doing so much more. Even though it’s hard right now, when we see the eternal perspective, we’ll learn from our trials and be so much stronger.
Amber: along that same idea, there is opposition in all things. In the Pearl of Great Price, Eve talks about how we need to have opposition to have joy. Our trials are helping us learn so we can have joy.
Ashley: So you’re saying I’ll be miserable my whole life until I die?
Christine: My sister had the same question that I didn’t know how to answer until my mission. I taught someone with a difficult trial, and I told them that if they learned this and followed the gospel the way we taught them, that they wouldn’t trade those trials for anything. It’s made them who they are. I know this plan does something for us. The Atonement does something for us. Christ understands us.
Brittany: You will benefit from the Atonement. I don’t know who among us are feeling those blessings. I feel blessed by association with you people. I know you have my best interaction at heart when you interact with me. I’m not just doing anything with you just for a good time, or to jeopardize your happiness, and I don’t think you’re doing that for me. We really care about each other.
Christine: This isn’t just to be happy there, but now. The gospel gives us happiness in our trials. The PoS is the shell for talking about the gospel. People have concerns, but they can be answered through this.
Lacey: Misery is a state of mind. You can be in miserable circumstances, but it’s a choice. The gospel gives us that peace and allows us to not get caught up into that drama.
Brittany: The point is, starting today, we can start feeling the blessings. We’ll start realizing them when we have eternal families. I don’t think I always understood why an eternal family would be so great, but Elder Oaks said: The kind of family required for exaltation is enduring and godlike in quality. That’s what the Plan of Salvation offers.
Ryan: One thing that rally helped me understand the Plan of Salvation was my relationship with my Heavenly Father. If we don’t even understand who God is, we’re not going to want this.
Brittany: How do we understand who God is?
Ashley: The most important part of the Plan of Salvation for me is the family. That’s also how you get to know God better. We’ll be creating families for all eternity. It’s so unique in our theology that we’re going to be like God someday. When we realize that we’re in a practice run.
Christine: I love to read 2 Nephi 4 when Nephi really gives himself to God. When we seek him, we get to know him, because he’s always there.
Brittany: How you feel the Spirit is indicative of who he is.
Arianne: I was talking to Kiersten the other day about Christ, Gd and our relationship with them. I feel like I have a different relationship with them. With Christ it feels so huge and encompassing. I feel closer with God because it seems simpler. I can picture my Dad. I have a good relationship with my dad. We’ve all been given a relationship like that where we can look to and understand better. It’s that and more. And another thing that’s helped me, is when I pray, I used just pray and not picture anything. Once I was in a fireside and they said, when you pray, picture something like you’re kneeling down in front of a throne. Or something like that. Being able to picture that has really helped me understand how caring and loving God is. And still tough, like “you’re going to get through this”.
Brittany: Arianne is right. Heavenly Father is our father. Just like someday we’ll be mothers and they’ll trip and fall. We’ll nurture them and hopefully they’ll grow up and be like us or better than us. I think that’s how Heavenly Father sees us. We’re infants, but he wants us to become like him. The Plan of Salvation helps us become that. I have a testimony that Heavenly Father loves us. That he loves us so much. He wants us to come live with him again, understand who he is, and receive the blessings he has. I know that’s all possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
I encourage us to all ponder that this week. We’re in the middle of the Plan of Salvation right now.

Ashley: I’m really grateful for that lesson. That was a unique lesson, because I’ve never thought about how difficult that would be to teach that. I want to add my testimony, I have a very strong testimony that everything we’re going through right now, this is it as far as tests goes. Everything that we’re going through is for our good. Heavenly Father has a plan a d he wants even more than we do that we return to him. He’s doing every single things to bring us back to him. If you look for those tender mercies during those hard times, you’ll see them and be able to endure them.

Happy February!

Hello again.

This week, I'd like to reemphasize the ward goals. They are beautiful and I think it would help everyone to reread and ponder them.
1. Build upon the Rock of Christ (or come unto Christ) through daily meaningful prayer and scripture study.
2. Build upon the Rock of Christ through daily service.
3. Build upon the Rock of Christ through regular temple attendance.

Okay, here are the announcements coming up. There's some good stuff coming up this month.
1. Bishop has asked that we all increase the reverence when we come to Church on Sundays. Yes, we meet in a classroom, but it has been dedicated as a chapel. Please strive to be more reverent with everyone you need to communicate with when you come in. It will really help invite the Spirit and enhance the opportunity to receive revelation for everyone.
2. If you haven't received your ecclesiastical endorsement, it's better to do it sooner rather than later.
3. Monday Feb 3rd is FHE and @ 9pm Basketball/Track at the RB.
4. Wednesday Feb 5th @ 7pm is Institute @ B092 JFSB
5. Saturday Feb 8th @ 12:15pm is our ward women's basketball team's game.
6. Saturday Feb 8th from 9-11:30pm is the Stake "Break the Ice" activity at Seven Peaks Ice Arena.
7. Thursday Feb 13th is our ward music night. Talk to Cassandra if you want to participate. It's more like a talent or un-talent night. There will be karaoke.
8. Sunday Feb 16th is a Stake Fireside. More details to come.

Ashley was our fabulous teacher today. She taught from Daughters in My Kingdom.

“Guardians of the Hearth”

I have had this topic on my mind lately. As you know, I go to BYU law school. A lot of women tend to confide in me. I had one friend in particular recently confide in me that she wants to have a baby, but she’s afraid of telling her friends because she’s not focusing as hoard on her school.
What is the role of women? Why are we here? What’s the most important thing about this?
Our Church’s way, is not the way of the world. Please consider these questions as we go through this.
This is a very broad concept and I would like a lot of discussion.

Satan and the World
Satan is working overtime to attack the family. He tells us that marriage is not important, that children do not need a father and a mother, and that strong families are not important. He tells us that moral values are old-fashioned and silly. When challenges come,...

