Bloom Where You're Planted

   

                

How many of you have felt trapped by your circumstances? I know that there have been times where I felt trapped. Sometimes life seems unfair and it is. At times it seems like some people have had a perfect life since birth and others were put in the midst of chaos and dysfunction. However true or untrue that may be, we can bloom where we are planted.

This blog is in no way to be any type of personal pity party, the purpose of sharing personal experiences is to help others in difficult circumstances know that they can be what they want to be.
Growing up I had a lot of influences pulling me in different directions. I was born out of wedlock to young parents that were trying to figure things out. Was that a rocky start to my life? Sure. Did alcohol and substance abuse negatively effect my family? Yes, but I don't condemn my parents, because they had their own trials and shoes to walk in, but yes their decisions made my childhood harder. Much of my childhood was surrounded by things of the world. From a young age I knew that I wanted different. God placed my step grandparents into my life just in time for me to see that there was some better way of life. Before my 8th birthday I had realized that the thing that set their life apart from the rest of my family was the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. They lived it. Another thing that I was able to recognize as a child was the importance of school.

God blessed me with the ability to see things on a bigger scale, I knew that if I did well in school and lived by the Lord's standards that my life would be different. To do this took a lot of work. It's so easy to fall into the ways of the world and all of it's temptations. It's easier not to do your homework than to do it. It's easier to go to sleep in or go to the movies on Sunday than attend church (especially at first).
This is one of Satan's deceptions, things appear to be easier in the moment, but in the end, life is so much harder. A little extra work in the present makes life so much easier in the long run!

There is a scripture that helped me hold my head up through trial and temptation 1Cor. 10:13 "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
I know that God never gives us more than we can handle, so if you've been given a lot to go through, YOU are strong enough to bloom right where you are! God does not set us up to fail. God loves You. YOU can succeed! I know the restored gospel of Jesus Christ changes us from inside out! I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each one of us and we can choose to wither away and let our circumstances stomp us or be used as a crutch or we can bloom where we are planted! What will you choose?

Repentance

This past week my mission companions and I were talking about repentance with Godly sorrow versus worldly sorrow. This is such an important subject, because it has two completely different outcomes. So what's the difference?

Worldly sorrow is something that comes from getting caught or from simply knowing that it's wrong and simply knowing you should repent. Worldly sorrow stems from pride, peer pressure, and shame. There is no desire to change when we have worldly sorrow and we won't change until we come to a realization of the love that god has for us.

Godly sorrow is something that comes from knowing the characteristics of God and understanding his love and desires for us. There is a distinct difference between being caught or just knowing that what we're doing is wrong and rotely "repenting," versus the realization that what you are doing disrespects your Heavenly Father and your life that He has given you. It's realizing that you love God and want to please Him because you simply love him. You love god so it hurts you to know that you are disrespecting Him and his wishes. Godly sorrow brings a sincere desire to change and a willingness to submit to every requirement for forgiveness. Godly sorrow stems from humility, love, and submissiveness. When you reach the point of not caring what anyone else in the world thinks of you, but only caring what God thinks of you, then you've reached Godly sorrow. No consequence is too great or humiliating. None of it matters anymore because you want to be right with God again.

When we repent with humility, sincerity, and a love for our Heavenly Fathers commandments, we can then be set free and washed clean of the sin that tempts and plagues us.

I chose to use these pictures from the story of the adulteress woman in the Bible, because I can see all 3 aspects of what I said above. To begin, the woman was peer pressured and forced by the hypocritical and judgmental world. She was placed in front of a loving and perfect Savior and I believe she instantly felt His perfect love for her, which brought upon her Godly sorrow because she instantly loved Him. She was compelled to be humble, but nevertheless humbled herself to the Lord and repented and forsook her sins and returned to them no more.

The Lord is perfectly merciful and just and I'm so grateful that I can repent when I do wrong.

Light of Christ vs. Gift of the Holy Ghost

   

                

Every person has something good in them, it's called the light of Christ. The light of Christ is in all of us because every single person on this Earth had already chosen to follow Jesus Christ in the pre-mortal life (read my blog on the Human Experience to learn more about pre-mortal life). We are now here living life on Earth and all searching for something more. We are all searching for our purpose and how to fulfill our purpose, consciously or not.

When we hear truth, the light of Christ is ignited, things begin to sound familiar! “The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. . . . And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged” (Moroni 7:16, 18).

Now the other way we can recognize truth is by the Holy Spirit, also known as the Holy Ghost, the third member of the Godhead. The Holy Ghost is a spirit personage without a body of flesh and bones. The Holy Ghost's job is to testify of the truth and of the Father and the Son. Before baptism we feel the power of the Holy Ghost working on us and testifying to us so that we can make decisions to align our will with the Fathers. After Baptism by the authority of Jesus Christ, we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

1 Nephi 10:19 For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.

The power or influence of the Holy Ghost is different than the gift of the Holy Ghost. When we have faith and are baptized we are also confirmed by the laying on of hands to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. Acts 8:17- Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

 Before baptism the Holy Ghost comes to testify, but leaves afterwards. The gift of the Holy Ghost is to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost when we are worthy. "To be worthy to have the help of the Holy Ghost, we must seek earnestly to obey the commandments of God. We must keep our thoughts and actions pure." Gospel Principles, (2011), 120–24.
During our mortal journey, God has made a way for us to recognize and know his truths. There is no GPS or other technology that can ever come close to the guidance we receive from the Holy Spirit!! I know that we need to follow the promptings that we receive from the Holy Ghost and that when we do, we will be led to happiness. I'm grateful for the light of Christ, especially as a missionary because it's amazing to watch the light be ignited when people here truth, the Spirit does that. And I'm grateful to have been baptized by one holding authority and to have been given the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. I'm grateful for God's plan and this gift to guide me back to Him.
3Nephi 12:6- And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Know Ye Not That Your Body is a Temple?

