Pioneer Day

There is much to learn from the past, no matter what our background. Today I specifically speak of those who fought for their freedoms and journeyed to where they could worship freely--and, even more specifically, I speak of those first Latter-day Saints who trekked across the prairies to escape persecution and to worship freely.

When I was around ten years old, I read a book entitled Across the Wide and Lonesome Prairie: The Oregon Trail Diary of Hattie Campbell (from the historical fiction Dear America book series). The idea of these books is that they transport the reader to a particular time and place--on a personal level. Oftentimes the "writer" (the protagonist) experiences a direct or indirect interaction with a historical figure. In this book, the figure was Brigham Young. I had never heard this name before--who was this man?

Brigham Young was born in Vermont on June 1, 1801, to an American Revolutionary War veteran and his wife. "Brother Brigham" (as he would later be known), who had not even a month's worth of education, worked with his hands for a living: building, creating, painting... He was introduced to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1830, spending two years in study before being baptized and becoming a Latter-day Saint himself.
In 1847, three years after the deaths of Joseph Smith and Joseph's brother Hyrum, Brother Brigham led Latter-day Saints across the prairie, settling in a desert valley which contained what would later become Salt Lake City, Utah. He also supervised the pilgrimages of more Latter-day Saints, tens of thousands of them, making sure that they made it to the valley. He was the second LDS prophet and president, and later became governor over Utah Territory. He died in 1877 at the age of 76, and today you can find his statue in Washington, D.C.
Brigham Young once said of the pilgrimage: "We have been kicked out of the frying-pan into the fire, out of the fire into the middle of the floor, and here we are and here we will stay. God has shown me that this is the spot to locate His people, and here is where they will prosper."

Again, no matter our background, we can learn from the pat. From Brigham Young and the Mormon pioneers, we can learn to never give up. We are placed where we are and will be led to where we will be for a reason. The Lord ha His way and His timing.

Happy Pioneer Day!

Handcart statue at Temple Square

Sources:
"Brigham Young: An American Moses"
"Brigham Young: Second President of the Church"
Google.com

My Thoughts

With the recent Supreme Court decision on legalizing same-sex marriage across the nation, I have thought a long time, figuring how to state my thoughts on the matter, but now I state my case:
I support free agency. I do not support same-sex marriage.
Let me explain:

Let's first look at same-sex marriage.
The Family: A Proclamation to the World states the following: "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and...the family is central to the Creator's plan for...His children." This is exactly why I don't support same-sex marriage.
Adam and Eve were commanded by the Lord to "be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth" (Genesis 1:28). Or, as also stated in The Family: A Proclamation to the World: "God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife."
If the primary purpose of marriage is to "replenish the earth" by procreation, how can that be accomplished between two people of the same gender? Science has proven that that is just not possible; there's no going around that. Some say that marriage is "just for love"--and I agree that everyone should be happy in that part as well as all other parts of life--but what man says does not change what the Lord says.

Now let's look at agency.
If you're a Latter-day Saint, you probably grew up hearing that agency is "the ability to choose and to act for yourself" (True to the Faith, 12).
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines agency as follows: "the capacity, condition, or state of acting or of exerting power." The Collins English Dictionary defines agency as "action, power, or operation."
What leads to action? Choices--be it our own choices or the choices of others.
So how does freedom relate to this? Freedom, according to Google, sums it up best: "the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint."

How does this all work together? As Americans, we claim the right to the "free exercise of" speech, religion, etc. (Amendment 1, U.S. Constitution). Applying this to the Supreme Court decision: unless it goes against the Constitution, any law should not infringe upon the freedoms of any citizens. The Constitution says nothing about homosexual marriage; the closest it comes to stating such is this, that "[the] Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges...of Citizens in the several States" (Article IV, Section 2).

Again, I state my position:
I support free agency. I do not support same-sex marriage.
Sounds a bit contradictory, I know...
So, do I support this legislative ruling? Yes. Not because I condone same-sex marriage--again, I do not condone it--but because I am a firm believer in free agency and believe that no one's freedoms should be infringed upon. Each person's choices leads to consequences--good or bad--and I will make no personal judgment--I will allow them to choose their consequences.
As for me, I will follow the Lord, for His law trumps the law of any nation.

Happy 239th Birthday, America!

"No one was either Tory or Whig; it was either dependence or independence." -Caesar Rodney

Now, various members of the Second Continental Congress had their personal views and general associations (liberal or conservative, etc.), but in the matter of how the thirteen colonies should handle their mother land: now that really boiled down to two things. Did they want to continue to pledge allegiance to Great Britain, or did they want to be on their own? Did they want to rely on Mom for support, or did they want to try their own wings and fly?
Clearly, we chose the latter--239 years ago.

Happy birthday!

Temples!