I feel like Satan is kind of sliding in on this one. I thought of a million ways that Satan gets us to forget our divine roles. What are some ways he trips us up?
Brittany: One of the biggest ways is that quality is sameness. Both people have to work and half time parents and that’s the only way to equally do things. That and I think the world has passed value judgements on those two things. I think they did it wrong. I think if anything should be aspired to, it’s not the career. Our husbands will have careers, but he will support and provide for us in the home. The fact that the world A says if you’re in the home than you’re not doing more important things. B. the only way to be equal is to be the same. It’s been a perspective shift, but I think it’s really important.
Aahley: I’m glad you said that. There’s another talk by elder Christofferson talks about that. I went to a talk the other day that was very powerful for me. It’s interesting because I think we see men as getting to go after their career while we’re defined by motherhood. It’s not intended for us to be defined by our careers. The most important thing our husbands will do is also be a father. Sometimes we’re so focused on career vs. staying home, but once there’s imbalance we’ll see what’s really important.
Arianne: My aunt just had a daughter and quit her great job as a lawyer. My Grandmother gave her some great advice: being a mother is very important. You’ll feel like you’re helping more than all the good things you did in your career. Keep yourself feeling like this is as important as your professional life and you’ll realize this is one of the most important things you could be doing. You just need to make it feel like it’s important.
Ashley: I think that’s what was making me feel the most sad in the last month. I’m not making any judgement on career paths, but no matter what you choose we have to appreciate motherhood.
Arianne: Our church leaders don’t frown on education, they’re just saying don’t let that become more important than motherhood.
Ryan: It’s kind of like we’re focused to get a career until we’re married. Everything we do is to help us prepare for becoming mothers.
Ashley: I’ve thought that forever. I’ll share a quick story. Oftentimes when I go on blind dates, I’ve been asked a couple times by guys right after telling them I’m in law school. “So you’re a lawyer?” they’re kind of passing judgement and trying to figure out if I want it to be my everything. For me law school is something I’m passionate about, but it will definitely help me be a better mother. I’m trying to gear everything I’m doing toward being a mother. Someday your kids going to come to you with a challenge, and you’ve been there. All these things really give us experience in ways we don’t realize. You can still dream as long as you keep God in the forefront.
Christine: I feel like I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. I grew up with a single mom. I feel like my eyes are so wide open to this topic. I want to pursue my career and be a mother. My last companion on my mission is from Orem. I get to see them all the time. Her mom does everything. There’s a partnership she has with her husband. It’s amazing how it is. She created this little business of her own. I think that’s what we can do. There’s definitely room for other passions, but she has shown me that you can do it.
Ashley: You, Arianne, touched on how the most important thing you’ll do is be a mother. I have some similar passions where I want to help people who are wrongfully convicted. I was listening to a TED talk the other day. This one was completely non-controversial. We need to fix the murderers. Almost every single person he knew on death row, came from a bad family. Especially problems with their mothers. Instead of pouring more money into prisons and creating jobs for women to work more, if we could focus on family it would solve a tone of social problems. Everyone knows a mother’s influence in the home is huge, but as a society as a whole it’s also important.
Pres. Hinckley said “You are the guardians of the hearth. Your are the bearers…
One of you a few weeks ago said something that really hit me. We watched that video about fathers. In respect to that last quote, you said, of all of his roles he still wants to be known as father. So what does that say about women as mothers? Why is it our most important role and god’s most important role?
Adrianne: Someone said her most important duty is taking care of God’s children on earth. Obviously we’re not gods here, but you’re playing the role as close as you can be here.
Ashley: My mom is funny. She was very protective of us as kids. She wouldn’t let anyone but my grandma babysit us until we were about 5. Heavenly Father trusts us to raise his children and shape their very lives. He knows what it will do for us. The family is about everyone growing.
Rachel: I like what you were saying, how we all need everyone to grow. This week I have a new niece. But I was talking to my mom about it and asked her how she feels about it. She said, I think they’ll do great. They were born to be parents. The principles of the Family proclamation is for the world. It brings me so much joy. It can be terrifying, but what a wonderful blessing that is that we’re born to be parents.
“however mothers need not fear. When mothers know who God is and have confidence in him, …” we are his children, he’s not going to let us fail.
Ashley: Read Ch. 9, then go read “the moral force of women” by Elder Christofferson.
We have so much power in the world, even before we’re mothers.
“In all events, a mother can exert …
I love that. We vie for jobs that help society, but they will end eventually. This is one thing that will never end. I have a testimony of this already, but I know that more joy and happiness comes from this eternal career than any other thing.
Now what? That’s what I want to end this lesson with today.
“The ability to qualify for, receive, and act on personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life. …” Sis. Beck
I love that quote because it has been applicable to so many areas of my life. I know that will continue as well. I remember being in a fireside with her once. Someone asked her what it is that we could be doing now, what the most important skill is. She answered in this same way. It’s all about revelation. That’s how we grow. This is something I think we can and should focus on right now.
What else can we do to prepare for motherhood?
A boy yesterday mentioned that God has a special place for women. There’s nothing more motivating than a good girl who likes you. Right now in our little sphere, how can we exert motherhood and moral influence?
Ky: I think right now as young single adults, we should be focusing on getting that skill to receive and act on personal revelation. We should also be worthy. We should be in places where we can acquire that skill. It is very much a skill to listen to the Spirit and what Heavenly Father has for us. When you develop that skill now, you’ll be prepare for your family.
Ashley: I was contemplating that this week. With all that's going on in my life, I need the Lord. I’m completely useless without his help. I’ve totally learned that the hard way. If you’re not completely worthy, it’s all out the window. Anything you can do to increase that worthiness is going to help that relationship.
Ky: the last couple weeks this has hit home for me. I’ve graduated and feel like a bum. After being at home for 2 weeks and not doing anything, is not good not only was I not doing anything, I was just stuck. I was talking with Brooke because she was in the same place a few months ago. You need to read your scriptures and pray. When you do those little things you put yourself in the place to receive revelation. You need that. Without the Lord, you can’t do anything. Since then I feel like I’m doing more good things and I have that peace and quiet that just makes me happy.
Ashley: The lord wants to help you. I’ve been there after pretty rough times when it felt like I was very far away. But he’s there with open arms.
Kiersten: with the moral influence question, it’s kind of hard to be excellent. When you try all the time to be your best, sometimes when people ask you to do something and you say no, you’re worried they’ll judge you, but they normally end up respecting you. If we’re to become the best now, and not everyone understands it, then we’ll be better for it and help others.
Ashley: We love/hate to compare ourselves to others. When we cut that out, we’ll see ourselves how Heavenly Father sees us. He wants us to be queens.
Ginger: It’s so important to be so firm that our children will always trust that we’ll do the right thing. It’s so important to be strong and steadfast because the world isn’t going to teach our children true things. If we begin now, they will be that much more ingrained in us. If we go forward with purpose, we’ll get there and we’ll be prepared.
Ashley: The last year I decided to stop worrying so much about getting married and being a good wife. It’s been more fun and fulfilling for me to think about what I’m doing right now to think about how what I’m doing will help me be a good mother. I challenge you to think about what you’re doing and think about the meaning of the things you’re doing and how they will help you be a mother.
I have a firm testimony that if you put the things of the gospel first in your life, than Heavenly Father will help you. I have a strong testimony of our divine role. At the end of the day, the most important thing I can share with you is that Heavenly Father really loves you and trusts you to raise his children. Make the most of your talents and skills.

Nice, warm, January

Hey Sisters. Sorry this took me so long to get up. But, at least it's here.

Natalie taught a very beautiful lesson from President Monson's Conference address.
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/i-will-not-fail-thee-nor-forsake-thee?lang=eng#5-10791_000_46monson

Natalie: I think this is a topic we can all relate to on varying degrees.
He starts by talking about losing his wife. He’s talking about getting through that.
Of utmost comfort to me during this tender time of parting have been my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge I have that my dear Frances lives still. I know that our separation is temporary. We were sealed in the house of God by one having authority to bind on earth and in heaven. I know that we will be reunited one day and will never again be separated. This is the knowledge that sustains me.
When the pathway of life takes a cruel turn, there is the temptation to ask the question “Why me?” At times there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel, no sunrise to end the night’s darkness. We feel encompassed by the disappointment of shattered dreams and the despair of vanished hopes. We join in uttering the biblical plea, “Is there no balm in Gilead?” We feel abandoned, heartbroken, alone. We are inclined to view our own personal misfortunes through the distorted prism of pessimism. We become impatient for a solution to our problems, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required.
Why do you think in time of trial it’s so hard to see our blessings?
Kelsey: It’s more human nature to focus on the negative. It’s hard to focus on the positive when things are going badly. You have to make a conscious decision. We all need a pity party, but you can’t let yourself spiral downward.
Natalie: My mom used to say “Natalie, bad days happen, that’s why we lick the bowl.” How are you going to get through this.
Brittany: Sometimes when you’re blessed you feel very grateful, but as it goes on sometimes it’s hard to remember because you’re used to it being so nice. We can lose the perspective because we’re used to it.
Ashley: From the BYU devotional the guy said, “god cares more about our growth than our comfort.” My parents have done that a lot to me. They could have picked me up and put me on my feet, but they let me learn the consequences. The reason we forget is because we don’t see the big picture. It’s part of our growth and progression. HF doesn’t want us to suffer, but we need to learn.
[http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=2162]
Natalie: He talks about patience and I know I’ve felt like that. Sometimes the answers don’t come right away. I have great visiting teachers. They’ve helped me see that. That was something I needed to grow and exercise my faith.
Pres. Monson says: Why me?
That’s normally the first thing I ask. It think it’s hard to ask the why question. I know that looking back, it would have been impossible to connect the dots looking forward. We need to rely on faith.
Matt 11: 28-30

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you crest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