Hello world,
Did you know that we are God's greatest creation? It is true!!!Of the Creation, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said: "We are the reason he created the universe!..
"This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to god. Knowing that Jesus Christ created the earth for us because we mean everything to Heavenly Father can help us increase our love for them."

We've been blessed with bodies 1 Cor. 6:19 What? Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost that which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
We've been given the greatest gift, it's called a body! As previously discussed in my blog on Modest is Hottest, we would never want to deface our temple bodies!!

This brings me to a different aspect of bodies being a temple, keeping the Word of Wisdom. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we follow an inspired health standard from God to keep our bodies at their best! So what does it consist of?


Here are a few do's and don'ts:
We DO want to exercise regularly to keep our body fit to make a good place for the Spirit to dwell and to stay physically able and healthy!

We DO want to eat healthy so that we can feel good, have energy, and be in good health!

We DO want to do all things in moderation, why? Because even if something is good, it should be in moderation, we couldn't live off of carrots only! We find peace and happiness when our lives are in balance.

We DON'T want to put harmful or addictive substances into our bodies, legal or not. Why? Because we lose our power and give the control to a substance! For example, we do Not drink alcohol, coffee, or tea, We do Not do drugs or anything like unto it. A lot of people think to themselves, "Coffee?!" Well I'll ask you a question, how many people do you know that feel like they can't start the day without it? Or get headaches when they don't have it? ... That is a sign of addiction and loss of control over the body.

This sounds like a checklist, but it's more than that. Our Heavenly Father has given us health laws to teach us how to care for our bodies. The scriptures tell us about god's laws: "No temporal commandment gave I..., for my commandments are spiritual" (D&C 29:35). This means that his commandments concerning our physical state are for spiritual good. When we keep the Lord's law of health and obey his other commandments, the Lord promises to bless us physically and spiritually. Gospel Principles, (2011), 167–72

We are happy and healthy when we keep God's law and take care of the gift that He has given us. Our bodies are sacred and deserve to be treated as such! I KNOW that this commandment brings happiness! I've seen the effects that substance abuse and addiction can have on a family. These things do not bring lasting joy, they try to imitate happiness, but only the gospel of Jesus Christ can bring lasting happiness, when we act upon God's laws.
If you or anyone you know are struggling with addiction, there is help! I know that all can be healed if they so desire and put their faith in Christ. If you need help or have questions please contact me or visit and talk to a specialist at  http://addictionrecovery.lds.org/?lang=eng!

Faith

                     

People talk about faith all the time, but what is faith? Is faith simply believing or is it an action? 

"Desire is a particle of faith that develops within us as we experience divine truth. It is like spiritual photosynthesis. The influence of the Holy Ghost, acting on the Light of Christ within every human being, produces the spiritual equivalent of a chemical reaction—a stirring, a change of heart, or a desire to know. Hope develops as particles of faith become molecules and as simple efforts to live true principles occur."

In the Book of Mormon in the book of Alma chapter 32, Alma the prophet compares faith to a seed. There is a lot to learn from this chapter, here are few things I learned from this chapter:

1. That we only need a particle of faith to come to gain faith and come to know something, that particle of faith is desire.
2. Faith is in things not seen.
3. If it is a good seed, your bosom will burn and your mind will be enlightened.
4. Faith means action, you must experiment upon the things that you desire to know.
5. Desire becomes faith, faith becomes knowledge.
6. Having a knowledge in one thing, doesn't mean our nourishing and growing stops.
7. When we neglect the plant, it will dwindle aka when we neglect our faith, it dwindles.
8. Just because undernourished faith dwindles, doesn't make those things any less true.
9. It takes diligence and patience to nourish the word.
10. After our patience and long-suffering we receive the reward.

"As patterns of obedience develop, the specific blessings associated with obedience are realized and belief emerges. Desire, hope, and belief are forms of faith, but faith as a principle of power comes from a consistent pattern of obedient behavior and attitudes. Personal righteousness is a choice. Faith is a gift from God, and one possessed of it can receive enormous spiritual power."

Sometimes we let our guard down and our faith wavers, but never forget the things you do know! In times of trial, think of the times you felt the Spirit testify and hold your ground! Our faith is tested, but when we are diligent and patient and continue abounding in good works we will receive the fruits of our labors. Stay true to the faith you already have and continue to build upon what has already been built! When in doubt, just look at all blessings and knowledge that you've already received through your faithfulness and continue to nourish your faith! Faith is both belief and action, it can't be one or the other!

Remember that we are spiritual beings on a human experience. It is but a small moment in the eternities.. sometimes that grain of sand looks like a mountain. Lucky for us our faith can move mountains!

"In this Church, what we know will always trump what we do not know. And remember, in this world, everyone is to walk by faith."