As I prepare to make covenants in the temple (covenants between myself and the Lord), I would like to share what temples are and why they mean so much to me.
According to LDS.org, "Temples are literally houses of the Lord. They are holy places of worship where individuals make sacred covenants with God" (click here for a more extensive description). In the LDS Guide to the Scriptures, it states:
"The Lord has always commanded his people to build temples, holy buildings in which worthy Saints perform sacred ceremonies and ordinances of the gospel... The Lord visits his temples, and they are the most holy of all places of worship.
"The tabernacle erected by Moses and the children of Israel was a portable temple. The Israelites used it during their exodus from Egypt.
"The best known temple mentioned in the Bible is the one built by Solomon in Jerusalem (2 Chr. 2-5). It was destroyed in 600 BC by the Babylonians and was restored by Zerubbabel almost a hundred years later (Ezra 1-6). Part of this temple was burned in 37 BC, and Herod the Great later rebuilt it. The Romans destroyed the temple in AD 70."
After the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was established, the first temple to be built was the Kirtland Temple in Ohio, which was dedicated in 1836. Just this Easter, Thomas S. Monson (prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) announced that there were "144 temples in operation worldwide," with more being renovated, under construction, or announced and being prepared for construction ("Blessings of the Temple," April 2015 General Conference). Another has been rededicated since April, thus now there are 145 temples in operation.
The one nearest me is the Seattle Temple located in Bellevue, WA. I love going to the temple and experiencing the increase of peace and joy therein. I love being able to serve there. I know that the temple is indeed the house of the Lord and that blessings come from attending the temple. Even walking around the temple grounds, increased peace and joy can be felt. I encourage all of you to visit the temple--whether it be to go inside, or even to just walk around and enjoy its beauty and architecture--and drink in of the spirit felt there.

Some Temples I've Visited (and, yes, I took all of these pictures)

  

The Seattle Temple--temples look especially cool at night!

The famous Salt Lake Temple

The Provo Temple (Utah)--my favorite for its gorgeous landscape!

Brigham City Temple (Utah)

Logan Temple (Utah)

Twin Falls Temple (Idaho)

Boise Temple (Idaho)

Portland Temple (Oregon)

...and one more of the Seattle Temple.

You're Probably A Mormon If...

About a year ago, I posted a list entitled "You Know You're A Prospective Missionary When...", which got hundreds of views. I thought I would do a similar list. Being a Latter-day Saint and knowing that we have some uniqueness (don't we all?) in our church culture, I thought I would compile a list of things that would typically be associated with being a Latter-day Saint/Mormon. I've numbered this list because at the bottom is an explanation for each item if you are unfamiliar with it.

Enjoy!

You're probably a Mormon if:

1. You know what CTR, RM, and MTC mean.

2. "Elder" can refer to a male as young as eighteen.

3. You have a friend named Ammon.

4. You have a friend named Moroni.

5. You have a friend named Nephi.

6. You grew up thinking that popcorn came from apricot trees.

7. "Drinking" at a party refers to root beer or Mountain Dew.

8. You call a congregation a ward.

9. There's a box of tissues next to the pulpit at your church.

10. The pulpit (and, really, the front of the main room in general) is called the stand.

11. The main room is called the chapel.

12. The congregation is called a ward.

13. A ward leader is called a bishop.

14. A stake dance doesn't have anything to do with eating or camping.

15. You have seen and/or enjoy any of the following movies: Meet the Mormons, Saturday's Warrior, The Best Two Years, The Singles Ward, The Saratov Approach...oh, and just about any Disney movie.

16. You've ever gone a year and a half without seeing your best friend.

17. You've ever gone two years without seeing your best friend.

18. You've gone more than two years without seeing your best friend because you left on missions at different times.

19. Seminary refers to a class for high-school students.

20. "Trek" is more than a light hike...

21. You know that Pioneer Day has nothing to do with the Mayflower.

22. You can sing "I Am a Child of God," "Called to Serve," "Praise to the Man," and/or "Families
      Can Be Together Forever" from memory.

23. You wish that "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" were in the hymnal.

24. You're a fan of Vocal Point.

25. You're a fan of Lindsey Stirling and/or Jenny Oaks Baker.

26. You're a fan of David Archuleta.

27. You're a fan of the Piano Guys.

28. You call Brigham Young University's Idaho campus "BYU-'I do'."

29. You consider the temple to be the happiest place on earth.

30. You easily forget a church friend's or their parents' first name(s) because you call each other
     "brother" and "sister" all the time.

31. You call your college professor "brother" or "sister."

32. You've used the phrase "modest is hottest."

33. You call a farmer's tan a Mormon tan.

34. You've watched a lot of Disney movies.

35. "Fast Sunday" has nothing to do with the length of the church service.

36. You look forward to April and October each year.

37. You love hearing from Jeffrey R. Holland.

38. You love hearing from Thomas S. Monson.

39.You love hearing from Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

40. Any other Church leader is a favorite speaker.

41. You know off the top of your head who said any of the following:

      -"Never postpone a prompting."

      -"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith."

      -"Try a little harder to be a little better."

