I just got back from the Temple today!

Transition

I am no longer an official representative of Jesus Christ.

Although I do not have a name badge, I know that every member is a missionary. I won't forget the people who have touched my life. I won't forget the miracles that I have experienced. My future is as bright as my faith..... and I have a lot of faith. One of the things we learned in the all mission conference before I left, was that Faith has a short shelf life. We must ever be turning to Him through daily prayer and scripture study, and worthily partaking of the sacrament each Sunday.

God has been so merciful to me. I love Him!

I know that God is happy when we strive to follow His son Jesus Christ. He is happy because He knows that we are really choosing Him over the world, and that path will lead us back to His presence. I know that Jesus Christ is central to God's plan for us. He is the light and life of the world. He overcame the world, so that when we turned to Him... He could help us.

I know that faith in Jesus Christ is the key to lasting happiness.

Here's my heart... take and seal it

As you listen to this song, think of your own personal journey "wandering" in a strange land. You were sent here for a purpose, and we are all seeking to return again to God's presence.

 

This song touches my heart! On Jan 16th, Annie Brownwood took a step that would bring her closer to her Father in Heaven. She was baptized, and entered on the path that will lead back to Him. A path that is only available because of the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ. Sister Piña, Ben Nelson, and I sang this song at her baptism. As a I sang, I felt the reassurance of the Spirit. He whispered peace to my soul, and I know that God is so pleased with Annie. I love these words:

And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.
O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.
Seal it for thy courts above.


May we all bind our hearts to Him. He loves us so very much! He wants us clean, and our hearts pure. We can only do that as we humbly repent of our sins and continue striving to keep His commandments.

Elizabeth Beatty, Hermana Haslam, Annie Brownwood, Sister White



Hermana Haslam, Sister White, Annie, Parker Steed :)

What will YOUR work be?

Work is applied effort; it is whatever we put ourselves into, whatever we expend our energy on for the sake of accomplishing or achieving something. Their is something to be said of a lifetime of simple living, and daily labor.

The Lord often counsels us through his Prophets to become self reliant. "...to become self-reliant, a person must work. Work is physical, mental, or spiritual effort. It is a basic source of happiness, self-worth, and PROSPERITY. Through work, people accomplish many good things in their lives..."CHI

"Work is an antidote for anxiety, and ointment for sorrow, and a doorway to possibility. Whatever our circumstances in life, let us do the best we can and cultivate a reputation for excellence in all that we do. Let us set our minds and bodies to the glorious opportunity for work that each new day presents." President Uchtdorf

I LOVE this poem about a simple Blacksmith.

The Village Blacksmith

 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan:
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing floor.

He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hear the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his hard, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing,
Onwards through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought!

I know that God wants us to be happy in this life! We can achieve many of our dreams as we pray earnestly for God to bless us, and then work hard to reach them!

He wanted to be an Astronaut...








A Journalist to a... Mother?

Mother

Perhaps the reason we respond so universally to our mothers’ love is because it typifies the love of our Savior.

"My good friend Don Pearson shared an experience that highlights this influence. One night his four-year-old son asked him to read a bedtime story. Eric had picked out his favorite book: The Ballooning Adventures of Paddy Pork,‍ a story about a family who lived on the isles of the sea and traveled from island to island by hot-air balloon. It was a picture book that had no words, so Brother Pearson made up words to the story.

“Paddy is in a hot-air balloon. He is landing on an island now. He is dropping a line over the side of the balloon.”

Eric stopped him. “Dad, that is not a line. It’s a rope.”

Brother Pearson looked at Eric and back at the picture book, and then he continued: “Paddy is getting out of the balloon and climbing down the tree. Oh no! His coat is caught on a limb!”

Again Eric stopped him. “Dad, that’s not a coat. It’s a jacket.”

By now Brother Pearson was somewhat perplexed. He said, “Eric, there are no words in this book, just pictures. Why do you insist that it’s a jacket?”

Eric answered, “Because Mother told me.”

His father closed the book and said, “Eric, who do you think is the last word, the ultimate authority in this house?”

This time Eric thought carefully before he answered, “You are, Dad.”

Brother Pearson beamed at his son. What an exceptional answer! “How did you know that?”

Eric quickly responded, “Mother told me.”

Elder Bradley Foster