Check out mormon.org or lds.org or message me at tash.carrell@facebook.com

¿Qué es un mormón?

                    

Hola todos! Aqui en la misión, mucha gente nos conoce como “Mormones”. Es un apodo que tenemos pero que signifíca? A ver! Soy miembro de La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Ultimos Dias. Mucha gente dice “La Iglesia Mormona”. 

-Creen los mormones en Jesucristo? Claro que si! La Iglesia se llama “La Iglesia de JESUCRISTO de Los Santos de Los Ultimos Dias. 

-Creen en la Biblia los mormones? Si! Usamos la traducción Reina Valera. 

Pero mucho gente piensa que tenemos algo que reemplaza La Biblia. No es cierto. Lo que tenemos es algo que se llama El Libro de Mormon. Es otro testament de Jesucristo, no esta aqui para reemplazar. Este libro contiene la plenitude del Evangelio, junto con La Biblia. Es un registro de las profecias de Jesucristo y una historia de las personas de la Americas Antiguas.

-Creen en la gracia de Jesucristo? Si, claro! Sabemos que por la gracia de Jesus resucitaremos y viviremos para siempre. Conquistaremos la muerte fisisca tal como El la conquistó.
 -Tienen fe los de la Iglesia Mormona? Si hermanos, tenemos fe! Fe es una palabra con muchas definiciones. Pero para nosotros, la fe es creer en algo que se espera y no se ve. Es actuar y mostrarle a Dios que crees que El existe.
-Y los Mormones adoran a este Jose Smith, verdad? NO!!! Lo estimamos como profeta de Dios. Igual que a Moises, Noe, o cualquier de los Santos Profetas del Señor. Lo respetamos como a la Virgin Maria, quien es la madre de Jesus. Pero no lo adoramos. Ni oramos a el. Solo adoramos a Dios el Padre y a Jesucristo.
-Entonces..que es lo que les hace diferente? A eso voy.. mira.
       •Sabemos que Jesus ha restaurado su Iglesia a la tierra otra fez. Es la misma Iglesia que El habia establecido durante su ministerio terrenal. Lee el Libro de Efesios!
       •El poder del Sacerdocio, que el poder de Dios dado al hombre, también se ha restaurado cuando Jesucristo llamo y el Profeta Jose Smith y dio su autoridad para actuar en su nombre.
       •Dios nos ha dado otro libro de Escritura Sagrada (El Libro de Mormon) para trabajar mano a mano con La Biblia.
                                                                              
      •La Iglesia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de Los Ultimos Dias es La Iglesia del Señor en la tierra hoy en dia.
      •Entendemos que Dios El Padre, Su hijo Jesucristo, y el Espíritu Santos son seres diferentes. Dios el Padre tiene un cuerpo perfecto y glorificado. Jesucristo también tiene un cuerpo así. Sin embargo, El Espíritu Santo no tiene cuerpo porque mora en nosotros. Todos los miembros de La Trinidad comparten el mismo propósito.
-Son Cristianos? Si. Un Cristiano es alguien que cree en Jesuscristo.
-Que hacen los misioneros mormones? Dejamos nuestras familias por un period de tiempo (18 meses-2 años) para compartir el Evangelio Restaurado con todo el mundo. Sabemos la veracidad del mensaje y sabemos que bendecirá las vidas de todos los que lo acepten.
 -Y que pasa despues de la misión? Regresamos a la vida normal. Seguimos como miembros de la iglesia. Pero ya no salimos todos los dias a tocar puertas. Siempre compartimos el Evangelio. Despues de la mission, nos casamos, estudiamos, trabajamos. Les prometo que somos normales
-Tienen muchas esposas? Nope. Hay apóstatas que si las tienen. Pero nosotros no.
-Tuvo su poligamia práctica de la iglesia? Sí, que se remonta al padre de Abraham. Pero más recientemente, sí los primeros santos del Evangelio restaurado practicaban la poligamia, pero ya no es una parte de nuestra iglesia. Como se ha visto a través de la Biblia y el Libro de Mormón, Dios tiene a su pueblo practican la poligamia y los comandos que se detuvo. Creo que él puede hacer eso ya que él es Dios.
-Son racistas los mormones? No. Aceptamos a todos. Dios obra en su debido tiempo. Es posible para todos ser parte de La Iglesia verdadera del Señor.

Matrimonio en el templo

-Que es el templo? Por que no pueden entrar todos? El templo es un lugar sagrado. Es la casa del Señor, literalmente. Adentro de los muros del temple, se efectuan ordenanzas sagradas. Los bautizmos por los muertos se hacen en el templo. Lee 1 Corintios 15. Miembros dignos de La Iglesia también se casan el el templo. Es algo que se llama “el Sellamiento. Esta sagrada ordenanza, efectuado por la autoridad del Sacerdocio por alguien que ha sido llamado y apartado, dura por toda la eternidad.

