Exceeding Joy

Alma 27: 17-18
17. Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.
18. Now was this not exceeding joy? Behold, this is the joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness.

When I read these verses, I can't help but wonder what this joy feels like. I've never been so happy that I've passed out. But, as I think about it, the most overwhelmingly happy times of my life have happened when I've been doing what's right. They've been moments of peace inside the temple. They've been golden moments spent with my family. They've been personal revelations that I have received. The truly happy times have come to me when I remember what is important and focus on putting the Savior first in my life. I testify that true happiness, exceeding joy, and moments of bliss come from doing what is right, and from following the example of Jesus Christ. He truly is happiness.

How To

In Alma 26, there is an interesting promise in one of the verses that I have never really picked up on before.

Alma 26:22 "Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth coninually without ceasing--unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; year, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed; yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance."

So what I see in this verse is a How To scenario. If you want an increased presence of the Lord in your life, and an increased spirit of revelation, do these things:

1. Come unto the Lord humbly and repent.
2. Exercise faith.
3. Do good works and serve your fellow men.
4. Pray continually unto our Heavenly Father with a prayer always in your heart.

To me, it is completely worth it to try these four steps to feel an greater influence of the Lord in my life. I want to be the best I can be, and I know that these steps are one way for me to become a better disciple of Jesus Christ.

Words Cannot Tell

Alma 26 is one of my personal favorite chapters in all of the Book of Mormon. Ammon rejoices in The Lord and in the joys of missionary work:

Alma 26:26 "Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in The Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

This is such a powerful verse for me mainly because Ammon states that he just can't express himself adequately. I think that sometimes words just can't express our testimonies as much as deeds and love can. Ammon and his brethren showed their testimonies by serving the Lamanites and by sharing the gospel with them. There is an incredible lesson to be learned from them that the best way to share our love of this Gospel isn't always through words but through actions as well.

Another thing I just love about this chapter is how much Ammon discusses his joy that comes from missionary work. Reading his exclamations of joy makes me so excited for when I am a full time missionary and will be feeling similar things. The joy in this chapter is so exciting and desirable. I want to be moved beyond words because of my love of this Gospel. I want to be an Ammon.

Rather Than

In Alma 24, the Ammonites (also known as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies) commit themselves and their very lives to God. Rather than kill an enemy for their own protection, the "prostrated themselves before them to the earth, and began to call on the name of The Lord." (Alma 24:21)

This story has always impressed and stunned me simultaneously. HOW? I can't imagine watching the Lamanites coming at me to kill me and not doing anything about it. That takes an incredible amount of faith.

But, after reading through this story today, something new stood out to me. Not only were the Ammonites willing to live the gospel unto death, but all through life.

"...and rather than take away from a brother they would give unto him; and rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands."

The Ammonites were not only converted so much that they were willing to die for the truth, but they were willing to LIVE the gospel, something that is in ways harder to do.

I will give thanks unto my God forever.

Alma 26:37: "Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen."

I've got a lot to be thankful for. He is a list of a few things.

1. I am so thankful for my family and that they are mine for eternity. I am so blessed to have parents who chose to be married in the temple so that I can be with them and my sisters forever.

2. I am so thankful for the opportunity to attend the incredible Brigham Young University. It is such a blessing to rub shoulders with the world's best students, professors, and faculty. 

3. I am so thankful for Blake. I don't know what I did to deserve to be blessed enough to have this incredible man in my life. I don't know what I would do without him, and I am so thankful for his example of missionary work that I will soon be following.

4. I am so thankful for my roommates. They are incredible and some of the best people I've ever met. I can't remember what my life was like without them.

5. I am so thankful for my extended family on both sides. They love me and support me in everything I do.

6. I am so thankful for my high school friends. Some of them may have moved onto different paths than me, but they made me who I am today and I am so grateful for their examples, support, and love.

7. I am so thankful for my health. Of course I have my issues, who doesn't, but I am able to live a happy and prosperous life with an incredible body that my Heavenly Father gave to me.

8. I am so thankful for the beautiful state of Utah in which I live. Utah has been the ideal place for me to be raised--I love its beautiful mountains, lakes, streams, deserts, and valleys.

9. I am so thankful that I will have the opportunity to serve a mission soon.

10. Lastly and most importantly, I am so thankful for the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful to have a Savior who willingly came and suffered for me so that I can return to live with my Father in Heaven.

Problems.

These are my notes from my Book of Mormon class today:

o   Alma has a problem (Mosiah 26:6)

o   What does he do? (Mosiah 26:9-13)

o   What happened next? (Mosiah 26:14-32)

o   Then Alma…(Mosiah 26:33-38)

o   If you have a problem:

·         Study it out and inquire of the Lord

·          Listen for the response

·         Write down revelation you feel and act on it

Something else that my professor brought up that I really want to talk about is asking of the Lord: "What would Thou have me do?" When we study our problem out and inquire of the Lord, we have to have enough humility to ask him what His will is, and give up our own. I'm pretty sure I've posted about this like five times, but it is obviously something I need to learn. 

The Power of Deliverance

13 And they did humble themselves even to the dust, subjecting themselves to the yoke of bondage, submitting themselves to be smitten, and to be driven to and fro, and burdened, according to the desires of their enemies.

 14 And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions.

There are things that bind us, things that keep us from happiness and blessings from the Lord. Limhi's people suffered at the hand of the Lamanites because of their previous sins and lack of attention to the prophet Abinadi. Thus, the Lord was slow to hear their cries when they were in bondage. But, they humbled themselves and cried mightily to God, and were blessed to be taught by Ammon and his brethren. What is bondage to us today?

Like Limhi's people, my bondage is often self imposed. When I was little, I would often put myself on time-out. I would get frustrated with my parents and storm off to my room. I would later come out and ask if I could be done with time-out. Likewise, we often put ourselves on "time-out" through sin. We make the choice to do wrong. And when we do so, we need help from our Lord to be delivered.

L. Tom Perry in April 2012 gave a talk called "The Power of Deliverance." He discusses the ways that we can be delivered from our sin: "We can be delivered from the ways of evil and wickedness by turning to the teachings of the holy scriptures. The Savior is the Great Deliverer, for He delivers us from death and from sin."