42. You know what MoTab is.
43. You've used the quote, "I know it. I live it. I love it."
44. You miss Gordon B. Hinckley.
45. You miss Neal A. Maxwell.
46. You can finish the following: "For behold, this is my work and my glory..."
47. Forget Monday--it's P-day.
48. You get excited at the sight of suited young men riding bikes.
49. You have ever ridden a bike while wearing a skirt (if you're a girl, of course!).
50. You have a Mormon.org profile.

If you have any others, feel free to comment below!

Explanations:
1. CTR: "choose the right" (a popular phrase in Mormon culture)
    RM: returned missionary (someone who has served a mission)
    MTC: Missionary Training Center (where missionaries go for some general and language training before going to the
                mission to which they have been assigned)

2. "Elder" is an office in the LDS Church. A male typically becomes an elder before serving a church mission; the
    minimum age for a male missionary is 18 (19 for females).

3. Ammon is a well-known missionary talked about in the Book of Mormon.

4. Moroni is the last prophet mentioned in the Book of Mormon. It is also Moroni that is perched upon most LDS temples around the world.

5. Nephi is the first prophet mentioned in the Book of Mormon, known for his strong faith.

6. "Popcorn Popping" is the name of a lighthearted LDS children's song.

7. Since Latter-day Saints don't drink alcohol (see the Word of Wisdom) and used to not drink caffeine (see here), it's become somewhat of a tease among young LDS. It's just one of those quirks.

8. You call a congregation a ward (see here and scroll to the bottom).

9. The tissues next to the pulpit: honestly, I'm not sure why. Perhaps it's because a lot of speakers get teary-eyed, especially on Fast Sunday when people bear their testimonies (that's a lot of Mormon lingo, I know, which is why I've added the links).

10. The pulpit (and, really, the front of the main room in general) is called the stand. I'm not sure exactly why--it's just a
       Mormon thing.

11. The main room is called the chapel.

12. The congregation is called a ward.

13. A ward leader is called a bishop.

14. A stake dance is a dance held for similar-aged people in a geographical area, typically for high school-age kids.

15. -Meet the Mormons
      -Saturday's Warrior: a film adaptation of an LDS musical; the musical came out in 1974, the film in 1989. They are
       also redoing a reboot, scheduled to come out in 2016.
      -The Best Two Years: a film about four LDS missionaries in the Netherlands (I have yet to see this movie, so I can't say
       much.)
      -The Singles Ward: an LDS ward full of young single people (we have plenty of those). Pretty self-explanatory, huh?--
        until you read the plot.
      -The Saratov Approach: based on the true story of two LDS missionaries who were kidnapped in Russia. It's a nail-
       biter (or at least for me it was)!
      ...oh, and just about any Disney movie.

16. You've ever gone a year and a half without seeing your best friend: females who go on missions serve for 18 months.

17. You've ever gone two years without seeing your best friend: males who go on missions serve for 24 months.

18. You've gone more than two years without seeing your best friend because you left on missions at different times: see
       #16 & 17 above.

19. Seminary refers to a class for high-school students.

20. "Trek" is more than a light hike...

21. Pioneer Day (July 21) is a day of remembrance and reflection on the Mormon pioneers and what they sacrificed in
      making their journey to the Salt Lake Valley. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir puts on an annual Pioneer Day concert.
      Last year's special guest was Santino Fontana (known as Prince Topher in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella on
      Broadway and Prince Hans in Frozen); this year's special guest will be Laura Osnes (known as Cinderella in Rodgers
      & Hammerstein's Cinderella on Broadway).

22. You can sing "I Am a Child of God," "Called to Serve," "Praise to the Man," and/or "Families Can Be Together Forever" from memory.

23. You wish that "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" were in the hymnal.

24. You're a fan of Vocal Point.

25. You're a fan of Lindsey Stirling and/or Jenny Oaks Baker.

26. You're a fan of David Archuleta.

27. You're a fan of the Piano Guys.

28. You call Brigham Young University's Idaho campus "BYU-'I do'": One of those jokes because it seems like people go
       there, meet somebody, and get married. But you could say that for quite a few colleges I'm sure.

29. You consider the temple to be the happiest place on earth" There's even a meme about it.

30. You easily forget a church friend's or their parents' first name(s) because you call each other "brother" and "sister" all the time: We all call each other "brother" and "sister" at church because we are all God's children.

31. You call your college professor "brother" or "sister": see above.

32. "Modest is hottest": I still don't know who started that specific phrase, but it is connected to our views on modesty.

33. You call a farmer's tan a Mormon tan: see above.

34. You've watched a lot of Disney movies: because clean media is becoming harder and harder to find. Like I said in
       #15, lots of Disney...

35. "Fast Sunday": I talked about this earlier in #9, but here is the link again.

36. April and October are when our church's biannual General Conference is held, when we listen to the words of our
      prophet, apostles, and other church leaders. Everyone can find something relevant and applicable in their life at
      General Conference, LDS or otherwise. Personally, I love General Conference; it's my favorite time of the year
      (outside of Christmas).