Matrimonio Eterno

Ni la muerte puede separar la pareja si viven dignamente. 1Corinitos 3:17 
-Se salvan por las obras? Las obras no nos salvan. Cristo nos salva. Pero sabemos que la fe sin obras es muerta es si misma. Santiago 2. 
-Son Salvos? Si pero hay más que decir al respect. Uno no se salva al decir una oración especial, ni al bautizarse. Los que viven los mandamientos y reciben la palabra de Dios con sinceridad se salvarán. Si aceptamos a Cristo en nuestro Corazon, vamos a seguir Su ejemplo. Estoy bien agradecida por la oportunidad de compartir el Evangelio Restaurado de Jesucristo y de contester muchas preguntas. Sé que los que buscan la verdad la hallarán gracias a la Restauración del Evangelio. Amo mucho a mi Salvador, Jesucristo!

The Power of One

                     

Hello beautiful people!
Today I want to address the influence just 1 person can have on another, whether it be good or bad. We are all God's children, there is a lot of power in that statement! We are God's children.. each of us is a child of God! "That fact is transcends all other characteristics, including race, occupation, physical characteristics, honors, or even religious affiliation," LDS.org. Obviously each of us has been blessed with specific gifts that have influential power behind them.

My gram, because of her I know Christ.

Sometimes it's easy to think that 1 person cannot do anything. One person can't really make a difference. Well those thoughts are totally untrue. YOU can have a life changing impact on one person or many people in your life and there is a good chance you already are. So what kind of influence and example are you putting out there? We can all think of a person who has had a life changing impact on us and maybe even set the course for our lives.

Families are the center of God's plan!

We live in a world that is constantly trying to degrade the worth of souls into nothing more than objects to be used. We can rise above the standard of the world, because we know who we are! We are children of God! Our worth is great!!
Think of the influence of a mother,daughther, grandpa, grandma, son, father, aunt, uncle, teacher, cousin, best friend, etc. Everyone has a part to play in the world and we as Christians are here to hold the standard high. We are examples of the believers! Paul’s counsel, “Be thou an example of the believers,” applies to all Christians, and particularly Latter-Day Saints!

Friends are the family you choose! So choose wisely.

Sometimes while we drive or walk or bike down the streets, my heart sinks seeing young women dressed in practicually nothing, young men lighting up a cigarrette with pants down to the ground. My heart aches because they have so much worth that they aren't even aware of, many of them have probably never even been told that they are of more worth than that skimpy halter top and that cigarrette in hand. Why are we letting the world take hold of our youth, in and out of our families? How much different would this world be if each person clearly understood that they are literally children of God, that they have eternal worth and potential?

Brighton Girls Camp, where I learned Christlike love.

I know if every person lived just by this knowledge, the world would be full of love and respect for on another. So I invite you to evaluate your influence on the people around you. Is it for good or bad? Are you lifting people higher or bringing them down? In reality, are you making choices that raise you up or bring you down? What kind of friend are you being? What kind of friends are you choosing? Each of us have these choices to make. Do you understand that you have divine potential as a son or daughter of God? Will you live up to that divine nature and potential? Will you help others live up to their divine potential? You matter and you influence others!!!
I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have so that I can try my hardest to live up to this title as a daughter of God and help others recognize that they too are loved children of God!

Los deseos de nuestro corazón

                     

En 6 días me cumplí un año y tres meses en la mission! No lo puedo creer! Me asombra que tanto tiempo ha pasado ya. 3 meses atrás , tuvimos una junta. Todos los misioneros en la zona nos juntamos y hablamos de la obra. Me tocó dar un capacitación. No me asignaron un tema por decir, mas quería que yo hablara de lo que el Espíritu del Señor me decía. Me gusto mucho dar la capacitacion porque el Espíritu me guiaba. Sin embargo la parte que me gusto más de la junta fue que yo recibí revelación de cómo mejor enseñar acerca de la Expiación de Jesucristo. Y si ustedes han leido mis otras historias..ya saben que ha sido un desafio para mi. Esta es la inspiración que yo he recibido.

Por tanto tiempo, yo he sentido que es responsabilidad mía hacer que la gente entienda la belleza de la Expiación. Pero la mera verdad es que uno mismo tiene que sentir este gran cambio adentro se si, o nunca recibirá un testimonio.
La mayoria de nosotros sabemos que Cristo murió en la cruz por nosotros. También sabemos que el resucitó tres días despues. Pero no todos lo entienden en sus corazones. Solamente queda como una historia o una cuenta.

Me di cuenta que todo depende en el deseo de la persona. Necesitamos nosotros sentir el poder sanador de la Expiación? Estamos dispuestos a sentirlo? Que haremos para obtener este testimonio? El Salvador ya hizo Su parte y ahora nos invita con brazos abiertos.

Alguna vez ha hecho algo de medio esfuerzo? Ha comenzado un proyecto o un hecho con todo su Corazón? Cual es la diferencia? Que cambios vendría de la sinceridad?

Este gran cambio de Corazon es una resposabilidad que nosotros tenemos. Tenemos que también hacer nuestra parte. Nuestros esfuerzos, deseos, sinceridad, y energia impactan los resultados que vendrán. El solo espera que beba de la fuente de justicia. Acuerdense que El es el agua viva que se menciona en las Escrituras. Dejen que El entre en su Corazón. No hay nadie que no pueda sentir el poder de la Expiación.. solo require esfuerzo adicional. La Expiación es infinita y no tiene limites. La expiación les sanará. Se necesita mucha fe, y un poquito de trabajo, pero les prometo que cuando sean sinceros y busquen verdaderamente, Cristo les mostrará el camino. Yo sé que la Expiación no solo es una historia. Porque la he vivido. Cristo me ha cambiado. Una vez estaba yo perdida, pero Cristo me encontró
***Para saber más del poder de la Expiación de Jesucristo, a favor de contactarme o alguno de los otros misioneros en su área.

mormon.org/spa u Yo

What the heck is a Mormon?