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-power-of-deliverance?lang=eng&query=tom+april+(name%3a%22L.+Tom+Perry%22)

I testify that we can only be delivered from bondage through our Lord Jesus Christ. I testify that repentance is a true principle, and I am so thankful for that miraculous gift.

Right to Vote

Mosiah 23: 6-8

 6 And the people were desirous that Alma should be their king, for he was beloved by his people.

 7 But he said unto them: Behold, it is not expedient that we should have a king; for thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above another; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye should have a king.

 8 Nevertheless, if it were possible that ye could always have just men to be your kings it would be well for you to have a king.

I thought this scriptural passage was extremely fitting, seeing that tomorrow is Election Day. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to vote for my governmental leaders. It is a freedom that I often take for granted. I love that we have an example of a democratic society in the Book of Mormon. Our Heavenly Father wants his people to lead themselves in righteousness and does not one flesh esteemed above another because we are all his children, and he loves us equally.

Preparations

8 And now Limhi had discovered them from the tower, even all their preparations for war did he discover; therefore he gathered his people together, and laid wait for them in the fields and in the forests.

King Limhi is a great example of being prepared. He watched the Lamanites preparing to come to war against how people. If he had not been watching and preparing, chance are his people would have been completely destroyed.

We can follow Limhi's example and be prepared. Being prepared can mean several things like:
1. Food storage: The prophets have counseled us to have a year supply of food ready in case of financial emergencies or natural disasters. In the wake of hurricane Sandy, I can say that I am so grateful for the counsel of prophets to be prepared.
2. Spiritual preparedness: In the parable of the ten virgins, five were not prepared with oil when the groom came. However, five were prepared and had the opportunity to join in the festivities. Likewise, we need to have our spiritual lamps full of oil for not only the coming of The Lord but for times when we need to draw from our spiritual reservoirs.

I know that if we choose to prepare now for things in the future that we will be blessed. I know The Lord is looking out for us and warning our prophets on the towers of trials ahead. I know that if we heed the words of our prophets, we will be safe.

Pay it Forward

Mosiah 18:1-3
 1 And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—

 2 Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven.

 3 And as many as would hear his word he did teach. And he taught them privately, that it might not come to the knowledge of the king. And many did believe his words.

I've always wondered if I would be one to be converted...would I believe Abinadi? How is it that only Alma believed? But without Abinadi and Alma, thousands upon thousands of people wouldn't have been converted unto the gospel of the Lord. Chain reactions are all around us in ways that we would never expect. When I think about how much my actions can affect others, I want to be a better person. Who knows whose life I can change if I choose to be Christlike, or otherwise?

There is a boy named Silas here at BYU. He is such a an example of "pay it forward. He is always giving. When he gives, he makes those around us want to give. He is really good friends with two of my roommates, and one day he brought over some chocolate milk for us all. It seriously made my day! I started looking for ways to do things like that.

The Light of the World

Mosiah 16:9 "He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death."

I needed that.

My friend Max sends out daily reminder texts to study the scriptures. It's awesome to always have the reminder to put the Lord first.

Today was a rough day. When Max sent me the scripture reference today, I actually looked it up:

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths."

I'm so thankful for the scriptures and the answers that they provide to prayers and pleadings. I'm so thankful for the gospel and the role it plays in my life. This gospel is the true gospel, and the gospel of true happiness.

The Ten Commandments

"And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; I perceive that ye have studied and taught iniquity the most part of your lives." (Mosiah 13:11)

I love that the ten commandments are preached in the Book of Mormon. It shows how important they are:

" Although the world has changed, the laws of God remain constant. They have not changed; they will not change. The Ten Commandments are just that—commandments. They are not suggestions."

 1.  “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). We should do “all things with an eye single to the glory of God” (D&C 82:19). We should love and serve the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength (see Deuteronomy 6:5; D&C 59:5).


  2.  “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image” (Exodus 20:4). In this commandment, the Lord condemns the worship of idols. Idolatry may take many forms. Some people do not bow before graven images or statues but instead replace the living God with other idols, such as money, material possessions, ideas, or prestige. In their lives, “their treasure is their god”—a god that “shall perish with them” (2 Nephi 9:30).

  3.  “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

  4.  “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8).

  5.  “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12). This commandment remains binding throughout our lives and can be understood in several ways: We should honor our fathers and our mothers who are our ancestors; we should be grateful to the father and mother who provided our earthly bodies; we should honor those who raised us in the knowledge of the truth. Above all, we should honor our Heavenly Parents. The way we honor all these fathers and mothers is by keeping the commandments.

  6.  “Thou shalt not kill” (Exodus 20:13).

  7.  “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). In a latter-day revelation, the Lord condemned not only adultery, but “anything like unto it” (D&C 59:6). Fornication, homosexuality, and other sexual sins are violations of the seventh commandment.

  8.  “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15). Stealing is a form of dishonesty.

  9.  “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Exodus 20:16). Bearing false witness is another form of dishonesty.

10.  “Thou shalt not covet” (Exodus 20:17). Coveting, or envying something that belongs to another, is damaging to the soul. It can consume our thoughts and plague us with constant unhappiness and dissatisfaction. It often leads to other sins and to financial indebtedness.

I can testify that living the commandments bring happiness. I know this because I've done it. Every time I choose to keep one or more of the commandments, I see an increase of the Lord's blessings in my life.

An example of this is when I choose to honor my mom and dad. As a teenager, (well, I still am a teenager, I guess) I found it hard to honor my parents. It was hard to do what they wanted me to do, especially when I was vehemently apposed to it. But every time I obeyed my parents, not only was I happier because they were happy with me, but because I always found out that they were right. (Okay not always, most of the time.) I'm so thankful for my parents and their guidance.

True to the Faith

I remember in Primary learning about Abinadi, Joseph Smith, John the Baptist, and other prophets were killed for their dedication to the truth. Awful things have happened to saints for standing up for what they believe in. Mobbings, killings, torture...things almost unimaginable for this day and age. I remember sitting in my little metal chair in that small primary room wondering if I had enough courage to be a saint that laid down my life for Christ. I thought I could.