It’s in my personality to want to control my trials. I love that scripture that we really can get on our knees and give that job back to the Lord. Can anyone think of someone that has remained faithful through a trial?
Jo: Something you don’t get to feel, but you can’t feel the Atonement in their life. You don’t know how God helps them through it.
Ashley: My mom went through one of the roughest trials in her life when I was a baby. There was a Conference talk that helped her through it.
Ryan: My sister is a good example to me. Time and time again she falls back on prayer and fasting. It’s also encouraging to watch her take no for an answer. A lot of things became easier because she allowed things to work out.
Natalie: Where do you turn? What scriptures help you?
Christine: D&C 6. This is Oliver Cowdery. He’s questioning some things and Christ tells him “haven’t I told you? Haven’t you felt the spirit? Lean on those things;” the savior has helped me. I just have to keep going.
Natalie: I had a priesthood blessing and that’s one of the things mentioned to remember those experiences.
Kate: John 14:27 I find that most often when I’m struggling it’s because I’m afraid. Even when we’re struggling, we don’t have to fear. We can go through it.
Adrienne: 61: 36-39 I thought it was interesting how he calls us his children. He tells us to be humble and enter not into temptation. It’s tempting to doubt our situation.
Arianne: D&C 78:19-19 He knows the trials we have. He says don’t worry, be happy, I’m going to be there leading you along the entire way. I love knowing that he’s there every step of the way.
Natalie: I love that that scripture talks about tour potential. I love to read my patriarchal blessing. As women we’re hard on ourselves. But my patriarchal blessing helps me see myself through his eyes.
I used to hate the story of Job as a kid, but I've come to learn a lot about him.
As we ponder the events that can befall all of us, we can say with Job of old, “Man is born unto trouble.” Job was a “perfect and upright” man who “feared God, and eschewed evil.” Pious in his conduct, prosperous in his fortune, Job was to face a test which could have destroyed anyone. Shorn of his possessions, scorned by his friends, afflicted by his suffering, shattered by the loss of his family, he was urged to “curse God, and die.” He resisted this temptation and declared from the depths of his noble soul:
“Behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.”
“I know that my redeemer liveth.”
Job kept the faith. Will we do likewise as we face those challenges which will be ours?
Adrienne: The other week at work some people brought up Job. One guy said there’s never a purpose. Look at Job. God and Satan laughed at him. I said, what did we learn from that? We can learn to deal with trials. You can learn how to use faith. We can say we’re learning from it ourselves.
Ryan: We were watching the Emma Smith movie and she posed the question “why do bad things happen to good people?” Sometimes we don’t understand why trials come, but that’s when we need to lean on the Savior. He was perfect and should have had a perfect life.
Jo: Writing in your journal can give you strength to show you that you’ve endured other trials. Enduring it well is the real test. You never want to go through it again, but you’re grateful for it.
Kiersten: When I go through trials twice, I wonder what I did wrong, but for Job it was just a test. He didn’t do anything wrong.
Natalie: He will push you to your breaking point and beyond. Adrienne said What did we learn from Job? Pres. Monson talks about how we’re not alone in this. "From the beginning of the church the saints have had trials. Talking about those who survived patiently, his is what will pull us through whatever comes our way. We will still experience difficult challenges, but we will be able to face them, to meet them head-on, and to emerge victorious.
From the bed of pain, from the pillow wet with tears, we are lifted heavenward by that divine assurance and precious promise: “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Such comfort is priceless.
I love that. How many times have you received that divine assurance that he hasn’t forgotten you.
As I have traveled far and wide throughout the world fulfilling the responsibilities of my calling, I have come to know many things—not the least of which is that sadness and suffering are universal."

Last summer I spent in Africa with school. One Sunday in RS they were talking about trials. They started sharing personal stories of the babies they had lost. It was touching to me to see how they relied on each other for strength and comfort. We're all sent to this earth to learn and grow. To see them turn to each other and their HF and know they didn’t have to go through it alone was really touching to me.

Whenever I think of challenges, my thoughts turn to Brother Brems, one of my boyhood Sunday School teachers. He was a faithful member of the Church, a man with a heart of gold. He and his wife, Sadie, had eight children, many of whom were the same ages as those in our family.
After Frances and I were married and moved from the ward, we saw Brother and Sister Brems and members of their family at weddings and funerals, as well as at ward reunions.
In 1968, Brother Brems lost his wife, Sadie. Two of his eight children also passed away as the years went by.
One day nearly 13 years ago, Brother Brems’s oldest granddaughter telephoned me. She explained that her grandfather had reached his 105th birthday. She said, “He lives in a small care center but meets with his entire family each Sunday, where he delivers a gospel lesson.” She continued, “This past Sunday, Grandpa announced to us, ‘My dears, I am going to die this week. Will you please call Tommy Monson. He will know what to do.’”
I visited Brother Brems the very next evening. I had not seen him for a while. I could not speak to him, for he had lost his hearing. I could not write a message for him to read, because he had lost his sight. I was told that the family communicated with him by taking the finger of his right hand and then tracing on the palm of his left hand the name of the person visiting. Any message had to be conveyed in this same way. I followed the procedure by taking his finger and spelling T-O-M-M-Y M-O-N-S-O-N, the name by which he had always known me. Brother Brems became excited and, taking my hands, placed them on his head. I knew his desire was to receive a priesthood blessing. The driver who had taken me to the care center joined me as we placed our hands on the head of Brother Brems and provided the desired blessing. Afterward, tears streamed from his sightless eyes. He grasped our hands in gratitude. Although he had not heard the blessing we had given him, the Spirit was strong, and I believe he was inspired to know we had provided the blessing which he needed. This sweet man could no longer see. He could no longer hear. He was confined night and day to a small room in a care center. And yet the smile on his face and the words he spoke touched my heart. “Thank you,” he said. “My Heavenly Father has been so good to me.”
Within a week, just as Brother Brems had predicted, he passed away. Never did he dwell on what he was lacking; rather, he was always deeply grateful for his many blessings.

Natalie: I love that example because this man had lost essentially all his physical senses, but he still feels the Spirit.
I work in an emergency room. I’ve been able to see those trauma bays turn into sacred ground. I’ve seen the gospel of JEsus Christ and the power of the Atonement give people the strength to get up off the ground. I don’t think that’s a way we get to see the Atonement used very often.

This should be our purpose—to persevere and endure, yes, but also to become more spiritually refined as we make our way through sunshine and sorrow. Were it not for challenges to overcome and problems to solve, we would remain much as we are, with little or no progress toward our goal of eternal life. The poet expressed much the same thought in these words:
Good timber does not grow with ease,
The stronger wind, the stronger trees.
The further sky, the greater length.
The more the storm, the more the strength.
By sun and cold, by rain and snow,
In trees and men good timbers grow.
Only the Master knows the depths of our trials, our pain, and our suffering. He alone offers us eternal peace in times of adversity. He alone touches our tortured souls with His comforting words:
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
“For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Whether it is the best of times or the worst of times, He is with us. He has promised that this will never change.

Natalie: Think back to those trials that you’ve had and how you’ve grown.
Amber: Looking back I realize how much they’ve taught me. Then new trials, every blessing, a recurring thought comes to mind, “be at peace.”
Natalie: He concludes by saying:

My brothers and sisters, may we have a commitment to our Heavenly Father that does not ebb and flow with the years or the crises of our lives. We should not need to experience difficulties for us to remember Him, and we should not be driven to humility before giving Him our faith and trust.
May His promise ever be our watchword: “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”

Natalie: As we turn to the lord in our times of trial I know that time and time again, I’ve been blessed for it. I testify of our saviors atonement and the ability to give us the strength to over come it.
Ashley: This is something I have a strong testimony of. I still don’t understand why people do things and why we have to suffer, but I am very very sure that they do love us and they are there with us through all of our trials. A scripture came to mind D&C 122:7. I know looking back on my own trials and of others is that I’m grateful for all I’ve learned through my experiences and how I can help others. Whenever I get broken up with I’m like, “this will be a great YW lesson!” I challenge us to look at our struggles a little less selfishly.

MLK Weekend

Hey Hey! How's it going? It's a wonderful weekend.

This week will be a good one. I can tell. So, here's what's happening:

1. Tomorrow from 8:30-1:30 there will be service activities for MLK Day of Service. Go to the Wilk on campus if you want to participate. It will be a great opportunity to get out and feel good.
2. Also tomorrow, is Bishopric FHE. Contact your FHE leaders and double check with the Facebook page to see where y'all are heading.
3. Wednesday at 7pm in JFSB B092 is Institute! Gotta love the D&C!
4. Thursday at 6pm we are having our ward Temple trip! We'll be meeting in the foyer of the temple (turn right when you enter, so opposite the door to the baptistry). President Ashton and Patriarch Mourik will be speaking with us. It will be wonderful. I'm very excited.
5. Saturday, probably at 10am, we'll be having a combined RS activity. We'll be updated with the details on that later.
6. Sunday, 26th, there is a Stake Leadership training meeting from 7-9pm. RS presidency, all instructors, and basically all the committee chairs need to attend. We'll be reminded again next week, but here's a heads up so you can plan accordingly.

I think that's enough for this week. So, here is our lesson recap. Brittany did a wonderful job today with our combined Relief Society's. Isn't she fabulous? :)

Brittany: What do you think about in your spare moments?
-food, school, boys, future, money, career, sleep, family, callings
President Smith: Jesus Christ
Elder Holland: First and Great Commandment
-Peter, do you love me?
If I want fish, I can get fish. What I need are disciples, and I need them forever.