                     

Hey ya'll! The longer I'm out here on my mission, the more confusion I see associated with the title "Mormon."
Well let's clear something's up!
I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints aka., I'm a Mormon.
-Do Mormon's believe in Jesus Christ?
YES!!! Hence the name The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints.
-Do you believe in the Bible?
YES! The King James version!

-What's the Mormon Bible?
Well the "Mormon Bible," is the King James Version, although I'm sure the question is referring to the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ- not to add too, take away, or replace the Holy Bible. The Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the gospel, as does the Bible. It is a record of the prophecies of Christ and history of the people of the ancient Americas.
-Do Mormons believe in grace?
YES we do! Because of the grace of Jesus Christ, we will all overcome physical death by being resurrected and live forever.
-Do you have faith?
YES! Faith is another word that can be confused by how each person defines it. Faith to a Latter Day Saint (aka mormon) is believing in something you can't see and acting on the things that you believe.
-Do you worship Joseph Smith?
Heavens NO! We have a lot of respect for Joseph Smith as an instrument in the Lords hands, as we do for all the prophets of old or the Virgin Mary, but we do not worship him or anyone else except God the Father and Jesus Christ.

-What's so different about your church?

• The difference is this, our message is that Christ has literally restored His gospel back on the earth, exactly how He originally established it when he was on the earth- same authority, organization, principles, etc. So the differences is that:
• God called another prophet to the earth and gave him the same authority the prophets and apostles of old had to do ordinances such as baptism and giving the gift of the Holy Ghost.
• God has blessed us with another set of scripture, The Book of Mormon, to stand with the Holy Bible.
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is Christ's church on the earth today.
• We know the true identity of the Godhead- God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are separate beings unified in one purpose.

-Are you Christian?
YES! Christian- someone that believes in Jesus Christ.
-What do you do as a Mormon missionary?
A mormon missionary is someone who leaves their family for a period of time to go preach and teach the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. We leave our families for awhile so others can be with their families forever!!
-What do you do after a Mormon mission?
We go home and resume life as a normal every day member of the church. Generally because of our age we go home and finish school or start work and have families.. not always in that order ;)
-Are you polygamist?
Nope. Wrong "Mormons."
-Did your church practice polygamy?
Yes, dating back to father Abraham. But more recently, yes the early saints of the restored gospel did practice polygamy, but it is no longer a part of our church. As seen through out The Bible and Book of Mormon, God has his people practice polygamy and then commands that it be stopped. I guess He can do that since he is God.
-Are mormons racist?
Absolutely NOT! We love, invite, and accept all people! We are all children of God!

-What is a temple? And why can't all people go in?

Temple Marriage

Temples are a place where sacred ordinances are performed. Many people confuse the world sacred and secret in regards to temples. All people are invited to come to a temple when they choose to be baptized and live worthy. We must keep our bodies pure and clean before entering into a temple.
1Cor. 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
"The sacredness of the temple anciently can be seen in both the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, Moses had the children of Israel carry with them the Tabernacle (a large, portable temple) as they wandered in the wilderness. King Solomon built and dedicated the great temple that was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 B.C. It was rebuilt and later substantially expanded, but again destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70. The great Western Wall can still be seen in Jerusalem today, and even after millennia, remains a sacred site for Jews. The New Testament gives an account of Jesus Christ clearing the

Eternal Marriage

temples when its sacredness was violated by people using its courts as a common market.
Latter-day Saint temples are considered houses of God, a place of holiness and peace separate from the preoccupations of the world. They provide a place where Church members make formal promises and commitments to God. They are also the place where the highest sacraments of the faith occur — the marriage of couples and the “sealing” of families for eternity". -(http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/topic/temples)

-Do you believe your works can save you?
Works alone is not enough save anyone, Christ does that. We believe that Christ's atonement is our saving grace.
-Are you saved?
Yes, but there is more to this question, the definition of saved is key to this question. We believe that when you truly love Christ you give your life over to him and with that, you want to do what he has asked us to do. We want to follow His example.
In the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the terms “saved” and “salvation” have various meanings.
To answer this question of being "saved" and whether we believe we are or not, keep watching for my .saved. post. I will do my best to explain what we believe being saved means!
I'm grateful for the opportunity to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and to answer questions from those searching to know truth! I love my Savior!
If you have any questions about Mormon beliefs ask a Mormon, Me, or visit lds.org!!

Becoming the Best You!

                     

Have you ever felt like you were progressing beautifully and then SMACK! You fall on your face!? Well I have. Since I've started my mission I've been shaped, molded, refinded and defined.
Submitting our will to the Lords will is one of the hardest things we'll ever learn to do. Why? Because it's the only thing we can give him that He hasn't already given us. One of my favorite stories of all time to explain my feelings of growing and being cut down and pruned is this:

"President Hugh B. Brown, formerly a member of the Twelve and a counselor in the First Presidency, provided a personal experience. He told of purchasing a rundown farm in Canada many years ago. As he went about cleaning up and repairing his property, he came across a currant bush that had grown over six feet (1.8 m) high and was yielding no berries, so he pruned it back drastically, leaving only small stumps. Then he saw a drop like a tear on the top of each of these little stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and thought he heard it say:

“How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. … And now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me. … How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.”