"Now it came to pass that when Abinadi had spoken these words unto them they were wroth with him, and sought to take away his life; but the Lord delivered him out of their hands." (Mosiah 11:26)

"And now it came to pass that when Abinadi had finished these sayings, that the king commanded that the priests should take him and cause that he should be put to death." (Mosiah 17:1)

"Yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you. And if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day." (Mosiah 17:10)

I don't know if I could be an Abinadi, a Joseph, or a John. I don't know if I could go through the physical trials that they went through. But I know that every saint can come unto Christ and become like Him. I know that I can come unto Him.


"While we know the pow'rs of darkness
Seek to thwart the work of God,
Shall the children of the promise
Cease to grasp the iron rod? No!
True to the faith that our parents have cherished,
True to the truth for which martyrs have perished,
To God's command,
Soul, heart, and hand,
Faithful and true we will ever stand." (True to the Faith)

Abinadi

The summer before my junior year, my stake hosted a youth conference called "Moroni's Quest." We went to a place in the mountains for three days and reenacted the Book of Mormon. They recorded each actor before and broadcast their lines, we all dressed up like Lamanites and Nephites, they had dancers and singers...This thing was legit. I even had a line! I was Ishmael's wife. When Laman and Lemuel were binding up Nephi, my line was: "Please! Have mercy upon him! Let him go!" Great line, eh? :) I even fell dramatically to my knees and begged during the performance. I'm pretty much a professional actress, let's face the facts.

One part I really remember about Moroni's Quest was the story of Abinadi. Watching them perform this part of the Book of Mormon was particularly powerful.

"29 And again he said unto them: If ye teach the law of Moses why do ye not keep it? Why do ye set your hearts upon riches? Why do ye commit whoredoms and spend your strength with harlots, yea, and cause this people to commit sin, that the Lord has cause to send me to prophesy against this people, yea, even a great evil against this people?

 30 Know ye not that I speak the truth? Yea, ye know that I speak the truth; and you ought to tremble before God."

After Abinadi's sermon, they burned a dummy dressed up like Abinadi. Now every time I read this part of the Book of Mormon, I think back to that weekend during the summer of 2010. If you ever get the opportunity to attend a Moroni's Quest, do it.

scriptures.byu.edu

About a week ago, my Book of Mormon professor introduced us to a tool to help us further understand and appreciate the scriptures. On scriptures.byu.edu, you can select a scripture and it will link you to all talks from general authorities on their database that used that scripture as a source. I’ve loved being able to use this tool. For example, in Mosiah 7, King Limhi tells Ammon of their bondage to the Lamanites. If you go onto the citation source, verse 33 has the most citations. Almost all of these sources cite this scripture in reference to repentance:

33 But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage.

“Second, repentance means striving to change. It would mock the Savior’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross for us to expect that He should transform us into angelic beings with no real effort on our part. Rather, we seek His grace to complement and reward our most diligent efforts.” – D. Todd Christofferson (October, 2011)


Cool, right?

Messages From My Missionaries

Today I am doing a post full of some encouraging and inspirational things that missionaries I have been writing said to me. It is truly amazing to see what happens when a person dedicates themselves to serving the Lord. They become new people! I love these missionaries and I am so grateful for their example of service and love.

"No one can truly know exactly how you feel, except our Father and our Savior. Rely on them to help you through. Rely on the Plan. Have faith in the Plan. It really is true. Every last bit of it." Elder Erickson, London South Mission (Jul 30)

"Don't get too worried about the little things in life.  They really don't matter.  Just roll with the punches and keep moving forward." Elder Erickson, London South Mission (Aug 8)

"I know of the power that comes when you put the Lord first in all that you do, if you show him your faithfulness and commitment to him he will POUR out the blessings with friends family school safety and support in literally all you do! It is incredible to feel that power in all that you do. I keep working and striving to get to that point in my life and have continued to feel an increasing support from him." Elder Holmes, London South Mission (Aug 27)

"Just always keep the Lord first in your life and you will see the blessings hundred fold POURED out into your life in every way possible I KNOW IT. I've seen it and witnessed it in other peoples lives." Elder Holmes, London South Mission (Sep 3)

"First, this life, and specifically the mission is not about me. And second, I can't do this alone. I need to put all my trust in the Lord and allow him to direct my path. (Proverbs 3:15) I tried to rely on my own wisdom, but that will never work. Whether we are on a mission, in school, or anywhere else in life, we need to give up our pride unto the Lord and let Him help you." Elder Gutke, San Antonio, Texas Mission; Spanish speaking (Sep 13)

"In the first missionary lesson that we teach, we teach a lot about prophets. We usually compare the need of a prophet with a people standing behind a huge wall. On the other side of the wall there is Christ and our Heavenly Father. Because we can't see or hear them we're without their guidance. In other words, there's an apostasy. But our Heavenly Father reaches out and calls a prophet to stand on the wall to communicate with our Heavenly Father and to share with us what we need to do. Our Heavenly Father does this because he loves us and doesn't want us to be lost without any direction." Elder Køster, Reno, Nevada Mission (Sep 27)

Born of God

During my sophomore year, our stake was given the opportunity to perform "From Cumorah's Hill" by Steven Kapp Perry and Brad Wilcox. I've mentioned this in a previous post, but my voice is far from pleasant to listen to. So when they announced this, I immediately started thinking of ways to convince my mom to not make me participate. She just as quickly thought of responses to my pleadings. So, I participated, but not with a very good attitude.
Practices were long and boring. The only part I liked about them was being able to see my friends and the boy I  had a crush on. Other than that, it was painfully dull to sit there and listen. However, as we came closer and closer to our performance, a song started to get stuck in my head. This song, "Born of God," consistently played through my head during the week:


How could I change?
How I had tried.
How I had failed
Time after time.
Needing a strength
More than my own,
Leaving my faith
In God, alone.

How I had prayed
Seeking for peace,
How could I change?
How could I be

Born of God, born of God,
A new creation as at first.
Born of God, praising God
For the wonder of a second birth.

I began to love this song. I loved the feeling I had when I listened to it. I loved the idea of being reborn, and born of God. It is still one of my favorite gospel songs, and I listen to it periodically. Every time I do, I get those same feelings.

In Mosiah 5, King Benjamin's people get these same feelings of joy from being born of God.