I think that’s a great segue into President Smith’s lesson.
We can’t live the same way we would without the gospel. That has to be the primary things in our lives. I feel that sometimes it touches us every once and a while, but to have it touch us more often, would change our day to day lives.
Kelsey H: I think it would affect how we interact with others. When we’re consciously thinking of Christ we’re going to talk to everyone.
Christine: In the past I was hesitant to adopt the gospel fully because it was holing me back. But I’ve realized that the gospel is what makes me the most happy. Life is so busy that if I can cut out the things that aren’t important and focus on the gospel I can be happier.
Ashlyn: I think the biggest trap is to focus on ourselves. With the Savior on our minds we can go out and find those who are struggling and need our help.
Brittany: I’m a masters student right now and I’m dating someone, I feel like that because of those two things, they’re good, but for them to become all consuming and justify not thinking about others, I don’t think that does me any favors. I feel like I have more to give when I try more.
Lacey: Most of my family is very successful entrepreneurs. I always thought that I had to be successful. Then I discovered that my gift is to teach. This talk helped me realize that if God wants me to make money, he can do that. If he wants me to put myself out there, something maybe a little more challenging, then I should do it. He can guide me.

Jacob 2:18-19

But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to ado good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.

Brittany: We’re often told or compelled to do something and be devoted about it, and we might not feel like that’s what we should be doing spiritually, but I think this scripture hits the nail on the head.
So that’s what it’s about. That’s what all these things are about. These things are secondary. Everything besides Christ is secondary.
I went to school in Nashville for my undergrad. I had a friend who was very smart and was planning on going to law school. He didn't think there were many people to date in Nashville. He said he wants to go to law school on the East Coast. He said there aren’t very many people to date out there, but I’ll focus on that after my studies. I told him, I don’t think you get your ducks in order and then live the gospel. In my mind I had this image of him furnishing a room like his life. His wife was going to be like putting a chair in. I hope we’re not waiting to put the Savior in our life.
Ashley: Sometimes I think there’s supposed to be a certain order in my life. I’ve seen it in my life that as long as whatever the focus of what I’m doing is geared toward Christ, that the other things fall into place.i felt like in my life that if your focus is ultimately on God that he’s going to take you, shape you, and ultimately take you where you need to go. Putting him at the top is everything for me.
Marren: I feel like it’s not us that furnishes the room. I feel like when we’re doing what we can to have Jesus at the top, it all gets furnished along the way. You never know when it’s going to happen.
Brittany: Every blessing is somewhere along the path as we keep Christ at the top.
Carla: Living the gospel to me was anew thought process and conflicts with what I grew up wanting. I think God shapes you as a person. Not every woman is going to have strong desires for motherhood, but you do have to follow the gospel. He’ll shape you. He won’t force you into the mold.
Alex G: I’m trying to get into the habit of asking every night what I need to do, but everything falls into place even if I don’t want to hear it.
Ginger: When trials come up in our lives we need to reevaluate our lives and it’s an opportunity. As an artist, Christ is the creator. Just because you have your life going for you right now, doesn’t mean it won’t change, and yo need to be willing to let it change.
President Joseph Fielding Smith said:

He is indeed the only begotten Son of God, and through His grace, and the grace of His Father, hath redeemed us from sin on condition of our repentance. We know that He has risen from the dead, that He has ascended on high, taking captivity captive [see Psalm 68:18], and has become the author of salvation unto all who will believe, who will repent of their sins and accept Him as the Redeemer of the world [see Hebrews 5:9]. Latter-day Saints are not left in doubt regarding these things.
While men may formulate plans, adopt theories, introduce strange works, and gather and teach many peculiar doctrines, one teaching is fundamental, and from it we cannot depart: all things are concentrated in and around the Lord Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world. We accept him as the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, the only one who has dwelt in the flesh who had a Father who was immortal. Because of his birthright and the conditions surrounding his coming to the earth, he became the Redeemer of men; and through the shedding of his blood we are privileged to return into the presence of our Father, on conditions of our repentance and acceptance of the great plan of redemption of which he is the author.

Brittany: I think you guys are great. I believe that most of us are here because we prayed about it and HF sent us to UT. Make sure you didn't pray about it once and jump on a conveyor belt. Make sure your secondary goal doesn’t end up overshadowing your primary.
What’s the last important decision you made and how did your relationship with Christ influence that?

Carla: I came here. I didn’t want to come here. One of my decisions was how is the ward? When I first came I didn’t want to be here. I know that one reason I came was to learn patience. It brought me closer to christ because I learned more about the Atonement and the enabling power.
Kelsey H: When I decided to serve a mission I was terrified. I talked with my mom after I made the decision, and she said I probably should go. She said that maybe Heavenly Father was giving her those feelings of nervousness. But I trusted that first decision of going and I was able to grow so much.
Christine: I feel like in the last couple years I’ve really been able to do that. Every decision I've made has drastically changed who I’ve become. I got active in church in Nashville and it changed me. Then I went on a mission and it changed who I’ll marry. Then I came to Utah. It’s building my testimony in a great way. It’s making me happy if I can just follow him.

Isaiah 53:2

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Brittany: I have a testimony of the savior and the Atonement, and I know that he will guide us in our lives when we focus on him. We won’t focus on him at the expense of the good things in our lives, but it will be added upon. I think sometimes it’s hard to remember, but when we can refocus and toughen up, it may seem like we have less to work with, but we have more to work with.

Welcome January Weather

Hello again my friends! I like seeing everyone on Sunday.

Here are the announcements for the week:
1. Tonight is the CES Fireside with Elder Tad R. Callister. It will probably be over by the time this is posted.
2. Ward Prayer will be tonight in FDL garage at 8pm. If you want to play on the intramural basketball team, please sign up tonight. The first game is Friday at 8pm. If you can't play, please support the team!
3. Tuesday is when Bishop and Brother Porter would like to start ecclesiastical endorsements. They're due by the middle of March if you will be a continuing student at BYU next fall.
3. Institute is at 7pm on Wednesday in B092 JFSB.
4. Mark your calendars for the ward temple day on Thursday, January 23rd. Please text 208-630-3933 and specify whether you are going for baptisms, an endowment session, or the sealings with Patriarch Mourik. It will be at 6:30pm and President Ashton would like to meet with our group as well.
5. Sunday, January 26th is a Stake Leadership Training meeting from 7-9pm at the Costco North chapel (probably).

Rachel was wonderful and taught our lesson today. Here we go. Sorry I haven't updated all the missing quotes. Here's the link to the lesson. Please read it. Rachel did a wonderful job preparing and teaching today. It would be a great benefit to everyone to read this lesson.

https://www.lds.org/manual/teachings-of-presidents-of-the-church-joseph-fielding-smith/chapter-1-our-father-in-heaven?lang=eng

Joseph Fielding Smith
Loved to play ball, but more so reading. Especially the scriptures. Nervous that he would be called on a mission after getting married. Called to serve in England one year after marriage. One of the hardest things of his life. 0 baptisms. Wife passed away after two children. Remarried, died after 7 children. Remarried a younger woman who loved to sing. Saw the SLC temple built. Called to be prophet in 1970, died 1972.

Noble Father video Mormon Messages
http://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages#earthly-father-heavenly-father

I loved that last part: Of all the titles..
What are your thoughts? As you were thinking about our HF and his role.
Adrienne: The kids don’t really think about why they have everything. I kind of do that. He is a part of everything. Everything is there because of him.
Ryan: There are so many times throughout my life where I’ve stopped and been amazed at of all things in the eternitites, He is our father. He may not be there every day all day, but he is working in our behalf. As I was watching that, though he does delegate, I feel like he is actively working on our behalf and I feel a sense of gratitude I haven’t before.

Rachel: Like the father says, I’m far, but near, always thinking of them. He always sees us and knows our needs.
Brittany: I think that video made me think about how tenderly HF thinks of us. All of our hearts melted seeing those kids, so think about that and how we are infants in HF kingdom. We are celestial infants. We stumbled sometimes, but he still feels tenderly for us. He knows that we will get there. It made me think that sometimes I think of HF being very justice oriented, but he loves us very much.
Rachel: We’re just infants in the sense that we might stumble and fall, but HF accepts us in spit of our mistakes.
Natalie: Brad Wilcox: little children don’t learn to walk in a day…. Before we came to the world, we progressed as far as we could. … we left those arms crawling but can return to them running. He didn’t leave us here to do it all alone.
Rachel: It was never the intention of our father in heaven to grope in darkness. … has been willing to give them direction. In what ways have you seen that light HF gives to guide you in your lives? In what ways has HF sent light to guide you?