37. Jeffrey R. Holland: a latter-day apostle, Elder Holland was sustained as an apostle in 1994. My favorite talk of his is
      from April 2013 and is entitled "Lord, I Believe."

38. Thomas S. Monson: the living prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he
      has been prophet of the LDS Church since February 2008. My favorite talk given by President Monson is from
      October 2013 and is entitled "I Will Not Fail Thee, nor Forsake Thee" (and, in fact, I had the privilege to watch this
      session of General Conference live in the LDS Conference Center!).

39. Dieter F. Uchtdorf: second counselor to the First Presidency (made up of the president/prophet and two counselors),
       he has been second counselor in the First Presidency since February 2008. Two of my favorite Pres. Uchtdorf talks
      (because I can't decide on just one) include "Grateful in Any Circumstances" from April 2014 and, from October 2013,
      "Come, Join with Us."

40. Any other Church leader is a favorite speaker.

41. You know off the top of your head who said any of the following:

      -"Never postpone a prompting." ~Thomas S. Monson (from "The Spirit Giveth Life")

      -"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." ~Dieter F. Uchtdorf (from "Come, Join with Us")

      -"Try a little harder to be a little better." ~Gordon B. Hinckley (from "We Have a Work to Do")

42. MoTab is slang for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
43. "I know it. I live it. I love it." ~Ann M. Dibb (here is the talk)
44. Gordon B. Hinckley: prophet/president of the LDS Church from 1995 until his death in 2008.
45. Neal A. Maxwell: LDS apostle from 1981 until his death in 2004. His final talk and my personal favorite is from April
      2004, entitled "Remember How Merciful the Lord Hath Been."
46. "For behold, this is my work and my glory...": "...to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." Moses 1:39
       (Pearl of Great Price)
47. P-day, or Preparation Day, is the day each week that missionaries take care of temporal needs, such as grocery
      shopping, and sometimes even sight-see. It is also the day each week that missionaries have the opportunity to email
      family and friends back home. This day tends to be Monday each week, though the day of the week may vary by
      mission.
48. Suited young men riding bikes usually equals missionaries. If they are indeed missionaries, this might be cause to
      roll down the window and shout, "Hello, elders!"
49. You have ever ridden a bike while wearing a skirt (if you're a girl, of course!)--typically done while serving a mission.
50. You have a Mormon.org profile. Here's mine: http://www.mormon.org/me/C7NY

Hymn Favorites: "Where Can I Turn for Peace?"

"Where can I turn for peace?

Where is my solace

When other sources cease to make me whole?

When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,

I draw myself apart,

Searching my soul?

Where, when my aching grows,

Where, when I languish,

Where, in my need to know, where can I run?

Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?

Who, who can understand?

He, only One.

He answers privately,

Reaches my reaching

In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.

Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.

Constant he is and kind,

Love without end."

"Where can I turn for peace?"

The Lord gives us peace. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).

"Where is my solace when other sources cease to make me whole?"

The Lord will make us whole. "And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind [Jesus], and touched the hem of his garment: for she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour" (Matthew 9:20-22, emphasis added). That applies to emotional and spiritual healing, too, not just physical healing.

"When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice, I draw myself apart, searching my soul?"

The Lord knows us better than we can know ourselves; His Spirit will guide. "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24).

"Where, when my aching grows, where, when I languish, where, in my need to know, where can I run?"

We can run to the Lord. "Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress" (Psalm 71:3).

"Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?"

The Lord's hand will be ever reaching out in comfort. "...his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still" (Isaiah 9:21, emphasis added).

"Who, who can understand?"

The next line gives us the answer: "He, only One." Only the Lord can truly understand. "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; but if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink--nevertheless, glory be to to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men" (D&C 19:16-19).

"He answers privately,

Reaches my reaching

In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.

Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.

Constant he is and kind,

Love without end."

Peace at the Temple

There is something about the temple that makes it unique and different from other places. Whether you walk the grounds or enter its doors, there is an increase of joy and peace found there. It truly is hallowed ground.

Just this past Thursday I visited the local temple (the Seattle Temple) with two of my close friends. Something that I thought of regarding my visit (but I didn't think of until afterwards) was Moses' encounter with the burning bush in the Old Testament:
"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
"And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
"And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
"And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground" (Exodus 3:1-5).

When we went into the temple, we took off our shoes, just as Moses did when he was commanded by the Lord. I testify that the temple and the grounds of the temple are truly holy, sanctified ground, and that is why we experience such peace and joy there.


It happened to be a beautiful day that we were there, so here are some pictures as well.