 2 And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.

 3 And we, ourselves, also, through the infinite goodness of God, and the manifestations of his Spirit, have great views of that which is to come; and were it expedient, we could prophesy of all things.

 4 And it is the faith which we have had on the things which our king has spoken unto us that has brought us to this great knowledge, whereby we do rejoice with such exceedingly great joy.

 5 And we are willing to enter into a covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that he shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that we may not bring upon ourselves a never-ending torment, as has been spoken by the angel, that we may not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God.

The people changed. They had no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. They were born of God.

"And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters."

(Here's a link to "Born of God." It's awesome. Listen to it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iu6PFBnDLYg )

Notice the Needs

Mosiah 4:26 "...I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants."

In the October 2011 Priesthood Session, Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave a talk about serving and providing for the poor. He highlighted the strengths of the welfare program, and the duty that every member has to impart of their substances to the poor. "Too often we notice the needs around us, hoping that someone from far away will magically appear to meet those needs. Perhaps we wait for experts with specialized knowledge to solve specific problems. When we do this, we deprive our neighbor of the service we could render, and we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to serve."

My parents are an amazing example to me of service. They are always looking for ways to help someone in need. When we were younger, we had a jar that we kept in the closet in our hallway. Over the year, we would drop spare change into that jar. At the end of the year, we would count the money and use it in some way to help others. I love the sound of the coins cascading out of the jar onto the floor. I remember keeping a little notebook by my side to keep tally of how many nickels, dimes, pennies, and quarters I had counted. The gleam of those silver and copper coins was exciting and exhilarating. My little eyes always grew wide at the end of our count when I realized how much money was sitting on the floor. Then we would put that money to good use. Whether donating it to a local organization or buying presents for a needy neighbor, I always felt that thrill of joy that comes with service. I'm so grateful for parents who helped instill a love of service in me when I was very young.

(P.S., In case anyone is interested, I've listed a few websites of trustworthy causes that could use any and all help. I've either been personally involved with these organizations, or I've had close friends or family involved in these organizations.

http://amigosofhonduras.org/
http://guadalupeschoolslc.org/
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=256&sid=2218390 )

Inspiration

There are several people that I look to for inspiration. Inspiration to be happy, inspiration to keep going, inspiration to be a better person, just inspiration. So I want to do a blog post about my inspirations:

Coach Downs:
 In eighth grade, I had no friends, which was just a continuation of seventh grade year for me. I had just recently moved to Farmington, and I knew close to no one. On top of that I was in my awkward stage. Yes, the awkward stage. I had braces. I had recently plucked my eyebrows too short. I had long bangs that I hid behind. I. Was. Awkward.
I was lucky enough to get Coach Downs as my health teacher. I had never had him as a teacher before, but everyone raved about him. He was one of those people that can make anyone smile. So, on my first day of health, I headed straight to the back corner desk where I always sat. There I didn't disturb anyone, and no one disturbed me. Except for this time. Coach Downs came back into my "safe zone" and made an effort to talk to me. On the first day. Who does that?! Coach Downs.
Coach has remained one of my friends and confidantes throughout the years. There's been several times when I turned to Coach when I felt like I had no one else to turn to. If I ever become a teacher, I want to be a teacher like Coach Downs.

Anne Frank:
I love Anne for several reasons, but the main reason being: She wrote. She wrote her feelings, her dreams, her passions. In the middle of a very difficult time, she saw the beauty around her and she wrote about it. I love to write, and love that she loved to write. I feel like she and I could have been good friends. This spring I had the opportunity to travel to Europe, and I got to see her annex. It was so surreal to walk through the tiny rooms that she called home. At the end of my visit, I bought a postcard with a picture of her journal on it to remind me to never give up writing. Anne didn't!

Stephanie Nielson:
Awhile ago, my mom showed me this youtube video of a woman named Stephanie. She was in a plane accident with her husband where she nearly died. She has pushed through seemingly insurmountable obstacles through faith in the Lord. Watch the clip!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHDvxPjsm8E

I'm so grateful for all the examples I have in my life. I seriously could write a post every day about the people who mean the most to me. Maybe I will start doing some shout-outs. Maybe not. We will see. Nonetheless, I am so grateful for people in my life who exemplify Christ in all their actions and words.

Mosiah 2

6 And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them

The part I love most about this scripture is that they pitched their tents with the door towards the temple.

When I was little, we had a big, brick fireplace. Above the mantle was a photograph of the Bountiful temple. My parents would take us on Sunday walks around the temple. We would often sing "I Love to See the Temple" in my home.

Do you get where I'm going with this? My parents raised us to appreciate the temple. I feel like that is what the parents in King Benjamin's time were teaching their children--an appreciation and love of the temple.

Temples

No better way to spend my evening than walking around the houses of The Lord.

His purposes.

The Words of Mormon has a theme of trusting in the Lord's timing and purposes.

7 And I do this for a a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.

An experience I've had with trusting in His purposes is choosing what school to go to. I couldn't decide between USU or BYU. After much praying, I decided on BYU. At the time, I didn't really know why I was going to BYU. I had no clue why BYU was better for me than USU. At this point, I've seen several reason why I need to be here, and I know I'll continue to see His purposes for sending me here.

Ancestry

Jarom and Omni are very brief, and full of history. This emphasized to me the importance of family history and journaling.

This summer, I took a trip to Texas to visit my Granny Jan and Grandpa Ron. While there, they went through some of my ancestors' things. They showed us pictures, letters, and various other things. I LOVED it. I could just feel the history of them. I looked at the pictures and imagined what life was like at that very moment that it was caught on camera. I held my grandpa's childhood doll and wondered what kind of kid he was growing up.

This experience made me appreciate family keepsakes, family history, and ancestry. But perhaps the most important part of family history work is temple work. I am so grateful for my ancestors, and that through this gospel, I can live with them forever. Now instead of just imagining the moments in the photographs, I can ask them what it was like. I'm so grateful for my ancestors and for their sacrifices and lives.

Problem Solved

I've been thinking about this today. How many times have I convinced myself that I am too busy to show someone I care? How many times did I do homework instead of spending time with my sisters? I don't know. This is just really important. The times that my friends, sisters, or parents have put aside something important to be there for me are some of my best memories. 