Amber: Often I see the light looking back. I’m directed and guided but don’t see it until I look back. Often when I’m making decisions and not really knowing what I was doing.
Ashley: Sometimes you see the Lord’s hand the best looking back. The times I've seen it the clearest were the hardest. Why? Sometimes you don’t always know the why, but you can see how the Lord took you out of that state to help you be happy. That’s the big scale, and then every day little things. You build off the big things. This is where I can take that experience and things will turn out.
Rachel: Every trial we have will strengthen us. He gives us trials to help us succeed. For me, one of those things is just knowing who I am as a daughter of our HF. Even though we might make mistakes sometimes, that’s ok. HF loves us unconditionally. That’s who He is. He’s our Savior. Our older brother. What a blessing that is to know that.
This lesson talks a bit about the First Vision and what we learn from that. The world was kind of in a lost state. Think about Christ’s character.
God is our father…. We know that our HF is a glorified, exalted being.
JS talks about the character of Christ: If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.
Abby: Out of all the things that God is, he likes to be called father. That doctrine means that we understand family. I used to not really care about being a wife and a mother. It was secondary, but understanding that role of HF, our role I’ve really thought about it, I want to do all those things, but my priority now will be focused on motherhood. It helps me understand who I am.
Rachel: What a blessing that we can be the same.
Kiersten: If HF was once like us, he was able to push through struggles. If we didn’t understand the potential to become like him, we wouldn’t be able to progress.
Ky: If we understand Him we can understand our potential and where we’re going.
Ginger: When we understand our relationship with deity, for me it’s been important to understand that’s I’m a daughter of God, and I’ll do some things and not others.
Rachel: There’s a CES fireside that Pres. Uchtdorf gave. He talked about the ugly duckling. He talks about our true identity. We have so much potential. What an incredible thing that is. To be children of this being who created all things. I think that’s just incredible.
The lesson talks about how HF weeps over his disobedient children. It talks about how when Enoch converses with the Lord. HF is weeping. Enoch asks why. … weeping over their agency.
I think about the love HF has for each one of us. Maybe we feel fine, but how much does he weep when we fall away. I have an older brother who is far away from the Church. As I look at all the tears that have been shed over my brother in our own family, I can’t imagine how HF feels about those who go away.
Pres. Eyring tells the story of a grandmother whose grandson is sent to prison. She prays: why do I have this tragedy of a grandson who destroyed his life “I sent him to you because I knew you would love him no matter what he did.”
HF loves us and has sent others to love us. The way will not be easy in a decaying world. God won’t force us. He loves all of his children. The Savior paid the price for all sins.
Thinking about that, here’s our Father in Heaven, just knowing that love, think about the things we can do to reach out to those around us and show our love and care for them. Growing up I don’t really remember having him around. My parents have always welcomed him back with open arms. Our relationship has grown a lot. I think that love we’ve shown him has pushed that. Think about characteristics that we can apply in our lives. Reach out in the ward. That’s our job here. Reach out to our brothers and sisters and love them. Just as our HF loves us. I promise HF will send blessings your way. He will let you know of His love. I can see that. What a wonderful felling that is. He loves us individually. I hope we can build that friendship with him just as our earthly fathers. He will listen.

Happy New Year!

We made it! It's now 2014! How long will it take you to write the date correctly on paperwork? It normally takes me a few weeks and a slip up somewhere in April. :)

I hope everyone had a delightful break! I know some are still trying to make it back, and our prayers are with you. In addition, I would like to welcome Kimberly T., Jo, Joy, Abbi, Kim B., and Christine to our RS. We're excited to have you and get to know you! Also, Mackenzie S. and Mariah L. were sealed last month, so unfortunately we won't be seeing them at Church anymore, but they're just fine with their new eternal companions. That leads to the latest happy news: Megan B. is now engaged to be married! She'll be sticking around for just a few more months.

Here are some announcements to note for the week and near future:
1. Tomorrow night @ 7pm will be a ward FHE @ 3223 WSC (Wilkinson Student Center). It's an upstairs room. It's really big. It will be fun. Please come. We need you. We love you. :D
2. Wednesday, the 8th @ 7pm is Institute in B092 JFSB. It's awesome! Make friends with people and scriptures! Sometimes (if not always) eat food! What's better than that?
3. Sunday, the 12th, Second Sunday Supper right after Church! Asia and her crew make the day delicioso! Don't forget about choir practice right after that!
4. Also Sunday, the 12th, CES Fireside with Elder Tad R. Callister @ the Marriott Center @ 6pm.
5. Thursday, the 23rd, Ward Temple Trip with our Stake Patriarch, Patriarch Mourik! @ 6:30pm. That will be very exciting! Our family history and temple prep committee is working hard to help everyone have a name to take to the temple! We will be doing lots of baptisms and Patriarch Mourik (who is also a Temple Sealer) will take endowed ward members up to do some sealings. What a treat! President Ashton (Temple President) will speak to us beforehand. Save the date! Mark your calendars! Get the time off work!

All right, that's probably a little more enthusiastic than y'all cared for today, but I'm happy, so you get to share in my joy. Sundays just make me happy. Here's the lesson recap, again with my disclaimer that I can't copy down everything everyone says perfectly, and the hyperlink tab doesn't work for me, so you need to copy and paste the links if you want to see the page where I've provided a link.

Ky and Megan taught our lesson quite beautifully today from Elder Holland's "Come Unto Me."

Elder Holland: Come unto me. http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=734

Megan: “Some of you know what you want to be and where you want to go with your lives. … but whoever you are, I offer to you tonight the way and the life. I ask you to come unto him….”
We all feel like that at some point in our lives, but the first step is to come to Christ.

Ky: How is your spiritual health? On 1-10 are you fanning the flames of your faith? Your testimony is like a fire. You have to continually feed it. It’s there initially, but if you let it die, that fire goes out. So we need to be thinking every day what we can do to strengthen it.
It’s time to fill your cups and strengthen your relationship.

Matt 25:1-13 Parable of the 10 virgins. http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/25.1-13?lang=eng#primary

Megan: A few months ago my fiancee’s dad was telling us about Jewish culture, and when a bride and groom get engaged, the groom builds a house. They announce to all their friends and family the approximate time the house will be done. When the house is done, that’s when they get married and they move in. I though of that as we were reading this because I think it gives a little more light to the foolishness of the 5 virgins. They knew approximately when the house would be done, but they were still unprepared. Verse 12 of this parable has a cross-reference to JST that says “ye never knew me.” Of course Christ knows us, we need to know him. They all knew the approximate time the house would be done. They all had the opportunity to get to know the bridegroom so they could be ready for the wedding. The 5 wise virgins took the time to get to know the bridegroom and were ready. The 5 foolish virgins were waiting through the last minute.
I helped a good friend plan her wedding last year. I know her better than any of my other friends who are married. What that took was service and getting to know her. That’s what it takes to get to know Christ. To serve our brother’s and sisters. Even though we can’t be with him physically, we can be with him spiritually.

We have an increasing number who have been convinced, through the Book of Mormon, that Jesus is the Christ. Now we need an increasing number who will use the Book of Mormon to become committed to Christ. We need to be convinced and Committed.

-Ezra Taft Benson

Rachel: We can be convinced and converted, but thats all about being converted. We need to convert ourselves and bring ourselves closer to Christ. That’s when we’ll truly be a tool in our Heavenly Father’s hands. We might struggle with the Gospel at some times, but as we become converted to the Gospel and seek outside of ourselves to help others, that’s when we can discover what HF wants for us.

Ryan: Elder Holland shared a story about someone that at Judgement Day it won’t be us pleading to get in, but Christ will be pleading with us that we will come in, but we won’t if we don’t feel comfortable. If you don’t choose to live it you can’t be with Him.

Ky: we need to read the book of Mormon and we need to be committed to Christ. How many of us think about using our faith to be committed and convinced. Are you really convinced and committed to theses things that are taught to you each week? And what are you doing to strengthen that commitment?
Strengthening our core: reading scriptures, praying, communicating with HF, fortifying our testimonies, cleaving to our covenants.