Grateful No Matter What

"Over the years, I have had the sacred opportunity to meet with many people whose sorrows seem to reach the very depths of their soul. In these moments, I have listened to my beloved brothers and sisters and grieved with them over their burdens. I have pondered what to say to them, and I have struggled to know how to comfort and support them in their trials.
"Often their grief is caused by what seems to them as an ending. Some are facing the end of a cherished relationship, such as the death of a loved one or estrangement from a family member. Others feel they are facing the end of hope--the hope of being married or bearing children or overcoming an illness. Others may be facing the end of their faith, as confusing and conflicting voices in the world tempt them to question, even abandon, what they once knew to be true.
"Sooner or later, I believe that all of us experiences times when the very fabric of our world tears at the seams, leaving us feeling alone, frustrated, and adrift.
"It can happen to anyone. No one is immune."
-Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Grateful in Any Circumstances"

Recently I was discussing with a close friend how to handle difficult times that come our way. During our conversation, he brought up this talk in particular and read this opening section. I cannot even describe the impact of those words in that moment. I could relate so much to this; we all can relate to this at some point in life.

Later, Uchtdorf said, "It might sound contrary to the wisdom of the world to suggest that one who is burdened with sorrow should give thanks to God. But those who set aside the bottle of bitterness and lift instead the goblet of gratitude can find a purifying drink of healing, peace, and understanding."

A perfect example of this above statement is the story behind the hymn of "It Is Well with My Soul," which I wrote about in a blog post earlier this year (click here to read it).

Another great example is the story of Job in the Old Testament. Job was a wealthy man in his day and was faithful to the Lord. Satan decided he wanted to see if Job would turn his back on the Lord if he was given trials, so he received permission from the Lord to bring afflictions upon Job. Job lost his servants, his animals, his children, his home... "Then Job arose, ...and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:20-21).

The Bible is filled with verses and passages about gratefulness, thankfulness, being content in circumstances, etc. Here are a few that particularly stand out to me:
-"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts...and be ye thankful" (Colossians 3:15).
-"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, wherewith to be content" (Philippains 4:11).
-"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name" (Psalm 100:4).
-"O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever" (Psalm 118:1).
-"Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place" (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Earlier I mentioned discussing this subject with a friend. That friend gave me a challenge, and now I challenge you to do the same: offer up a prayer in which you don't pray for any blessings or make any requests; let it solely be a prayer of gratitude. I've done this myself, and it made me feel so much better. I know that if you do this with sincerity, you will have increased joy and peace.

What Is the Spirit Telling You?

This week for me could be summed up in one word: promptings.
On Sunday, I received a prompting.
On Monday, I received a prompting.
On Tuesday, a prompting.
On Wednesday, another prompting.
On Thursday, more promptings.
Friday? Again.
Saturday? Keep 'em comin'.

In other words, we can all receive daily promptings, both big and small.

This is what Thomas S. Monson had to say about promptings from the Spirit:
     "At times, the answers to our questions and the responses to our
     daily prayers come to us through silent promptings of the Spirit.
     As William Cowper wrote:
         'God moves in a mysterious way
         His wonders to perform;
         He plants His footsteps in the sea
         And rides upon the storm. ...
         Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
         But trust him for his grace;
         Behind a frowning providence
         He hides a smiling face.'
     "We watch. We wait. We listen for that still, small voice. When it
     speaks, wise men and women obey. We do not postpone the
     promptings of the Spirit. ...
     "Never, never, never postpone a prompting."

We need to listen for the promptings of the Spirit. We need to "always have His Spirit...with [us]" (Moroni 4:3; see also Moroni 5:2) so that we can better recognize those promptings.

What is the Spirit telling you today?
Listen, and then take action.


*If you'd like to read or watch the rest of Thomas S. Monson's talk, "The Spirit Giveth Life," click here.

General Conference Thoughts: April 2015: Religious Freedom & Tolerance

This is something that I've wanted to address for awhile, but especially after hearing the topic come up several times, I felt that now would be a good time to do so.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we have something called the Articles of Faith. Long story short, a newspaper editor asked what Latter-day Saints believe, and Joseph Smith wrote this to condense our beliefs into 13 short but powerful statements.
Our 11th Article of Faith states, "We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." Why would we, the same church that believes that we have the fully restored gospel of Jesus Christ, say this? Because we all have free agency (the ability to choose). If we didn't have agency, we would all be robots and there would be no point in living on the earth--but we are here to make choices and prove ourselves faithful to the Lord. That means loving the Lord and showing our love for Him by obeying Him to the best of our ability, just as a child who truly loves their parent would show their love by obeying their parent to the best of their ability.
This is why religious freedom is so important: if we didn't have religious freedom, our agency would be restricted and, in fact, nonexistent in the religion aspect. But it is not just religious freedom that is important; we also need religious tolerance.
Now, I'm not suggesting that you have to agree with or condone the beliefs and actions of someone of another faith (or of no faith at all); what I mean is that we all need to be respectful of others' agency and allow them to make their own decisions. We can share with them our beliefs, but don't force a decision upon them; allow them to make decisions--any decision, really--for themselves.
Which brings me to something else to address:
Something that I've noticed throughout my life in regard to varying religions is that oftentimes, when someone is curious about another belief system, they don't go directly to the source. I've especially noticed this in Mormonism, both as a nonmember and as a member. Unfortunately, it was my ignorance of what Latter-day Saints really believed that made it hard on me when I found out that the misconceptions with which I'd known throughout my life were wrong. I had to strip myself of pride in order to find out what these people really believed. I went to the source to find out what these people had to say and why they believe what they do. And it made sense to me! I understood, and I agreed. And that's why I am a Latter-day Saint myself.
I'm not trying to force anyone to believe the same as I do, but please--for the sake of myself and others of various religions and denominations--if you want to know what someone truly believes, go to the source. Don't go to someone who has never been involved in the religion or even someone who used to be in that denomination and is no longer affiliated with it, because sometimes practices change or they may even say something to taint a religion's image. Go directly to the source: using the LDS Church as an example, go to LDS.org, Mormon.org, read the Bible and the Book of Mormon (especially if you've read/studied the Bible and are skeptical of the Book of Mormon), read what our church's leaders have to say, and, your best source for any religion, ask their members! I cannot emphasize that enough. If you want to know what a Baptist believes, ask a Baptist. If you want to know what a Catholic believes, ask a Catholic. If you want to know what a Buddhist believes, as a Buddhist. You get the idea.
And if you want to know what a Latter-day Saint believes, ask me or any other Latter-day Saint out there!