Once, during one of my particularly hard days, my dad put aside his work and took me on a motorcycle ride and to ice cream. That might not seem like a big deal, but my dad putting aside work is a really big deal. 

So. This is what I really want to work on. I've been slacking. I need to pay more attention to the people around me. The people that I love.

Wrestling...with the Spirit

The Book of Enos has always impressed me with the action words he uses to describe his prayer. Words like "wrestle," "sunk," "hungered," "supplication," "cry," and "struggling." These are definitely not words that I would use to describe my daily prayers. So that got me thinking, "How can I make my prayers more meaningful?"

One thing that I've tried before and found success in is praying out loud. Doing this makes the conversation with my Heavenly Father real. I also find it easier to focus on what I am actually saying when I say it out loud.

My friend Morgan once gave me the idea of praying everywhere. She often wouldn't have time to pray in the morning before school, so she would pray on the way to school. I do this, too. Even though it is probably better for me to kneel down, I love praying when I'm walking around campus.

Something I've heard of but never tried is writing down specific things that you are praying about before you pray. This supposedly helps solidify what you are going to pray about before you do, as well as it provides inspiration and guidance.

I have one quick story I want to share about prayer:

The summer before my junior year, I had the opportunity to spend two months in Europe with my family. I had a wonderful time with them. Then, as planned, four members of my family went home, leaving myself and my sister to stay with some friends we have in Europe. The first two weeks were some of the hardest times I had ever experienced. I am not usually one to get homesick, but I was more homesick than I thought humanly possible. I was in a strange country with my little sister, I had no grasp of the language whatsoever, and I was struggling to get along with our host family. So, when I felt like I was completely alone, I turned to the Lord. I can testify that He supported me and was there for me. I am so grateful for the gift of prayer, and that I can turn to my Father in Heaven always.

Lead, Kindly Light

Today our closing hymn in Sacrament meeting was hymn number 97, Lead, Kindly Light. When we started singing it (well, I should say when everyone else started singing it. I don't sing. Not because I don't want to, but because I can't. My voice is not a pleasant sound.) I felt an overwhelming peace come over me. Not that I was searching for peace. Not that it had been a rough day or week. It was just a comfortable, reassuring feeling. Some words in the hymn really stuck out to me:

"I loved to choose and see my path; but now, Lead thou me on!"

I am a very opinionated, strong-willed, independent person. I don't like being told what to do. So something I've been working on is putting His will in place of my own. It is so hard to make that decision! To decide that I'm no longer going to control my life, but instead put it in the hands of my Father in Heaven. But I know that by doing so, I can become the person I need to be.

Mosiah 24:15 "And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; year, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."

I know that if I rely on the Lord, all will fall into place. As my roommate Kristi said the other day, "Have faith in the Lord's timing, take a leap of faith, and trust that everything will fall into place."

Where is the Pavilion?

"Although His time is not always our time, we can be sure that the Lord keeps His promises. For any of you who now feel that He is hard to reach, I testify that the day will come that we all will see Him face to face. Just as there is nothing now to obscure His view of us, there will be nothing to obscure our view of Him. We will all stand before Him, in person. Like my granddaughter, we want to see Jesus Christ now, but our certain reunion with Him at the judgment bar will be more pleasing if we first do the things that make Him as familiar to us as we are to Him. As we serve Him, we become like Him, and we feel closer to Him as we approach that day when nothing will hide our view." ~President Eyring

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/where-is-the-pavilion?lang=eng

Random Scripture Day

Ether 12:4 "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God."

During sophomore year, I was on a walk with a friend of mine. Her grandpa had just passed away that day, and many other things were going on that made everything feel so...hopeless. It was a dark, cold walk home by myself back to my house. Feeling really discouraged, I came upon this scripture during my reading that night. "...whoso believeth in God might with SURETY hope for a better world..." These words comforted me so much. Life is hard. We all face trials that make us want to give up. But, we know that there is a bright, eternal outcome. We know who wins the battle between good and evil. We know better than to give up.

O be wise.

Jacob 6 is filled with a lot of rhetorical questions like:

"harden not your hearts; for why will ye die?"

"For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be hewn down and cast into the fire?"

"Behold, will ye reject these words?"

"O be wise; what can I say more?"

We all know the answers to these questions. We all know what we should be doing. "O be wise; what can I say more?"

Olive trees and other such things.

Jacob 5 is all about the Gentiles and the Jews, and the comparison of them to an olive tree. Frankly, it is really hard to understand. I get lost in all the details about what represents what. So, here is MY simplified view of what this is about:

Our Heavenly Father has many children. They can be separated into two main groups: the Jews and the Gentiles. Both groups have ups and downs and promises made to them. In the last days, all the lost tribes of Israel will be gathered in the sense that all will receive the gospel.
***(All of this is my own interpretation and may be entirely wrong. However, I'm too tired at the moment to research it out. Feel free to comment and correct me.)***

The main point I gather from this chapter though is that God loves His children. All of them. He is no respector of persons. He loves us infinitely and eternally. He will keep the promises He has made, as long as we keep our promises to Him and continue in righteousness. I testify that you and I have a Father in Heaven who loves us more than we can comprehend with our finite minds. Our bodies are finite, but His love is infinite. I'm so grateful for this knowledge and truth. It brings such peace and happiness into my life.

Similarities

I have decided that Jacob, Nephi's brother is a LOT like Elder Holland. Both are men who are not afraid in the least to state things the way they are. They say it how it is, and accept any worldly repercussions. I love this plainness and this truth. I imagine Jacob emphatically speaking his words unto the Nephites like Elder Holland. I imagine he had fiery eyes and a passionate spirit about that which he was preaching.

Jacob 2:9 "Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing work of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds."

Holy. Cow. Jacob spoke the truth. He chose to speak the word of God in all circumstances. I'm so impressed with example and teachings.

Come and follow Him.

"And he said unto the children of men: Follow thou me."

                                                                       "Can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?" 

                 "Unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved."

"Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ." 

                                                                                                     "Come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God." 

                    "For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved."