Megan: As we were reading the parable of the 10 virgins, it kept striking me how simple it is to be one of the wise. I think sometimes we overwhelm ourselves. It really is these things we’re talking about right now that put oil in your lamps and strengthen your cores. There’s not a big secret the prophets and apostles are keeping from us.

Ryan: It’s so important to build yourself first, because you can’t help others gain a testimony if you don’t have one. You can compare the virgins to people in our day, and how cool would it be to have your lamp so full, that you could share.

Ky: Sometimes we get to a point in our lives where we don’t care. We get on plateaus. I have to want a testimony. Then I can ask for the help to be motivated.

Jo: It’s funny how what will get you back on that path is when you want it. Then when we get it sometimes we go back to slacking off. We rely so much on Heavenly Father, but we don’t always respect the answers he gives us.

Ky: Cleaving to our covenants- baptism, holy ghost, temple endowment, sealing ordinance. Those are our covenants, and they should mean something. They continue to help us be converted to Christ.
The Living Christ is a testimony that is very close to my heart. I had a really hard semester a few years ago and I was in a place where I felt really small and insignificant. Even when I was praying, I felt that it didn’t matter. I had walked so far from HF that it took me a while to hear Him. A good friend of mine had just come home from his mission and was way pumped up and full of faith. We went to a fireside and were challenged to memorize The Living Christ.

Megan: A few years ago, I was basically inactive, and I was really struggling, with my testimony. It was a visiting teacher that reached out to me and helped me to step out of the darkness and start following Christ’s light. I think one of the things that kept me from going to Church for a while was that I was afraid I wasn’t able to be forgive, and that I wasn’t good enough. I was afraid of what people would think of me for not having been there for a while. “The church isn’t a monastery for the isolation of perfect people. It is more like a hospital provided for those who wish to get well... ‘Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you…. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.’ I submit to you that may be one of the Savior’s commandments that is, even in the hearts of otherwise faithful Latter-day Saints, almost universally disobeyed” (Elder Holland). As we were talking about complacency, I think that’s a big part of why we don’t come to Christ, but also fear. I never thought about it before, but it is a commandment to let him give you that peace.

Abby: I just got back from my mission in Russia a few months ago. Soon after I was trained, I opened a new area and was training. When I would lay down to go to sleep, I would imagine myself going through the temple.That helped me a lot to remember what my covenants are and the blessings I receive from them.

“Whoever we are, and whatever our problems, his response is always the same, forever: ‘Come unto me’.”

Ky: When I was talking to Megan about this lesson, I was thinking about Elder Holland’s talk the First Great Commandment. Christ comes to them and asks three times “Peter, do you love me?” Peter gets more uncomfortable because he does love Christ. Christ needs disciples and he needs them forever. To be a disciple forever, you need to be converted and continue to strengthen your testimonies to stay converted forever.
That's truly where we want to go. Heavenly Father is waiting for us. I invite you to be ready for Christ when he comes. He wants you to be with him and be with your family in the Celestial Kingdom.

Megan: I know that it really is more simple than we make it. There is always a way back. He has made it simple on purpose so that as many people as possible can let him into their lives. It’s a relationship. We talk to him. We let him in. We serve him. That’s how we will come to know him and be like him.

Ky: I want to issue a challenge that if you are struggling to find a relationship with Christ, read over The Living Christ. Memorize it. It is a testimony form our Prophet and apostles. There is no more powerful testimony than that of those who are with him all the time.

The Living Christ, The Testimony of the Apostles

"As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice. None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and will yet live upon the earth.

“He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. ‘All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made’ (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He ‘went about doing good’ (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to , and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come.

“He instituted the sacrament as a reminder of His great atoning sacrifice. He was arrested and condemned on spurious charges, convicted to satisfy a mob, and sentenced to die on Calvary’s cross. He gave His life to atone for the sins of all mankind. His was a great vicarious gift in behalf of all who would ever live upon the earth.

“We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary. He was the Firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son in the flesh, the Redeemer of the world.

“He rose from the grave to ‘become the firstfruits of them that slept’ (1 Corinthians 15:20). As Risen Lord, He visited among those He had loved in life. He also ministered among his ‘other sheep’ (John 10:16) in ancient America. In the modern world, He and His Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, ushering in the long-promised ‘dispensation of the fulness of times’ (Ephesians 1:10).

“Of the Living Christ, the Prophet Joseph wrote: ‘His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was white like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun; and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah, saying:

“‘I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father’ (D&C 110:3–4).

“Of Him the Prophet also declared: ‘And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

“‘For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—

“‘That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God’ (D&C 76:22–24).

“We declare in words of solemnity that His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth—‘built upon the foundation of … apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone’ (Ephesians 2:20).

“We testify that He will someday return to earth. ‘And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall it together’ (Isaiah 40:5). He will rule as King of Kings and reign as Lord of Lords, and every knee shall bend and every tongue shall speak in worship before Him. Each of us will stand to be judged of Him according to our works and the desires of our hearts.

“We bear testimony, as His duly ordained Apostles—that Jesus is the Living Christ, the immortal Son of God. He is the great King Immanuel, who stands today on the right hand of His Father. He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world. His way is the path that leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son” (Ensign,Apr. 2000, 2–3).

http://jesuschrist.lds.org/SonOfGod/eng/testimonies-of-him/articles/the-living-christ-the-testimony-of-the-apostles-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints

Happy Christmas Break!

We made it! This is the last week of the semester! Good luck to all who have finals this week, and good luck to all who have work projects due before the holiday. Don't forget to do your visiting teaching and alleviate some of the stress that will probably be present this week.

Announcements:
1. Next Sunday and the one after that, the 22nd and 29th, there will be a combined Stake Sacrament meeting @10am @ the Pioneer Building. That is located at 900W 100N here in Provo. There will be a munch and mingle afterwards.
2. If anyone is staying in the area longer than desirable and find themselves spending a few days without family, Bishop has offered to let y'all stop by and spend time with his family.
3. Travel safe! We love you and wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday!

Here's the lesson recap for today. Brittany Bailey did a wonderful job sharing President Uchtdorf's talk. Here's the link for that: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/the-hope-of-gods-light

“I heard the bell’s on Christmas day”
The guy that wrote this hymn had a few really hard years just before. His wife died of really bad burns, then his son was injured in the military. He didn’t think there was peace in the world. verses 4&5 in particular make me think that it’s just powerful that someone could have a hard time and still believe in God.

Nelson Mandela recently passed away. And I just want to point our a few things from his life. He was born in 1918 in South Africa during Apartheid. He was put in jail unjustly for 27 years for his activism. “I was called a terrorist yesterday. But when I came out of jail I was praised and embraced even by my enemies.” He never chose to be bitter. I think that would have been justified. As I walked toward the door I knew that if I didn’t leave behind my bitterness and despair, I would still be in prison. He was free because he chose something else to feel.

We all have challenges in our lives. There are 2 place you can go from here. One is (HOPE). The other is (DESPAIR).
What do you think the difference is? Is the only thing that changes is our attitude, or do other things get affected?

Ashley: It takes faith to have miracles, but we need faith to see miracles. You completely miss those things as miracles if you don’t have hope and faith. It does actually kind of change more than just my attitude. It changes everything I see in my life. I can see “Oh, that’s God’s hand in my life.”

Caitlin: At work we had someone who was teaching us about ghost hunting. He’s on a team with equipment and they get calls all the time. They go to disprove the calls. If I truly believed in this, it made me think that you’ll see what you want to see. If we want to see despair, pain and sadness, we’ll have that. If we choose to have faith and hope in the Savior, we’ll have that because Heavenly Father will help us see the good in the world.

Angela: I just read Elizabeth Smart’s book, but at the end her mom tells her that you can either move on with your life in hope or you can live in despair of what this man did to you. Don’t let him take another moment away from you. She’s so much happier now because she chose to hope. She served a mission and is married now.

Brittany: What are some outcomes of both hope and despair?

Ky: This week, I feel like this whole concept you’ve put on the board, describes the week. We have a friend who just died after his wife gave birth to their first child. Carly has looked at all the good things that have come from this, while I was kind of wallowing in sorrow. I realized it’s easy to keep falling.

