Freedom

While studying the scriptures this morning, I had an insight that I wanted to share from Mosiah 21-22.  This applies to anyone struggling with any sort of trial that they feel is restricting their freedom.  I highly recommend you read these chapters!

 2 And it came to pass that they [the people of Limhi] could find no way to deliver themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and depart into the wilderness; for the Lamanites being so numerous, it was impossible for the people of Limhi to contend with them, thinking to deliver themselves out of bondage by the sword.

{Mosiah 22:2}

Have you ever experienced a trial that you felt bound by?

Have you tried to fight it, only to find that you are too weak to do it on your own?

We can learn from the people of Limhi.   When they faced such a trial, they found that fighting was not the answer.  It only hurt them.  But this verse points out that the only way they could deliver themselves was to "depart into the wilderness."

What could that mean?

To me, it means instead of fighting against my big trials, I am better off departing from them.  Departing does not mean giving into them--it means diverting your energy to somewhere/something good.  Mentally, this could mean diverting my thoughts away from whatever temptation I'm struggling with and losing myself in a good cause (e.g. working on my research, finding someone I can serve, reading something uplifting, exercising, etc.)  Mentally departing into a new and good place.

Anyways, those are my thoughts.  I hope it helps someone out there!  

Peace.

You matter to Him. Never give up.

Body and Soul

(image from leadershiptraq.com)

I've read that the way we treat our bodies is a reflection of the way we treat our spirits.

That's an inspiring thought.

Do you think that's true?  To what extent?  Can you think of any examples?

If this is true, that would mean there's a connection between the good habits you may have of daily feeding your body nutritious foods, and daily feeding your spirit with the things that nourish it.

It might also mean there's a connection between picking at your zits, and "picking at" or criticizing your personality flaws.

But just as the body can heal itself from anything as small as zit-picking or as large as a broken bone, so too can the spirit recover from any wound, whether it be as "small" as a self-critical thought or as large as a major sin.

Some wounds we can heal on our own.  But some may need professional aid, often from multiple sources.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of all healing.

Because of Him, we can heal from any wound, physical or spiritual.

For more on the Savior's healing power, see mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ.

Peace out.

Which Way Do You Face?

"Courage is...the form of every virtue at the testing point.  ...Pilate was merciful till it became risky."

- C.S. Lewis -

Here's a one-minute video on Christ's example of courage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a6BcSolTeo&list=PLClOO0BdaFaNmUqc3ItZJgiuQC9AuoGVo&index=3

I add my witness that these words are true.

For further reading, click here!

Why all this talk about God?

Ever wonder why I can't shut up about God and my religion?

Take 5-10 min to read this talk by David A. Bednar.  He explains why better than I can!

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/come-and-see?lang=eng

Peace out!

Our powerful roles as women, and men. As God's children.

Though I don't know everything, I know this:  

I am a daughter of God, my Heavenly Father, who loves me, and has great plans for my growth and happiness.  

This speech is pretty long (almost an hour), but it is worth listening to, especially if you have concerns about how Mormon's regard and treat women.  Please, listen with an open heart to the beliefs of Sharon Eubank, director of Humanitarian Services and LDS Charities.  I enthusiastically agree with her.  There is more to life than this temporary world!

Link is here

One step at a time

Mosiah 16:9

"Lead kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom;

Lead thou me on!

The night is dark, and I am far from home;

Lead thou me on!

Keep thou my feet;

I do not ask to see

The distant scene--

One step enough for me."

"Lead, Kindly Light"

LDS Hymn #97

So often we get overwhelmed by trying to do everything at once, to know everything right now.

But that's not how it works.

Just as little children learn to crawl before they walk,

We as God's children are taught and led by Him one step, one stage, at a time.

The way to heaven/eternal joy/salvation (however you choose to describe it) is not by teleportation.

I like to think of it as more like the ladder Jacob saw in a vision.

God knows and loves you.  If you seek to submit to His will, He will reveal what your next step is--

Not the whole plan, but certainly enough for you to move forward.  