These words all come from either chapters in 1 Nephi, 2 Nephi, or Jacob. This is an obvious pattern. Nephi, Jacob, and Joseph were all intent on convincing people to follow and come unto Christ. They knew how important these things were. Another thing to point out about these words is that they are ACTION words. They are not passive--they require work from the individual. We have to make the effort, we have to knock, we have to come, we have to follow. Christ is always there with an outstretched hand. It is up to us to take it.

Lovest thou me?

John 21:15-17

15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

Elder Holland discussed this in his talk this morning in General Conference. He had such an amazing, powerful spirit about him. "Do you love me?" "Do. You. Love. Me." This has had such a big impact on me. How do I show The Lord that I love him? How can I feed His sheep?

This weekend has changed my life along with the lives of thousands of saints, and may I say it has changed the world. I'm so thankful for the prophet, for conference, and the power of the Holy Ghost.

The Field is Ready to Harvest

D&C 31:5 "Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul..."

Today has been an overwhelming day with the announcements made in General Conference. Young women can now go on missions when they are nineteen. I turn nineteen in February. My whole life plan has potentially changed. It's utterly amazing. I'm so grateful for General Conference. I'm so grateful for the inspiration that can be felt.

Glory in.

2 Nephi 33:6
"I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul from hell."

I wonder if we took the time to glory in these things rather than in things we usually find glory in what our world would be like. What if instead of finding glory in having the newest car, we gloried in plainness? What if instead of finding glory in dishonest business practices to get promoted, we gloried in truth? What if instead of finding glory in every inconsequential thing the world would shove in our face...we gloried in Jesus? 

It is really, really easy to caught up in the things of little worth nowadays. Even while I'm attending BYU, a church school, I find myself getting caught up in my grades, in my social standing, in drama. I wonder how my life would be if I put Jesus Christ first in everything. Like everything. I wonder what kind of light and spirit would fill my life. 

Tongue of Angels

So as I am sitting here getting ready to read and post, I'm listening to U2. I love U2. I was raised on U2. I can name almost any of their songs, sing any of their tunes, remember any of their lyrics. Every road trip we went on as kids was narrated by Bono and U2. U2 is synonymous with happiness for me. Anyways, I'm listening to "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For". One of the lines says, "Spoke with the tongue of angels." WELL GUESS WHAT!

2 Nephi 32:2 "Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels?" Okay, no I'm not saying that Bono speaks with the tongue of angels. I just found it really ironic that it correlated so well with my scripture study. True story.

But going back to the scriptures: 2 Nephi 32:3 "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do." I've already shared one experience with you about how the words of Christ and His prophets told me what I should do. Since I've been little, I've been taught to turn to the scriptures and to the Lord in prayer when I need help. I can testify that there are always answers of what we should do when we feast upon the words of Christ. Whether it be the words of the scriptures, the words of the prophets, or words of the Holy Ghost, He is always there to guide us. No matter how complex or simple the situation.

"When we read and study the scriptures often, we can grow closer to Heavenly Father and understand His message to us as His children. Through the scriptures, He teaches us sweet lessons that we can use as a guide for our lives." -Elder Kent F. Richardson of the Seventy

This quote came from the Friend for October of this year. Yes, my friends, a special witness of Christ was telling the children of this church the importance of studying the scriptures to find guidance and peace. If the children know it, we should know it.

Endure to the End

2 Nephi 31 is an amazing chapter. It is full of principles of repentance, baptism, redemption, and salvation. The part I love most about this chapter is that Nephi emphasizes enduring to the end so much. It really wouldn't make sense just to say that baptism saves a person. To say so trivializes the importance of the Atonement. If all we needed to do was be baptized, then why would the Savior come to die for us? Why would He make that great sacrifice? He made that sacrifice so that we can repent and endure, because baptism alone is not enough.

Another thing I loved about this chapter was the point that Nephi made that the works of God are plain. He has a gospel that is easy to understand. He doesn't work by darkness, nor through complicated means. The gospel is plain and true, easy to understand.

Anyways. This chapters is really, really good, and I'd really encourage you to read it!

2 Nephi 25-30

These five chapters are all prophesies of Nephi. I could pick a lot of things apart and discuss soo much, but what really impressed me with these chapters that I haven't necessarily picked up on before was the fact that Nephi was a prophet. Okay, that sounds sooo stupid, but I just love seeing that he is a prophet not just because of prophesies he makes, but the leader he is. He was a king and leader for his people. Today, President Monson isn't our king, but he is definitely our leader. He has all the same gifts that Nephi and other ancient prophets had. Sometimes it's easy in the church to pay more attention to ancient and dead prophets rather than our prophets today. With General Conference coming up this weekend, I am really excited to hear from our prophets. I want to be more dedicated in my listening and application of the principles that they teach us. Yay for prophets, yay for General Conference!

Plainness and Persuasion

In 2 Nephi 25, Nephi talks a lot about the plainness of the words of Isaiah and the truth that he speaks. But the verse I particularly liked quite a bit was verse 23: "For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." 
  There a couple things in the verse I want to pick apart, the first being "We labor diligently." I just got two letters from missionaries today, and I am so grateful for them! They are laboring diligently to bring people unto Christ and unto this gospel. So, I've been thinking, how can I be a member missionary? It's kinda hard because I'm attending BYU, a church school. But, I know that there are little ways that I can be a good influence to those around me. One of the big ways I'm working on is being happy. I know that being happy will make others happy, and that I can be a positive influence on others. Sometimes that's all someone needs. A smile, a hug, a joke. Something to encourage them to look up. So, readers, this is what I am working on. 
  As far as my second point in this verse: "For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." I love this point. First, it emphasizes that we need to work for our salvation. We can't simply just believe and be saved. It takes work and dedication. Secondly, it states the beautiful truth that we are saved by His grace. His atonement made it possible for us to be saved after all that we do, because even if we did all that we could, we still couldn't be saved without Him. I'm so grateful for His saving grace.

Playing Favorites

  Today I was sitting next to my mom in Sunday school. We were reading from 3 Nephi, about the birth of the Savior. She pointed to a verse and said, "That's one of your Granny Jan's favorite scriptures." That got me thinking. Favorite scriptures are favorite for a reason. They hold a special place in an individual's heart. I asked my mom what her favorite was, and she will be getting back to me on that. I will be doing a post on all my family member's favorite scriptures.
  My favorite scripture is D&C 121:7 "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;" I don't when I decided that it was my favorite, but it has been my favorite for awhile. It is always an answer to any prayer of mine.