Brittany: How often are we in a bad mood and we want to stay in a bad mood? I hope that when you find yourself in that moment, you exert some hope.

Mackenzie: Despair is like feeling stuck.

Ky: After finding out the husband died, Carly immediately jumped into service. I felt sad, but she started to serve the person who was going through the trial. When we become aware of the needs of others, we’re able to bring God’s light to others.

Arianne: Elder Bednar April 2012, kind of talks about this whole idea where when you’re having trials you can either despair or hope and rely on Christ and his atonement. He gave different scriptural stories I hadn’t thought of in this way. When Nephi was tied up by his brothers on their way back with Ishmael’s family Nephi could’ve despaired, or relied on Christ, like he . Everything in this was that Christ’s Atonement does more than just forgive us of our sins. It gives us power to get through our trials. Another example was when the people of Alma the Elder were captured by the Lamanites. They were stuck being treated like slaves. They didn’t ask to be taken out of the situation, but strength to overcome the trial. As soon as they asked, the Lamanites put greater tasks on them, but they were made light unto them. The power of the Atonement gave them power to get through it.

Ginger’s mom: I have a good friend who finds it hard to rejoice in other people’s good things. If she were able to hope more, she could be happier for them and herself. It’s easy to get caught up in not rejoicing for others.

Mackenzie: Logically, no one would choose despair, but it takes less effort. We need to be willing to work for hope and to keep choosing it.

Jackie: Sometimes I don’t realize I’m falling into this trap until I stop and think about why I’m feeling this way. When I’m tired, stressed, anxious, bored or lonely, it’s easier for Satan to step in and cause despair. When I feel like that, that’s when I need to go out and force myself to be happy.

Brittany: Think about something that’s hard right now that you could choose to be more hopeful. Or someone else’s life. Hopefully you’ll be inspired as we go through Pres. Uchtdorf’s talk.

Ashley: I think in general, it’s more natural to despair. Christ is the only thing that can take us out of that. I think Satan pushes us over to despair through perfectionism or doing everything by myself.

Brittany: This is pres. Uchtdorf’s promise: As we seek to increase our love for God and strive to love our neighbor, the light of the gospel will surround and uplift us.

I have a cherished painting in my office that is titled Entrance to Enlightenment. It was created by a friend of mine, the Danish artist Johan Benthin, who was the first stake president in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The painting shows a dark room with an open door from which light is shining. It is interesting to me that the light coming through the door does not illuminate the entire room—only the space immediately in front of the door.
To me, the darkness and light in this painting are a metaphor for life. It is part of our condition as mortal beings to sometimes feel as though we are surrounded by darkness. We might have lost a loved one; a child might have strayed; we might have received a troubling medical diagnosis; we might have employment challenges and be burdened by doubts or fears; or we might feel alone or unloved.
But even though we may feel lost in the midst of our current circumstances, God promises the hope of His light—He promises to illuminate the way before us and show us the way out of darkness.

What do you think God’s light is? How would you explain it to me?

Sis. Dall: It’s love, light, knowledge, inspiration. It’s overwhelming love. Especially during music, like the hymns, it just hits you. It’s that feeling where your intelligence is enlarged in a way.

Brittany: I like that you associate it with intelligence.

Christine: It’s our potential to become like God and be better.

Brittany: When we’re talking about a trial we’re having and maybe have down feelings, is hope only for the future, or can it be applied today?

Christine: I think happiness is something to be achieved right now. I think that’s God’s plan. When we’re going through a trial, it’s the plan to be happy now.

Kiersten: It is a blessing to be single, married, barren, with children. Be happy wherever you are. If you’re not happy with where you are right now, Heavenly Father won’t want to give us more.

Brittany: Happiness isn’t a destination, it’s a state of being. If we just know we’re doing what Heavenly Father wants us to do and tap into his love, we can be happy now as well in the future.

Ginger: Christ can make your trials into blessings. If you look for that you will see it as a blessing. What can I learn from this? How can I use this to help others? Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ really do give you things to learn and be happy.

Ky: My mind kept going to the light of Christ and how we’re all born with it. Sometimes these trials cloak that light within us, so remember that you always have that light. Sometimes it’s dimmed, but you can always uncover it. Elder Bednar’s patterns of light.

Rachel: Talking about the light of christ, I had an experience at school with a girl in my class. This girl found out my brother is in a band. She told me that my brother saved her life. This girl got to meet him after a show. As her brother was talking he asked, “Why are you here? This music isn’t good for you or the place to be. She stopped and thought about her life and decisions she was going to make. Even though my brother has fallen away from the Church, there’s still a light in him. Knowing that that light of Christ is inside of us can help us through whatever we need.

Brittany: President Uchtdorf talks bout how to obtain this light. “There may be some among you who feel darkness encroaching upon you. You may feel burdened by worry, fear, or doubt. To you and to all of us, I repeat a wonderful and certain truth: God’s light is real. It is available to all! It gives life to all things. It has the power to soften the sting of the deepest wound. It can be a healing balm for the loneliness and sickness of our souls. In the furrows of despair, it can plant the seeds of a brighter hope. It can enlighten the deepest valleys of sorrow. It can illuminate the path before us and lead us through the darkest night into the promise of a new dawn.” Then he goes on to say how. It’s there, we just need to open our eyes.
First, start where you are. We don’t have to cross the finish line to receive blessings. The second we choose to start following Heavenly Father, the blessings of heaven start pouring out in that second. You don’t have to be perfect to have those blessings. Everything won’t go away at once, but “The perfect place to begin is exactly where you are right now. It doesn’t matter how unqualified you may think you are or how far behind others you may feel. The very moment you begin to seek your Heavenly Father, in that moment, the hope of His light will begin to awaken, enliven, and ennoble your soul. The darkness may not dissipate all at once, but as surely as night always gives way to dawn, the light will come.”
It might sound really idealistic, I could believe that if your’e struggling, but it didn’t sound idealistic to Nelson Mandela. His life was abundantly blessed because of that choice.
You can start wherever you are and immediately receive blessings. Then turn your heart toward the Lord. “Lift up your soul in prayer and explain to your Heavenly Father what you are feeling. Acknowledge your shortcomings. Pour out your heart and express your gratitude. Let Him know of the trials you are facing. Plead with Him in Christ’s name for strength and support. Ask that your ears may be opened, that you may hear His voice. Ask that your eyes may be opened, that you may see His light.”
Please read the rest of this talk. Ask that your eyes and ears be opened. President Eyring also gave a talk about where the Pavilion is. Heavenly Father never moves away. He is here right now waiting for you to ask for help.

Yes, from time to time our lives may seem to be touched by, or even wrapped in, darkness. Sometimes the night that surrounds us will appear oppressive, disheartening, and frightening.
My heart grieves for the many sorrows some of you face, for the painful loneliness and wearisome fears you may be experiencing.
Nevertheless, I bear witness that our living hope is in Christ Jesus! He is the true, pure, and powerful entrance to divine enlightenment.
I testify that with Christ, darkness cannot succeed. Darkness will not gain victory over the light of Christ.
I bear witness that darkness cannot stand before the brilliant light of the Son of the living God!
I invite each of you to open your heart to Him. Seek Him through study and prayer. Come to His Church, even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Learn of Him and of His gospel, participate actively, help each other, and joyfully serve our God.
Brothers and sisters, even after the darkest night, the Savior of the world will lead you to a gradual, sweet, and bright dawn that will assuredly rise within you.
As you walk toward the hope of God’s light, you will discover the compassion, love, and goodness of a loving Heavenly Father, “in [whom there] is no darkness at all.” Of this I testify in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I know that what Pres. Uchtodorf said is true. His light can help you in any situation you’re in. As you put your trust in Christ and His Atonement, Christ is still big enough and cares to help you with anything you’re going through.

Ky: My heart is so full because of what has been shared. I’m grateful for the comments because they’ve helped me. I'm grateful for you sharing your testimonies.

December 8th

Hello wonderful Sisters!

Sorry I wasn't here last week to take notes. I was traveling back from my mission and got back way later than anticipated. I hope everyone had a great break and is surviving the workload that comes with the last two weeks of school. Or just work in general. I invite you to not slack in your daily prayer, scripture study, or Church attendance during difficult times. You will receive the revelation you need to overcome your challenges.