General Conference Thoughts: April 2015: The Plan of Happiness

For those of you who watched General Conference last weekend: wasn't it incredible? I just love watching Conference every spring & fall, listening to our Church leaders and hearing the beautiful Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing. Such a wonderful time!
For those of you who missed General Conference: it's not too late to watch! You can watch, read, or listen to the talks here: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions?cid=HP14GC&lang=eng
For all of you: for the next few weeks I'll be focusing on some favorite talks and quotes from General Conference. This week, it's the talk from the Saturday morning session by Boyd K. Packer.

First of all, what a precious, precious story Pres. Packer shares about how he met his wife and the beginning of their journey. It made me melt.
Now, there's a lot of deeper, more detailed doctrine referred to in this talk. It can be difficult to explain, but long story short, we as Latter-day Saints believe that we lived as spirits with our Heavenly Father before we were born on earth, that earthly birth is, essentially, the union of spirit and physical body. We need physical bodies in ordered to gain glorified bodies at the Resurrection (how can your body become glorified if you don't have a body to begin with?).
Side note: here's a diagram of the Plan of Salvation as Latter-day Saints believe it to be, just as a reference to what I just said. Also, you can check out lds.org or mormon.org to learn more.

Okay, back to what I was saying... So, the quote from this talk that stuck out for me the most was when Pres. Packer said, "The power of procreation [and, by extension, marriage and family] is not an incidental part of the plan; it is the plan of happiness" (emphasis added). The Lord commanded Adam and Eve to "multiply, and replenish the earth" (Genesis 1:28); that commandment has never been "canceled out," so to speak. The purpose of using our procreative powers (within marriage, of course) is to give other spirits bodies, and they in turn will provide others with bodies, etc., etc.

Now, as Pres. Packer goes on to say later, there are those who cannot bear children, or who never marry, or under other circumstances are not able to have children. Remember, the Lord hasn't forgotten you. Your Heavenly Father loves you and is ever so aware of you. Just as in other things, the Lord knows your heart, and He will bless you.

I can't really say any more, because I have not been married, nor have I borne children. But I can say that I know that what Pres. Packer shared is true.

And here's the talk that he gave so that you can watch (if you would rather read it, click here):

The building where General Conference takes place. Anyone is welcome to go--you can get tickets ahead of time or go via stand-by, so feel free to go sometime! It's an amazing experience!

An Invitation, From Me to You

It's General Conference Day--both today and tomorrow!
I invite all of you to tune in--TV (channel 232 if you're in WA), radio, or streaming on the Internet (LDS.org, BYUtv, etc.) (or, if you're lucky and make it there: in person at the Conference Center).
You do not have to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to listen in; just be edified--to have your faith strengthened and come closer to our Savior this Easter weekend.
No two sessions are alike, so I encourage you to watch all of them.
Times for the sessions as follows (all MDT):
-Sat., April 4: 10:00am-12:00pm, 2:00-4:00pm, 6:00-8:00pm (6-8pm session is for the men--to see the women's broadcast from last Sat. night, go to LDS.org and search "General Women's Meeting 2015"--you should be able to watch it there).
-Sun., April 5: 10:00am-12:00pm, 2:00-4:00pm


If you miss any sessions, you can watch them later online at LDS.org (search "General Conference April 2015").
Last but not least, here's a link for complete broadcasting info for the US: http://www.bonneville.info/broadcast.cfm


Enjoy General Conference! And if this is your first time tuning in, welcome!