Anyways. Short post for today.

Friends, remission, and randomness

My scripture post today is a suggestion from a friend:

Mosiah 4:3 "And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them."

Repentance: deep sorrow, compunction, or contrition for a past sin, wrongdoing, or the like. (dictionary.com)
Repentance: the Greek word of which this is the translation denotes a change of mind, i.e., a fresh view about God, about oneself, and bout the world. (bible dictionary)
Repentance: the gift that Christ gave to the world when He atoned for our sins. The effect of repentance is hope, peace, and happiness; a pure joy that truly can't be compared to any other type of happiness. (my definition)

This picture hangs on my mirror in my room at home. It reminds me that no matter what, I can repent, and that I can try again. It is so easy to give up or feel like nothing will ever be enough, but this is a reminder of His sacrifice, and that I have so many chances to start over. I'm so grateful for His redeeming sacrifice and love. 

Give thee rest.

2 Nephi 24:3 "And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall give thee rest, from they sorrow, and from they fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve."

Today, I am home in Farmington for the first time in awhile! It is so weird to be home. This is still my home but not my "home" if that makes sense. I definitely am supposed to be in Provo, attending BYU. However, being home is so great. I feel restored and rested. I got to spend time with family and friends tonight--and I just feel so grateful. Though I'm not in bondage, or fearful, or sorrowful--home does bring me rest. The Lord does bring me rest, and has blessed me so much in my life. I'm so grateful for all that I have. Can I just say that? I have so so much to be thankful for. Let me list a few:
1. My beautiful parents. They love each other so much. They are the epitome of service and charity. They are always looking for ways to serve each other and others.
2. My three sweet angel little sisters. These girls are my life. They know how to make me laugh, think, cry, dance, sing. They are wonderful. I don't know where I'd be without them.
3. My amazing friends, both new and old. I love coming home to my friends who are my constants, constant friends that have been with me through a lot. I love spending time with my friends at college, my crazy amazing roommates, my Kaysville boys, and new acquaintances from all over campus.
4. My. Queen. Size. Bed. Ahhhh! Missed it!
5. Last but definitely not least, this gospel. This happiness, this truth, this wholeness. I'm so grateful for the peace and joy that comes from being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

I Will Trust

2 Nephi 22: 2 "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation."


"And after the storm, I run and run as the rains come and I look up, I look up, on my knees and out of luck, I look up." 



"When it gets too hard to stand, kneel."


I just want to testify that the Lord is always there. No matter what. 

Lost and Found

    Today when I approached my scripture reading, I decided to look for something that I need, something that I can understand. I knew I could easily get lost in all the words of Isaiah, unless  I had something in mind to find. I found something!
    2 Nephi 18:5 "The Lord spake also unto me again, saying:"
So, an obscure verse, right? Taken out of context, it doesn't really make sense. But, when I read over this, it made me ask the question: "How does the Lord speak to me?"
    The prophets and scriptures have talked about various ways that we receive personal revelation and feel the influence of the Holy Ghost. I've heard of people hearing literal voices tell them what to do. People have visions, speak with angels. However, these aren't the most common ways to receive personal revelation. Most commonly, promptings come in the form of thoughts or feelings. I'll share one quick experience of this in my life.
    When I was in eighth grade, one of the girls in my gym class was very upset because one of her friends had come to school very disoriented and sick. The girl in my class, let's call her Susie, was crying and explaining the situation to another girl in the class. Susie was not a member, and often made fun of me when I would say something church related or when I'd ask her not to swear at me. The point being--she kinda scared me. As I was putting clothes away in my locker, I had the thought to ask Susie if she wanted to say a prayer with me for her friend. "HECK NO TECHNO." Was my first thought. But the thought wouldn't go away. So I timidly asked Susie if she would like to say a prayer with me. She looked kind of shocked, but then agreed. We went to the end of the locker room where no one was and sat down. I quietly said a prayer, asking Heavenly Father to help Susie's friend. After I said "amen", we awkwardly got up and walked away.
    My story doesn't have any cool ending. Susie didn't join the church. She didn't change her habits. It was assumed that Susie's friend become disoriented because of drugs. But, I knew I had been prompted to ask her to say the prayer with me. To this day, I don't know if it affected her. But, I know it affected me. It showed to me that it is important to follow promptings and listen to the Lord, even when doing what I am prompted to do scares the crap out of me.
    2 Nephi 18:5 reminded me of the importance of following promptings and realizing the ways in which the Lord speaks to us individually. Guess what, guys? I looked and found something in Isaiah. :) (Best day ever!)

Ten Keys to Understanding Isaiah

Okay guys. I gotta admit. I hit my wall again with Isaiah. Wanna know where? 2 Nephi 15:16-26.

"Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet..." Every time, every time I read this verse I picture this:

Okay, so that's obviously not what Isaiah meant when he talked about the daughters of Zion. So...how do I understand this scripture along with the other confusing parts of Isaiah? I found a great talk by Elder Bruce R. McConkie, given in 1973. In this talk, he outlines ten ways to better understand Isaiah:

1. Gain an Over-All Knowledge of the Plan of Salvation and of God’s Dealings with His Earthly Children.

2. Learn the Position and Destiny of the House of Israel in the Lord’s Eternal Scheme of Things.

3. Know the Chief Doctrines about Which Isaiah Chose to Write.

4. Use the Book of Mormon.

5. Use Latter-Day Revelation.

6. Learn How the New Testament Interprets Isaiah.

7. Study Isaiah in Its Old Testament Context.

8. Learn the Manner of Prophesying Used among the Jews in Isaiah’s Day.

9. Have the Spirit of Prophecy.

10. Devote Yourself to Hard, Conscientious Study.

(To read the whole talk: http://www.lds.org/ensign/1973/10/ten-keys-to-understanding-isaiah)

One tool mentioned by Elder McConkie that we have been utilizing in my Book of Mormon class is using the Book of Mormon to gain clarity. We've been taught to look at footnotes, follow scripture trails, and research until we find our answers. This is also where step number ten comes in, devoting myself to hard, conscientious study. This is going to be hard for me. I always just blow past the Isaiah chapters and tell myself that I'll never understand. But, dear readers, I'm going to devote myself to the conscientious study of Isaiah, and I'll let ya know how it goes. I'm going to try to be able to write about at least one insight every day that I gained during my personal scripture study. Starting now:

“And upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night…” (2 Nephi 14:5)

    With this scripture, I followed the footnote to Exodus 13:21. In this chapter of Exodus, the children of Israel are wandering in the wilderness. The Lord sends unto them a cloud to follow by day, and a pillar of fire to follow by night. In our day and age, it is easy to get lost in the darkness and wilderness. It is easy to feel tripped up by all the challenges we face. It is oh so easy to get discouraged. However, if we look to the clouds and pillars of fire that the Lord has sent to us to guide us, we can make it. Those pillars for me are: the words of the prophets, the scriptures, and the Holy Ghost.