Anyhow, I didn't get a program today... So here's what I know is definitely happening this week:
1. Institute will be held on Wednesday @7pm in B092 of the JFSB. I think it's the last one of the semester. So don't miss it!
2. Thursday is our Ward Christmas Party @6:30pm! It will be at the Stake Center our Bishopric goes to when they're not serving us. Directions and more info are on the ward Facebook page. Please RSVP if you haven't already to 509-741-7926.
3. For anyone who might be in town during the Christmas break, the Stake will be holding a combined sacrament meeting for the 22nd and 29th of December @10am at the Pioneer Building. The address is 900E 100N here in Provo. There will be a munch and mingle after each one.

All right, now for the best part, the lesson recap! Rachel McCracken did a wonderful job of sharing President Snow's lesson on missionary work. (P.S. I took some artistic liberty to fill in my shorthand notes. If you don't like it, please let me know so I can fix it.)

First off, Ky shared her testimony with us: "I know Christ is your Savior. He knows what you're going through. If you turn to him, you will find peace and comfort."

Rachel: About a month ago I went to a play called "Deep Love." It's written by some people from BYU-Idaho so I was excited to see it. I was so happy and excited to watch it. What are some things that you have experienced that you just really loved, it made you super happy, and you wanted to share with everyone else?
-Ginger: The Lamb of God
-Mackenzie: Mexican hot chocolate
-Ryan: Frozen
During my internship in Georgia I realized how much the gospel meant to me and I wanted to share it so badly. I wanted to tell everyone I was working with that the Atonement can help. I wanted to reach out to them so badly.
We're going to study this chapter from the life of President Lorenzo Snow "Missionary Work: To reach every human heart."
I just love this story from his life:

He hoped to someday pursue a “classical education” at a college in the eastern United States. But as he worked toward this goal, he began to feel a pull toward another purpose. He later recalled:

“I received [the truths of the gospel] with an open heart, and I was determined not to rest there. … I began to be a little worried in my mind whether, after having received this wonderful knowledge, it was proper for me to remain without testifying in reference to it. Young men who had been sent out upon missions were returning and testifying of the blessings that had attended them … , and I began to think that, instead of preparing myself for an eastern college or university, I ought to start out and bear testimony to what the Lord had so fully given me a knowledge of. At the same time I did not like to give up my prospects of an education, because I had had it in mind for a long time, and I then had the opportunity and the means to accomplish it.”

Struggling with his feelings, he asked a trusted friend for advice: “I told him what I wanted, and he said, ‘Brother Snow, I would not give anyone else such counsel as I feel to give you, under the circumstances. If I were in your place, I would go on with my intentions and get an education.’ That was just the very thing I wanted him to say, and it pleased me. I was contented for a time; but in the winter season, hearing these young Elders testify of their success in preaching the Gospel, I began to think about it still more. The Lord had given me a knowledge that He was coming upon the earth, and that there was a preparation necessary to be made: He had given me all that I had asked for, and more; for the baptism which I received of the Holy Ghost and the perfect knowledge then given to me was more real and convincing than my immersion in the cold water; and I felt that there was a responsibility resting upon me. So I shut up my books [and] laid my Latin and Greek aside.”

It's interesting how he didn't want to serve a mission because he wanted to continue his education, but then he ended up serving 9 missions. When we listen to the Lord we will bless the lives of many people around us.

Amber: I have always wanted to serve a mission, and still do, but when I prayed about it, I felt very strongly that I shouldn't; that I have people I can work with here.
Evie: I really wanted to serve a mission too. I was told 5 times, by three different Bishops, to not serve a mission. That was hard to take. I think God will give you the hardest thing for you. I wanted to travel and learn a language and give people flowers and be a missionary! But that's not what God wanted for me.

Rachel: Sometimes it's trying to figure out the position we're in. I've asked myself a lot, "why am I here? why am I doing this?" When I was in school I had the opportunity to be a coordinator for EFY; which is something I've always wanted to do. Then a little later I was asked to be the area director for New Student Orientation; which I also wanted to do. They were at the same time, but I ended up choosing to be the director for New Student Orientation. While I was working there, I often wondered, "why am I here? I'm not doing much in this position." There was one director that I really struggled with. We just didn't get along. But as I reached out to her and talked with her, we were able to work out our differences. The Lord opened my eyes.
Brittany: A lot of the time, whatever our calling is we think it has to be profound. But that's not it. We can have a purpose everywhere. You have spiritual gifts that you take with you everywhere you go. That can be missionary work or perfecting the saints.
Mackenzie: Make it become a part of you. We're here to influence others. We need to have the kingdom of God on our minds.

Rachel: "For this is my work and my glory; to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:39). Be there for others. I have a broken foot and it's hard for me to accept help, but the love and service that I've received from the ward has been amazing. Be willing to let others receive blessings by allowing them to help you.
Brittany: Our work isn't what gives us purpose, but what God wants. (Sorry I couldn't hear very well, but I know this was a profound statement.)

Rachel: Put the Kingdom of God first. What are some of the fears that you might have about sharing the gospel or helping someone come closer to Christ?
-Ginger: Perfectionism. Sometimes I think I have to be able to share what I know perfectly before I can share anything and sometimes I feel like I'm just at 50%.
-Marren: In my Book of Mormon class we were talking about this. A lot of people see sharing the Gospel as an item on their to-do list. If people would just be diligent/consistent, it would be so much better. Don't see it as just a checklist item. Just share it.
-Caitlin: Sometimes I'm hesitant, and I was like this on my mission too, or afraid people will mock something that's so important to me. That's selfish. It's not about me and how I feel, they need the blessings.
-Jackie: I'm afraid people might think that I'm only their friend to share the Gospel, that they might not get that I'm sharing with them because their my friend. I don't want to ruin a relationship.
-Brittany: I feel like I have to wait for that perfect moment to share the Gospel.
-Mackenzie: I worry that they might characterize me as Molly Mormon or that they'll think I'm trying to be better than them.
-Megan: Sometimes I've felt the impression to talk to people that I haven't spoken to for years, and didn't get any positive response. That would make me doubt the prompting I had to share with that person. But maybe it's preparing me to follow a prompting later.

Rachel: Okay, now throw all those fears and concerns away. Even though we don't have the missionary tag, we're still ambassadors of the Lord.
Ky: Brooke was a missionary today. She has a friend here at BYU who isn't a member. Most people when they hear you aren't a member immediately say, "So have you heard about the Gospel?" And that can get really annoying. Brooke wanted to invite her to Church to listen to her talk, but was nervous about it. She eventually did and Brooke's friend commented, "wow, Brooke shared some really great things."

Then Rachel did a really cool visual. Ryan read D&C 84:88 while Rachel had some volunteers help her out. First, Brittany was standing by herself with the charge to share the gospel. As Ryan read the scripture, however, Mackenzie stood in front of Brittany, Ashley stood on Brittany's right, Brittany's friend Christine stood on her left, and Jackie stood behind her.

88 And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.

Ryan: When I went to Ukraine, I learned that I was meant to be a missionary to my host family. I could do things with them I couldn't have done as a missionary. I legally couldn't teach them the Gospel with my visa, but I knew they needed it. I had the impression, "Have faith in me. You don't know what's going on behind the scenes." Trust what you know and what you've been told by the Spirit.
Brittany: That was a cool experience for me. I felt alone, but as I was surrounded by four girls I know, I knew I could do it. For all we know there are angels with us right now.

Rachel: We have the Spirit and angels to help us. They are physically around us. Sometimes we can't see them, but sometimes they are the people around us. That's visiting teaching. I hope you realize the importance of missionary work. "Missionaries should never forget that they are ambassadors of heaven, bearers of good and glad tidings." "There is a way to reach every human heart, and it is your business to find the way to the hearts of those to whom you are called." I challenge you to reach out to someone to share the Gospel. This is the happy message that we should all want to share. I want to share it with the world.

I would like to add that something I told my new companions when I trained them, was that they have no need to fear rejection because they aren't serving a mission for themselves. They wear Christ's name and He is the one being rejected. But He wouldn't hold back from sharing the truth. They have no need to fear sharing the Gospel. Neither do we. Like Rachel said, "we might not be wearing the name tag, but we're still ambassadors." Elder Andersen has said several times that even though we don't have the name tag pinned to our shirt, have the name tag painted on your heart. That's enough for me to remember that my missionary service didn't end when I removed my name tag. That's when it really started.

It was a powerful lesson. I definitely felt the Spirit testify of the truth today. God luck this week, everyone!