Learning Experiences

As I prepare to embark on a journey, I was drawn to the topic of learning.
We can learn all sorts of things, in all subject matter, in all sorts of ways.
We are encouraged to study all that we can. In the Doctrine and Covenants, it says to "seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith" (D&C 88:118, emphasis added). I believe that the reason that we are encouraged to seek wisdom and learning is because we can learn things pertaining to us both spiritually and temporally.
Jesus Christ said in the New Testament, "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me" (Matt. 11:29). Learning more about Christ and how to emulate Him is what's most important.
Here's something I find pretty cool: the Old Testament prophet Daniel was gifted with the ability to learn. "As for these four children [meaning Daniel and his friends], God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom" (Dan. 1:17). Some of us, too, have been gifted with the ability to learn. And if we feel that learning may not be something we are good at, we can pray for the gift of learning, that we can learn more and learn more effectively.

I don't know about you, but I personally enjoy learning, and every time I take a trip, I like to learn along the way.
And that is exactly what kind of journey this will be.
We will be going to Germany and Austria. Just a few of the things that I know I will learn about on this trip:

• At Dachau: Dachau was one of the first concentration camps built in the 1930s and became an example for future concentration camps. It was one of the worst camps at which to be imprisoned. There, I can learn in person about the horrors of Dachau and about life in concentration camps in general, about World War II and the Nazi regime, and gain a better appreciation for the world in which I now live.
  

• At Neuschwanstein: I can learn about the history and explore the architecture of this beautiful castle after which the Disneyland castle was modeled.

Neuschwanstein Castle (credit: Amazon.com)

Disneyland Castle (credit: TheEnchantedManor.com)

• In Salzburg: I will be able to experience firsthand the musical culture of Salzburg (yay!). Salzburg sound familiar? It's also the home of the famous Von Trapp family and filming city of many scenes from Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, including the Mirabelle gardens where many of the scenes from the song "Do-Re-Mi" were filmed. (Yes, we will be taking the special tour. Four hours of living the dream!)

Credit: AmericanSongWriter.com

Credit: TheWorldIsABook.com

Credit: FlipTravels.com

Auf Weidersehen!

It Is Well

"When peace like a river attendeth my way

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well with my soul.

 

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought

My sin, not in part but the whole

Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul.

 

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll.

The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend.

Even so, it is well with my soul.

 

It is well with my soul,

It is well, it is well with my soul."

This hymn, written by businessman Horatio G. Spafford and composed by hymnist and evangelist Phillip P. Bliss, was written in dark times. Spafford had just lost his daughters to a shipwreck while he was at home for work. Before this, he had lost money and property to the Chicago Fire of 1871. Spafford wrote these words while en route to England to join his wife, passing by the place where the Ville du Havre had sunk and his daughters had drowned. While in England, Spafford and his wife met up with their evangelist-friend, Phillip P. Bliss, and his wife, and Bliss came up with a tune to accompany the word that Spafford had written. Dark clouds hadn't cleared, however, for just a few short years after penning the words and music of "It Is Well with My Soul," the Blisses tragically lost their lives in a train wreck, and a few years following that, after beginning another family of their own, the Spaffords lost a young son to scarlet fever.
(For more on the story behind the hymn, click here.)

I was around eight or nine when I first heard the story behind this beautiful hymn, and it surprised me. At that young age, I couldn't imagine going through such devastating loss and yet being able to maintain such a positive attitude.
I am still young, and I have not--thankfully--had to endure any of the losses that Spafford did. However, I--as all of us have--have had to endure difficult times. I have experienced the stormy days as well as sunny days. No life is lived free of trials, but what would life be without the contrast that trials and joys bring to our lives?
"For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so...righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. ...And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And there be no righteousness nor happiness there can be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. ...[but] there is a God, and he hath created all things...both things to act and to be acted upon. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, an could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.
And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.
"But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:11, 13-14, 16, 22-25).* **
We were created to experience joy, but without misery, we wouldn't recognize nor appreciate that joy. Trials definitely aren't fun, but what wonderful opportunities to learn and grow. That's my challenge to you as well as to myself: next time you experience a hiccup in your path, ask the Lord what you can learn from it. And then take notes! :) ***



*For a definition of the Fall of Adam, click here.
**To read the rest of the chapter (Nephi 2), click here.
***Okay, I don't mean literally pull out paper and a pencil. Just pay attention to what you learn.

Grace (Part 2)

Last week I began a 2-part post on the topic of grace (to see Part 1, click here), talking about how grace can be divine help and how being "saved by grace" (Galatians 2:8) isn't based on passive belief, but active faith. This week I would like to touch on how grace is also divine strength.
Here again is the definition of faith as described in True to the Faith: "The word grace, as used in the scriptures, refers primarily to the divine help and strength we receive through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Peter taught that we should 'grow in grace, and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ' (1 Peter 3:18)" (p. 77, emphasis in original).
Now let's discuss divine strength.
When I think of divine strength, I don't necessarily think of physical strength (though Samson in the Old Testament sure had a good amount of physical strength beyond human capability, thanks to the Lord's grace--see Judges 13-16), but of emotional, mental, and spiritual strength. I think of a strong testimony, able to withstand anything that tries to tear it down. I think of full-time missionaries who sacrifice 18-24 months, leaving their families, their home, and oftentimes putting their education on hold, to serve the Lord through serving fellowmen. I think of those who did not grow up with religion and choose to follow the Savior, sometimes leaving the "norm" of the family circle. I think of those who serve in all capacities, even in their weaknesses.
We all have weaknesses. We can't handle them on their own; we need divine help, we need divine strength from God to make up for our weakness.
And why do we have weaknesses? I think of a couple of people who share with us this answer:

• Paul (in the New Testament): "...there was given to me a thorn in the flesh...lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasures in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when  I am weak, then am I strong" (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
• Moroni (in the Book of Mormon): "...the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness; and if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. And I, Moroni, having heard these words, was comforted, and said: O Lord, thy righteous will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men according to their faith" (Ether 12:26-27, 29).

So, what can we learn from this? Why do we have weaknesses (besides the fact that we were born into an imperfect world)?

• So that we can humble ourselves. Weaknesses are a wonderful way to learn to exercise humility. If we didn't have any weaknesses, then we would have more of a tendency to think too highly of ourselves and become hot-headed.
• So that we can exercise our faith. What a great opportunity! Exercising faith strengthens testimony, which means that we become more steadfast in the gospel, and that is a wonderful thing.

There's a lot of things we can learn from this about exercising humility and faith. How can we exercise humility and faith? Let me know in the comments!

Grace (Part 1)

Grace seems to be a word thrown around often without really knowing what it means. All sorts of people define grace differently, especially as how it relates to salvation or works. Or how it doesn't relate to either topic.
As a Latter-day Saint, I'd like to add my own understanding of what grace is and how it applies to us.
There's a wonderful definition of grace in True to the Faith, a small glossary-like publication by the LDS Church. It states: "The word grace, as used in the scriptures, refers primarily to the divine help and strength we receive through the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Peter taught that we should 'grow in grace, and in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ' (1 Peter 3:18)" (p. 77, emphasis in original). Notice that grace is defined as divine help and strength. I will be focusing on those aspects.
First, divine help.
Several months ago I was riding in the car with a close friend, about to pull out of a parking lot, when the car wouldn't move. We could hear the engine, but the vehicle itself would not move forward nor backward. The engine wasn't catching properly, and we were stuck. Luckily, there were still people where we had just been, and we were at the edge of the parking lot, so I pulled out my cell phone and called one friend who was inside, briefly explaining the situation and asking for help getting the car into a safe place in the parking lot. That friend brought a couple other guys with him, and we sat as they pushed the car back in enough that I could get out of the car. Then I stood out of the way, as directed, while my friend steered the car, thus making it easier to move the car into the nearest parking spot.
Divine help works similarly. We couldn't have gotten out and pushed the car into a parking spot without help; we needed help. Similarly, we cannot return to God on our own, no matter how much good we do. At the same time, we cannot just sit on the sidelines and expect God to make things better for us, nor can we expect God to grant us eternal life without taking action on our part. Some people believe that all we must do to receive eternal life is to believe in God, but that's not all, folks. Can someone say that they believe a chair will support their weight, and then just stand back and stare at it? Or would true belief that the chair will support them be manifest through them actually sitting in the chair?
Yes, I am aware of what the Bible says: "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). And that is right: it is by grace that we are saved through faith, but faith isn't passive; it's active. As written later in the New Testament:
"Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. ... Was not Abraham...justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believe God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only" (James 2:18, 21-24, emphasis added).
If we have true faith in God, it should show in what we do, say, and take part in. Let us all strive to be examples of our faith--in every aspect of our lives.


*Next week I will focus on the second part: divine strength.

Face Fear

Ok...not really...but I thought it was amusing.

About three and a half years ago, on my 17th birthday, I decided I was going to face my fear of heights and do something that scared me. I was at a camp, and there was this giant swing. Basically, you get hoisted up 30 feet in the air, and then you go free-falling/swinging down 20 feet, until you're about 10 feet in the air, at which you are brought down. The worst part: you have to pull the chord that starts your free fall.
The giant swing was closed on my birthday, but we were informed that it would be open the next day, so that's what I did the next afternoon: I did the giant swing. It was so incredible, and it felt so good, that I wound up doing it twice in a row. Even though it freaked me out, if I had the opportunity to do it again, I would do it.

Facing and overcoming fears--it's so important. So with a new year, I challenge YOU to join me in one of my New Years resolutions, and that's to face a fear of yours. What do you fear? What will you do to face it, to overcome it? And when I say overcome a fear, I don't mean that you no longer have any fear, but that you face it and do something about it and not let it control you. Like if you're me and you fear heights, maybe you'll try climbing a rock wall. If your fear is water, perhaps you'll get yourself to swim, or to go to a waterpark like Wild Waves and not just sit on the sidelines, but actually partake in the amenities. If you're terrified of rollercoasters, ride one the next time you're at a theme park. Just face a fear this year, and trust me, it'll feel good.