    A year ago on Friday, a little two-year-old girl in my ward died tragically and suddenly. It completely devastated that family and my ward. It devastated me. I came home from school that day and sat sobbing in the fetal position on my floor, unable to get control of myself. While I was so upset, I turned to my scriptures. What I turned to was 1 Nephi 11:17 "And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." My questions of "Why?" "Why now?" "Why her?" were all answered in this short verse. I don't know why Heavenly Father chose to take that beautiful little girl away from her family when he did, but I do know that the Lord loves his children. He loves that family. He loves that little girl. His love is all encompassing and healing. The spirit testified to me as I was curled up on my floor that everything was going to be alright.

    That weekend was General Conference. I was so grateful that I would have the opportunity to hear from the prophets--hear their messages, feel of their love. I knew that somehow the Lord would comfort our mourning community. During the Sunday morning session, Elder Robert D. Hales gave a talk entitled "Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will be Done." (http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/waiting-upon-the-lord-thy-will-be-done?lang=eng read this. It is an amazing talk.) In this talk, Elder Hales answered my prayers and gave me hope.

    In this story I just told you, I witnessed the pillar of fire of the Lord. I gained direction in darkness from scriptures, the Holy Ghost, and the words of the prophets. I gained a stronger and firmer testimony that our Heavenly Father loves his children, and that He provides guidance in the darkest of times in our lives.

Isaiah applies to ME

    In Book of Mormon, we are studying the word of Isaiah in 2 Nephi. Yes...those dreaded, hard to understand sections. Today, in class, when my professor talked about the fact that we would be reading these scriptures...my mind kinda shut off. I think I've been conditioned to respond like that. My AP Pysch mind goes right back to when we studied Pavlov's dogs.

Unconditioned Stimulus: Isaiah
Unconditioned Response: Reading with little understanding
Conditioned Stimulus: Isaiah paired with groans and expressions of frustration
Conditioned Response: Mind shuts down

    Okay, so that's obviously not what really happens, but it's how I feel. I've always been hopelessly lost with Isaiah. But, today I decided to read these chapters with a goal to understand. No matter how much research and time it takes. What made me decide this was Nephi. "And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him." (2 Nephi 11:2) The part that really sticks out to me in this passage is that Nephi will liken Isaiah's words unto his people and unto himself. So, that's probably where I'm struggling. There has to be ways that Isaiah applies to my own life. For example:

2 Nephi 12:2-3 "...when the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it."
In the scriptures, the mountains are representative of the temple. With the recent dedication of the Brigham City Temple, this scripture is completely applicable to my life, as well as the life of many others. Another temple of the Lord was built, and people from all nations will flow unto it to receive the the blessings of the temple. I haven't been to the temple for a few months. I really miss it. I miss the peace and joy I feel from it. Whenever I was upset back at home, I would hop in my car and drive to the Bountiful temple. I can't describe the peace that I received from looking at the white spires and the golden angel Moroni. Being close to the house of the Lord  brings me the peace I need.

So guess what. I found something in Isaiah that applies to me.

"..the manner of happiness."

2 Nephi 5:27 "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness."

    This is the theme of my blog. This is the theme of my life. This is the theme of my scripture study. I want to live in a manner of happiness! I want at the end of my life to be able to say that I did my best to be happy and share happiness with others.
    So, in an essence, what is happiness? "Happiness," the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote, "is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, http://www.lds.org/liahona/2002/07/pathways-to-perfection?lang=eng&query=pathways+perfection)
    In the talk that President Thomas S. Monson gave, referenced above, he outlined four ways to stay on the path to happiness as described by Joseph Smith. Those four ways are:

1. An attitude of gratitude
2. A longing for learning
3. A devotion to discipline
4. A willingness to work

    Gratitude. Something so easily overlooked. When I focus on what I'm grateful for, I realize how much I have to be happy about. In Alma 34:38, Alma says, "...live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you." Over the summer, I had a goal to text what I was grateful for every day to one of my friends. When I did this I found the good in supposedly awful days. I saw the sunshine where before I'd only seen rain.
    A longing for learning. I'm not going to lie, I can't say I've ever longed to learn. However, I've always loved to read. I love to lose myself in stories of mischief or romance, of theory or passion. Reading is an amazing way to commune with the world, even though one is alone when they read. Out of the best books to read is, of course, the Book of Mormon.  “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” (Joseph Smith) When we abide by the precepts in the Book of Mormon and learn from it, we become closer to God, and thus are happier.
    A devotion to discipline--not my strong point. I procrastinate. I get lazy. I get on Facebook instead of doing my homework. This is definitely an area I need to work on. "Our Heavenly Father has given to each of us the power to think and reason and decide. With such power, self-discipline becomes a necessity." (Thomas S. Monson) We have agency, and thus, self-discipline is a necessity. 
    Lastly, a willingness to work. Doing leads to happiness. I really do see this in my life. Even though I love to sit at home and watch Heroes on Netflix, this doesn't make me happy. At the end of the day I feel pathetic for not having accomplished anything. Of course, some relaxing days are great, but when I do things, when I accomplish my goals, I am happier. I live in the manner of happiness when I work.

    But beyond all these ways to stay on the path to happiness, I have a firm testimony that this church, this gospel, is happiness. Jesus Christ enabled us to be happy through his Atonement. I'm so grateful to have the truth in my life.