President Brown replied, “Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.’”
 

Years later, President Brown was a field officer in the Canadian Army serving in England. When a superior officer became a battle casualty, President Brown was in line to be promoted to general, and he was summoned to London. But even though he was fully qualified for the promotion, it was denied him because he was a Mormon. The commanding general said in essence, “You deserve the appointment, but I cannot give it to you.” What President Brown had spent 10 years hoping, praying, and preparing for slipped through his fingers in that moment because of blatant discrimination. Continuing his story, President Brown remembered:
 

“I got on the train and started back … with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul. … When I got to my tent, … I threw my cap on the cot. I clenched my fists, and I shook them at heaven. I said, ‘How could you do this to me, God? I have done everything I could do to measure up. There is nothing that I could have done—that I should have done—that I haven’t done. How could you do this to me?’ I was as bitter as gall.
“And then I heard a voice, and I recognized the tone of this voice. It was my own voice, and the voice said, ‘I am the gardener here. I know what I want you to do.’ The bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness. …

“… And now, almost 50 years later, I look up to [God] and say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me.’"


I know that life is full of challenges. Everyday I find myslef struggling between "my will to Thy will." But I also know that God has a plan for each of us. He knows each of us and wants the best for us. His plan is Always better than our plan. Why? Well because A. He's perfect and B. He can see the eternal picture when we only see this minute or this week or this year. C. He is our Father and He loves us!!! He loves You. If you put your trust and faith in him, you will never fail or be failed. He knows your true potential and he will help you reach it if you let him!! Become what he wants you to become!
I am grateful to have a loving Heavenly Father that knows me and is always with me. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. -Prov. 3:5
 

To learn more about the will of God, ask a missionary, or go to mormon.org or lds.org

?Por qué escogemos levantarnos e ir a la iglesia los domingos?

                     

?Por qué escogemos levantarnos e ir a la iglesia los domingos? Para dar respuesta a mi propia pregunta, yo voy a la iglesia porque amo a mi Salvador, Jesucristo, y quiero respetar Su día santo.

 Y tambien voy para tomar la Santa Cena. Hay mil cosas que nos distraen cada día, pero cuando vamos a la iglesia, podemos estar apartados del mundo. Estamos con nuestro Dios, nuestro Salvador, los angeles de los Cielos, y con nuestros hermanos Cristianos. Qué ocasion gozosa! Nosotros sentiremos el poder de La Expiación de Cristo cuando no dejamos que el facebook, ni el telefono, ni los juegos nos controlen. Hagamonos tiempo para ir a la iglesia y para alabar a nuestro Creador.

Antes de la misión, no me daba cuenta de cuan distraida estaba yo por el mundo. Claro que si, me gustaba ir a la iglesia, pero yo siempre traía conmigo una parte del mundo. Y francamente, la única persona que fue lastimada era yo. Fue una lección aprendida. También me he dado cuenta de que muchas personas van a la iglesia por muchas otras razones. A algunas les gusta la musica, otras les gusta ir porque se pueden vestir de la manera que quieran. A otras les gusta disfrutar un café con los amigos, y traer con ellas las cosas del mundo para que se miren popular. Aquí está la cosa, yo creo que es major ir a una iglesia que cualquier otro lugar, pero necesitamos no estar distraidos por las cosas del mundo mientras estamos en la capilla. Nosotros vamos a la iglesia para adorar a Dios!! Está bien tener eventos sociales, pero no deben de estar en la iglesia. La iglesia es un humilde casa de adoración. Yo sé que si guardamos el día de reposo, el Señor nos bendecirá abundantemente.

Aquí está una analogía de un miembro de la iglesia:Dijo Derek: “Hace muchos años, escuché una
analogía: Cada seis meses, por veinte años, un hombre traía su carro al mecánico para darle una afinación. A veces toda la obra del carro fue muy fácil y a veces se necesitaba más de una simple afinación. Un día, el mecánico preguntó al hombre por qué él se dedicaba tanto a cuidar su carro. Le dijo el dueño del carro, ‘ Me preocupo tanto por el carro para que no me sorprenda cuando pasa algo malo. Cuando observo lo que se ha hecho a mi carro y lo que se le necesita hacer con ello, puedo solucionar bien cuando vengan los problemas.’ Me siento igual de acuerdo con el ir a la iglesia cada semana. Es probable que mi transmisión espiritual no necesita tanta revision, igual que el carro en cada inspección. Pero en el gran curso de tiempo, he visto las bendiciones de la asistencia a la iglesia: una abilidad más profunda de poder reaccionar bien a las pruebas de la vida. Cuando la vida te lanza una bola curva, yo puedo confiar en Jesucristo mas plenamente porque yo ya hice un hábito de servirle y confiarle a él. Asi que, en tiempos de gran dificultad, inseguridad emocional, falta de empleo, cancer en la familia, y un carro que no sirve, me enfoco en permitir que Dios me muestre el camino.”

