The Book of Ages: Your life.

Many times I would hear the counsel to keep a journals. I would blow it off as I thought to myself, Journals are for girls. But when I became older and went on my mission I decided to keep a journal. It has been fun to be able to look back on funny times and it's been amazing to look when I was going through had times to see when the Lord would step in to lift me through it. But this last week in a missionary meeting they talked about keeping a journal. They compared scriptures to journals and why it is important to keep them. I never had thought about it like that, to think that they were a journal at one time.
As I though about this a thought came to me "If journals are like scriptures, could they help me too?" While at the end of a hard day I was looking for help. I say my journal and I opened it to a random page. With in the first three lines of reading my question was answered and I was able to push on. The thought has come to me that maybe we feel that our life is not that amazing, these thoughts and impressions are not wroth much. We have been counseled by modern prophets and apostles to keep a record. No we may not be famous or feel too important, But maybe the story of when you felt like you couldn't go on how you turned to the Lord will help one of your kids who read it get through a hard time. One thing I like to think about is we don't know how far we have come until we know where we came from.
I do know that their is a reason for why we are counseled to keep a journal, though I don't know every reason I know it is a wise thing to do. Just like Nephi a book of Mormon Prophet did not know exactly why at the time when he was told to keep a record when he said. In 1 Nephi 19:1-2 "1. And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the records of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father, and alos our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them.
 2 And I knew not at the time when I made them that I should be commanded of the Lord to make these plates.." I know of the strenght and comfort that comes form keeping the Lord's invitations. I can promise you even if you don't know why it is so important to keep a journal that when you do you will, see the lord's hand more in you life, you will have more comfort, you will know of the growth you have made in your life adn you will be able to not only read the scriptures for help, but also your own record of you life. I know that God and Christ are very aware of us and loves us so much. They want us to be blessed and I know this is one more way to help us.

(A video on the blessing of Keeping a journal. )

The Haka of Satan. How we can still win.

                                                       (This is the new zealand rugby team doing the haka)

While growing up my fist P.E./Music teacher was from Hawaii. We had a lot of fun learning different things form his culture. One thing that I really have always kept with me was how he taught us the Haka. The Haka is a ceremonial war dance. The purpose of it was to intimidate your opponent before you even start to fight. I thought this is how satan works,you could even say he has his own haka  

I have seen in my life how satan will attack us though the things that we hold most dear and close to our heart. His haka consists of doubts, trials, and worries. I have seen myself often times start to give up when these things come into play. By that time satan has already won before it has even began. We see this principle happen in the book of Mormon in Mosiah 23:26. AS the people of Alma were starting to build up there city and enjoy religious freedom something happened. They were out in their fields and they saw an army of the laminates, as it says : there were much frightened because of the appearance of the laminates.” They surrendered themselves and were placed in bondage.

But once satan does come into our lives with doubts and fear how do we get out of it? I have heard that it is easer to keep someone out then to kick someone out. As recognize we have doubts and fear we may being to lose hope. But if we do as the people of Alma did and “begin to cry (pray) mightily to God.” we then will be able to handle whatever trials we are going through. Then if we humble ourselves and “submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. He will then help us get thought that hard time or win our war with satan.

No matter how fierce Satan's Haka (doubts, and fear) may seem we need not fall victim to it. Even if we do there is still hope to break free. I know the Lord is ever mindful of us and will not allow anything to happen to us that we can not handle. But as we continue to remember the lord and turn to him in prayer and learn the lessons he is trying to teach us, all things are possible. One Scripture some to mind that is found in the doctrine and covenants. Fear not and know I am God. As we trust in him we will find that faith to fight and become free from the efforts of satan.

Be loyal to the royal within you: The ugly ducking!

As we go thought this life we hear so many degrading things that we can't help but allow some into our lives. I'm sure we have all heard some of these "You're not smart enough!" "You'll never make that team." " He wont make it far." Many of these sayings I have heard in my life, and as we go thought life we start to listen to some of them. I have wondered how can we get these thought out of our heads and why do they come up?
Since being on my mission I have come to understand a couple of things, First satan does not want us to be happy. second if satan can get us to not grow or help others then that helps him. Then last I have learned that if we turn to Christ, He can change us to be who we are suppose to be.
As I have stated in already satan does not want us to be happy he looks for every for us to fall and to give up. Because if we get off the path and settle for some, we may miss out on that which was best for us. I have seen in my life so many times of me just doing enough to get the grade, or to get out of it. If we do that in our lives satan is happy with that. If we look at ourselves as just somebody we forget that we are children of God, and we forget all that that mean.

                                                                        

We must remember who we are, we are Children of God that loves us and the power that comes form that faith is the power that changes lives. While I was growing up I though of myself as the common children  "The ugly duckling". But was I got older and read more in the scriptures I began to look at myself and the world in a different light. As I gave my life to Christ and told him I may not have much to give, but I will give it to you His love and power began to work in my life. As it says in the book of Mormon in Ether chapter 12:27   "If men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness....for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, I will make weak things become strong unto them." So as we have faith in Christ and come unto him, and begin to look at ourselves in the manner that he would have us see us in his eyes. 
The point of seeing ourselves in his eyes was addressed in the 2011 October general conference in a talk by  Sister Elaine S. Dalton entitled "Love Her Mother", She explains how fathers can help there daughters know what is best for them as they (the fathers) lead by example as she says " You can show your daughters by the way you love and honor your wife that she should never settle for less".  I believe this is true as we treat those around us as Christ would they can feel of the love there Heavenly Father has for them. As we do this we ourselves will see our lives as Christ would have us, one of worth and honor! As Sister Elaine S. Dalton says, " Be Loyal to the royal within you!" 

I know that as we do turn to God and treat others as He and Christ would have us ourselves will change and we will help others come closer to Christ. The blessings that will come are amazing. I am so thankful for all that the Savior has done for us. For we may feel like we are not much but to him we truly mean everything! 

Calming that sea around us.

As I was reading in the book of Luke the other day one story that we hear so often hit me. It is the story of Christ calming the raging sea. I began to try and see how this lesson could relate to me in my life. How does a storm over 2000 years help me in my life today. As the story goes Christ and his disciples take off in a ship to another city while on there way they run into a storm. As any person would be the disciples were scared and they woke Jesus up and he calms the sea and they arrived to the city and all was well. (this is just a summary).  

 As I thought about this a few lines hit me.

 First in we see in verse 22 it says " Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth." As we think about this Christ will invite us to make changes or to grow more. We know not the day or the time, but we must be ready. Second verse 23 it talks about how the storm came and how Jesus fell asleep. As we are on the trial of discipleship hard times will come, and we may feel alone. But as it says in verse 24, they woke Christ (we can wake him as we pray for help). Then he arose and calm the sea, this can be liken to us when we are scared and Christ speaks peace to our soul. 

In this video we see how Christ can help us though hard times.

As we turn to Christ in our lives when our lives become as uneasy as the sea was for them in the ship, He will calm out soul and give us peace in our lives. I can promise that as we give more efforts to Christ we will see the blessings that of guidance and peace in our lives.