Then you apply your faith by actually taking that step.

You have something to contribute

I've been thinking a lot about spiritual gifts lately...

What exactly are spiritual gifts?

They are blessings given by God to His children for their own benefit, and for the benefit of others.

Everyone has different gifts; nevertheless, everyone does have a gift.

Moroni 10:8-18, 1 Corinthians 12, D&C 46:11, "Gifts of the Spirit"

Find out what your spiritual gifts are by considering what you're good at,

What you're passionate about,

The compliments other people give you, 

etc.

Kneel in prayer 

and ask Heavenly Father what spiritual gifts He has blessed you with.

Then, use them to bless others' lives!

“One of the most comforting teachings of the gospel is that each son and daughter of God—every one of us—is born with an inheritance of gifts, talents, and abilities that can help us through our earthly mission…We cannot be happy and successful in life without gratefully acknowledging those gifts and doing all we can to develop them.  Our problem is never that we have no strengths; the problem comes when we do not recognize our strengths and build upon them."

- Gerald Causse - 

"For When I Am Weak, Then Am I Strong"

Shout out to my dear, dear mother who has the gifts of:

Teaching

Pure love of God and man

Sacrifice

Learning

Obedience

{I am so grateful for her}

Peace out.

The Savior wants to forgive

I met this humble and good man at the Utah Valley University Addiction Conference last year.

These words are true.  God is still with you, with His hand stretched out still.

(see Isaiah 5)

Beautiful is the peace that repentance brings. 

No matter how many times you have to do it.

Prophets speak today

I'll be watching every session.   I hope you will join me, wherever you are in the world!

Chemistry and the Gospel

The sun

image from: sherbornpastor.blogspot.com

Is the source of all energy on earth.

Light from the sun enables

Plants to create sugars (which provide energy) using photo-synthesis.

Animals and humans then eat the plants and/or other animals who eat plants,

And thereby get the sugars created by the plants via photo-synthesis,
To use as energy for needed physiological processes.

Basically, the energy you and I use to move, think, and even just exist,

Ultimately comes from the sun.

Similarly,

And much more importantly,

The Son, Jesus Christ, is the source of all energy in the universe--in heaven and on earth.

image from: https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/woman-taken-in-adultery-948852?category=jesus-christ&lang=eng

beautiful thing:  sweet symbolism

Heaven's help is there

this one-minute video is beautiful.

very, very well worth your time.  i promise.

#didyouthinktopray?

this video brought me back to my knees.

peace

This really hit my heart strings (and tear ducts) tonight.

I needed it.  

I hope it helps you, too.

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>

"To the individual who is weak in the heart,

fearful in the heart:

be patient with yourself.

Perfection comes not in this life, but in the next life.

Don't demand things that are unreasonable,

but demand of yourself improvement.

"As you let the Lord help you,

through that, He will make the difference."

Peace in the knowledge of God,

and our identity as His children,

is beautiful.

<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>

We need food

Our bodies, this world, our lives... are all symbolic of eternal truths.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

{there is beauty in the seemingly insignificant}

peace.

What's in a face?

That's my face.

Isn't it beautiful?  ;)

^^^^^^^^^

Looking at another person's face is one of the most profound ways by which we can lose ourselves, 

and remember another person's innate human value.  Making both of us happier.

^^^^^^^^^

"Hearkening to the call of Christ from His Spirit,

or through another's countenance,

or both, we become genuinely honest, simple, solid, true--

often together with someone we may not have trusted before.

[do you want to be that?  genuine.  honest.  simple.  solid.  true.  i sure do.]

"Whether it is felt in His breast or in ours, 

the Savior's love can achieve what force cannot

because where force calls forth counterforce,

love calls forth love...

"How then shall we come unto Christ...?  

By sacrificing all taking of offense.  

By giving up criticism, impatience, and contempt....

By giving these practices their true name, 

violence, 

and abhorring even their first appearance.  