Yo sé que nosotros recibimos fortaleza cuando nos esforzamos por mostrar al Señor que lo amamos y que lo respetamos. Aún cuando parezca que no valga la pena, o que estemos cansados, yo les prometo a ustedes que el Señor les bendecirá abundantemente en toda la próxima semana si le den a él unas tres horas de su tiempo cada semana en la iglesia.

Modest is Hottest

Have you ever wondered why mormons dress so modestly?
Growing up I thought modesty meant wearing clothes that are covering certain parts of the body.. well that's close I guess, but only the tiniest fraction of it. Modesty is more internal than external and more spiritual than physical. I never understood the "why" of modest growing up. So today I'd like to share what I've learned about modesty. I'm not directing this soley at women, but men equally, however most quotes are directed at woman.

Accra Ghana

First to try and explain what modesty is i'll share a quote from lds.org, "Modesty is an attitude of propriety and decency in dress, grooming, language, and behavior. If we are modest, we do not draw undue attention to ourselves. Instead, we seek to “glorify God in [our] body, and in [our] spirit”"

When we know where we come from and why we are here, the fads of the world suddenly seem less important. We know that we are children of God and that our bodies are temples that our Savior Jesus Christ bought with a heavy price. One of my favorite scriptures about our bodies and how important they are is in 1Cor. 6:19 :What? know ye not that your ^abody is the ^btemple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your ^cown?

Aba Nigeria

20 For ye are ^abought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

So how can we glorify our body in God and not the world? Just like a temple of God we can keep it pure, clean, and beautiful. When we respect ourselves, others will recognize you as a disciple of Christ and a person who deserves respect. When we are truly comfortable with ourselves, we don't have to show the world everything. We can be more than an object to be looked at.

Something awesome about modesty is that you know that the people around you respect you and like you for you, not what you are wearing.. or what you're not wearing.

“… Your dress and grooming send messages about you to others and influence the way you and others act. When you are well groomed and modestly dressed, you invite the companionship of the Spirit and can exercise a good influence on those around you” ([2001], 15).

Modesty was something that I had to learn for myself. It's something that naturally happens when you truly begin to understand that you are a child of God with a divine nature. We believe that we are God's children and with that we have a big responsibility to live up to that title.
Sister Rosemary M. Wixom said, "children learn in Primary a strong message of identity: I am a child of God. It is time to start talking about the responsibilities that come with that knowledge. “Because you are a child of God, then what? With that comes the answer: ‘It is how I dress, it is how I talk, it is my relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Because I am a child of God I will reflect His will in all I do.”."

Hong Kong China

“It is a condition of the heart. It is an outward manifestation of an inner knowledge and commitment. It is an expression that we understand our identity as children of God. It is an expression that we know what He expects us to do. It is a declaration of our covenant keeping."

Sister Carole M. Stephens said, “The more we look like the world, the more we act like the world.”
She said that when a person walks out of the waters of baptism, they’ve made a covenant to “walk out of the world and into the kingdom of God.”
For me I started to ask myself questions like, "Would I feel comfortable wearing this in front of the Savior? What message am I sending to others? Am I living how the Lord would like me to live? etc."
When we have the courage to answer these questions honestly it can lead us to make changes in our lives pertaining to how we act, dress, speak, etc. When we realize how much we are worth, we can begin to magnify our inner beauty which will then radiate into our outer beauty, both men and women.

Sometimes being modest in a world of confusion can seem like a challenge, but it's totally doable! We can be our own person instead of conforming to fads of the world that come and go. We can create a style of our own that reflect our love for the Savior. If you don't know if you believe in a Savior or believe in yourself, now is a good time to do soul searching.
Like temples, we can reflect our inner beauty by our outer beauty. We are sacred and we are Christ's. And just like temples, we can look different, but equally beautiful children of God with the same purpose. We like temples are houses for the Spirit of God.

Salt Lake Utah

I know that when we love and respect ourselves, Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ that we will naturally stand on higher ground and let our light shine through our holy temples. I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and all of the guidance that he brings to me in my life.

 

Why Do We Worship in Church?

Why do we choose to get up and travel to church on Sundays?
Well I know why I go to church, it's because I love my Savior and I want to respect His day and I want to partake of the sacrament.

There are so many distractions each and every day, but when we go into that chapel, we can be away from the world, with our God, our Savior, the angels of Heaven, and fellow Christians. What a joyous occasion. When we put the time and effort in to make each church meeting a time between you and God and shut out facebook, texting, and games, you will feel the cleansing power of the Atonement. I never realized how distracted by the world I was before my mission! I always liked going to church, but I didn't always set myself out of the world, I brought some of it with me... and frankly the only person hurt from that was me. Lesson learned.

I've also noticed that people go to certain churches for other reasons, like certain music aka mini concerts, because they can dress how they want, because they can have a coffee social, and bring whatever other worldy things in to make it seem cooler.
Now here is the thing, I think it is better to go to church in any setting rather than none, but we need not be distracted by the things that make church seem cool. We go to church to worship the Lord!! It's awesome to have church social events, but they are not there to be in place of humble worship of the Lord.
I know that if we remember to keep the Sabbath Day Holy, the Lord will bless us more abundantly.

An analogy I read from mormon.org by another Latter Day Saint was this:

Derek said,

I heard a simple analogy many years ago: A man took his automobile into a mechanic every six months for a tune up for over twenty years. Sometimes more work was needed than just the tune up, and sometimes it was a routine job. One day the mechanic asked the man why he was so dedicated to taking care of his car. The man replied, "I take care of my car so that I am not surprised when something goes wrong. When I observe what has been done and what needs to be done… Show more

"I heard a simple analogy many years ago: A man took his automobile into a mechanic every six months for a tune up for over twenty years. Sometimes more work was needed than just the tune up, and sometimes it was a routine job. One day the mechanic asked the man why he was so dedicated to taking care of his car. The man replied, "I take care of my car so that I am not surprised when something goes wrong. When I observe what has been done and what needs to be done with my car, I am able to deal with the issues as they come." I feel the same way about going to Church each week. I may not always need an overhaul of my spiritual transmission, just as the car may not have needed serious work at each inspection. But over time I have seen the great blessings of Church: a greater ability to deal with issues as they come. When life throws a curveball, I am able to rely on Jesus Christ more fully because I have made a constant habit of serving and relying on Him. That way in times of trial, emotional insecurity, un-employment, cancer in the family and a broken-down car I am more focused on letting God show me the way through it than the seemingly insurmountable tasks ahead."

I know that we receive extra strength and energy when we put in our effort to show the Lord we love and respect Him. Even when it doesn't seem worth it or you're too tired or too busy, I promise that the Lord will bless you more abundantly throughout the following week if you give Him just a few full hours of your time to Him each week.

Be Though an Example of the Believers

What does it mean to be an example of the believers?
This topic could go to so many different directions. I'm not sure where exactly I am going with this yet, but after hearing a numerous amount of people have their feelings hurt because of ungodly judgement, I'd like to address this topic of being an example of the believers.
Quoting from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "But when it comes to our own prejudices and grievances, we too often justify our anger as righteous and our judgment as reliable and only appropriate. Though we cannot look into another’s heart, we assume that we know a bad motive or even a bad person when we see one. We make exceptions when it comes to our own bitterness because we feel that, in our case, we have all the information we need to hold someone else in contempt.

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, said that those who pass judgment on others are “inexcusable.” The moment we judge someone else, he explained, we condemn ourselves, for none is without sin...

This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:

Stop it!

It’s that simple. We simply have to stop judging others and replace judgmental thoughts and feelings with a heart full of love for God and His children. God is our Father. We are His children. We are all brothers and sisters. I don’t know exactly how to articulate this point of not judging others with sufficient eloquence, passion, and persuasion to make it stick. I can quote scripture, I can try to expound doctrine, and I will even quote a bumper sticker I recently saw. It was attached to the back of a car whose driver appeared to be a little rough around the edges, but the words on the sticker taught an insightful lesson. It read, “Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you.”

Two summers ago I worked at Brighton LDS girls camp and the camp theme that year was, "Love One Another." So simple and so powerful. One of Christ's greatest attributes was love. When we love with Christlike Love we truly see all people as children of God, not just the Mormons, not just the Baptists, not just the Catholics, etc., but ALL people.

I'd be a liar if I said I've never passed judgement, but as I've learned and prayed to have Christlike Love, and I catch myself and I immediatly call myself to repentance and remind myself that that beautiful person is a child of God, regardless of what he or she says, is wearing, or doing, etc. I remind myself that God loves that person as much as He loves me and wants happiness for them as much as He does for any other person! He LOVES US! We just need to love each other!!!

"The more we allow the love of God to govern our minds and emotions—the more we allow our love for our Heavenly Father to swell within our hearts—the easier it is to love others with the pure love of Christ. As we open our hearts to the glowing dawn of the love of God, the darkness and cold of animosity and envy will eventually fade.
 

As always, Christ is our exemplar. In His teachings as in His life, He showed us the way. He forgave the wicked, the vulgar, and those who sought to hurt and to do Him harm.

Jesus said it is easy to love those who love us; even the wicked can do that. But Jesus Christ taught a higher law. His words echo through the centuries and are meant for us today. They are meant for all who desire to be His disciples. They are meant for you and me: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”¹⁰
 

When our hearts are filled with the love of God, we become “kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving [each other], even as God for Christ’s sake [forgave us].”¹¹

The pure love of Christ can remove the scales of resentment and wrath from our eyes, allowing us to see others the way our Heavenly Father sees us: as flawed and imperfect mortals who have potential and worth far beyond our capacity to imagine. Because God loves us so much, we too must love and forgive each other.

In a world of accusations and unfriendliness, it is easy to gather and cast stones. But before we do so, let us remember the words of the One who is our Master and model: “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone."  -Pres. Uchtdorf

I hope that each of us can make a conscious decision each day to Be Thou an Example of the believers and to put an end to judging others- I say this to the person with religion judging those without and to the person without religion judging those of religion. This judgment goes both ways and it's time to "Stop it!"


I know without a shadow of a doubt that we are each children of God and He loves each of us perfectly. He wants the very best for us and has provided a way to obtain the very best. If we would just follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, this world would be in such better shape. I know that I'm imperfect and I'm grateful for the gift of repentance and forgiveness.
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

To learn more about Christ's teaching on love, judgment, repentance, and forgiveness visit:
mormon.org or lds.org or you can ask a missionary, aka me! :) For a fun video to explain it watch this video

*Sorry I quoted a lot in this blog, but honestly President Uchtdorf couldn't have said it any better.