By renouncing war in every form and 

proclaiming peace....

"Listen attentively to the teacher whose lectures may be a little dry.  

Read with particular care the papers of students who struggle to write.  

Befriend the one who feels different, lost, or lonely.  

Embrace the child who seems to resist you.  

Take seriously the advice of parents who have trouble following that advice themselves.  

Invite to dinner those who lack the graciousness or the means to invite you back.  

Even 'love your enemies, do good to them which hate you' (Luke 6:27)....

"This kind of love is who we really are.... 

And anything less

--judging others and withholding our favor from them--

capitulates to Satan."

[Quote from this speech by C. Terry Warner]

{He's founder of Arbinger Institute, the group that wrote The Anatomy of Peace and Leadership and Self-Deception}

^^^^^^^^^

I have seen through personal experience how true this is.

Join me in putting these promises to the test.

Whether you're renewing your previous commitment, or turning over a new leaf.

Let us forget ourselves, and go to work.

Rethink how you treat others

It's only about 3 minutes.  You'd spend that much time trying to decide whether or not to watch this, anyways!  I promise you won't regret pressing play.

Beautiful:  The Savior loves each and every one of us, His children, more than we can comprehend.

Our Savior's Love

I was so moved by how much the Lord loves and cares for this man.

He longs to embrace you, too.

peace.

Keep our eyes fixed on Christ

http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/14.29?lang=eng#28 

24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

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

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

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

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

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

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

 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little ^afaith, wherefore didst thou ^bdoubt?

 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.

- Matthew 14 - 

An update, a favor, and a video

So.

It's been a while since I've posted anything about myself, hasn't it?

Well, here's an update:  I'm applying for grad schools right now.

The End. ;)

When I first started this blog, I was graduating high school.  Now, I'm applying for Ph.D. programs.  

That's just weird.

High School graduation

I've changed a lot since then, though.  

Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?

But here's the thing.

I was trying to figure out how to have time for all of this:

School, work, taking care of my physical and spiritual health, applications....

And I realized, I needed to sacrifice something in order to do the most important things.

So what goes first?  

Facebook.

[duh]

Yes, I've deactivated my Facebook account.  Temporarily.  

{Unless I like living without Facebook.  Who knows!}

But here's one problem:  how can I share these blog posts without Facebook?  Granted, I don't expect to be doing much blogging this fall, either.  But there is one 3 minute video I really, really want to share with you right now.

So here's what I'm asking:

Since I can't post my blog updates on Facebook anymore, will you please share them with people you love, if you think it can help them?

Also, I'm pretty nervous about this whole application process.  Any prayers on my behalf are greatly appreciated!

Thanks, you guys.  And now, the video.

Watch it in a quiet place.

This right here is what keeps me going.  

He is the reason I do all that I do!

{Well, YouTube won't let me attach or upload it here... so I'm afraid you'll have to go so far out of your way as to click on the link blow instead ;)}

<click here for video>

peace out

Perfection

{Image from the Mormon.org Facebook page}

"There is certain frustration awaiting anyone who attempts to perfect themselves without the aid of the Holy Spirit.  It is not uncommon for someone to make a list of everything they feel they should be doing in their lives, then select a few to begin working on.  As wholesome as this sounds, it will only create feelings of impotence and frustration.  Read all the scriptures, and nowhere is there an account of someone achieving spiritual power by making lists of needed improvements, and then working the list!

They all did it by obedience to the voice of the Lord.  You must also; there is no other way...The Lord knows the exact course our lives should take, which sin should be eliminated first, which weakness should be addressed first, and which blessings we will need to accomplish these things...He will direct us, step by step...He will change and purify our hearts...

The way to perfection is not through the disciplining and reshaping of the soul by the will of man, but through the discipline of obedience and reshaping of the soul by God...To what are we to be obedient?  It is the voice of the Lord in our hearts and minds."
(see Enos 1:10-11, 1 Nephi 22:2)

- John M. Pontius -
From the book Following the Light of Christ into His Presence