#BecauseofHim

Happy Easter to Everyone!! I hope your spending the holiday with friends and family around you as we celebrate Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

I have a testimony of the Savior. I love the song "I know that my Redeemer lives"

1. I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead.

He lives, my ever-living Head.

He lives to bless me with his love.

He lives to plead for me above.

He lives my hungry soul to feed.

He lives to bless in time of need.

2. He lives to grant me rich supply.

He lives to guide me with his eye.

He lives to comfort me when faint.

He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

He lives to silence all my fears.

He lives to wipe away my tears.

He lives to calm my troubled heart.

He lives all blessings to impart.

3. He lives, my kind, wise heav’nly Friend.

He lives and loves me to the end.

He lives, and while he lives, I’ll sing.

He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.

He lives and grants me daily breath.

He lives, and I shall conquer death.

He lives my mansion to prepare.

He lives to bring me safely there.

4. He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

“I know that my Redeemer lives!”

He lives! All glory to his name!

He lives, my Savior, still the same.

Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives:

“I know that my Redeemer lives!”

I know that my Redeemer lives. I know that He atoned for each of us and know each person's trials personally. I know that He sacrificed for me and my sins so that one day I may be able to once again live with Him and my Heavenly Father. As I have gone through some hard times in the last couple months, I have become closer and closer to my Savior. I have been overwhelmed with the pain that just my path has caused and to think that He took upon Himself the worlds pain, those who are living and those who have died before. He knows the pain of the sad, of the abused, of the neglected, of the depressed, of the addicted, of the lonely, of the hurt and inflicted, etc. He knows and gave us away through it. Lean on Him! Trust Him to help with your burden! Praise this glorious gift that He so willingly gave. He has helped me through my trials and pain and He can help all those who come unto Him.

 

Christ the Redeemer

[The Redeemer’s] sacrifice blessed everyone, from Adam, the first, to the last of all human beings.

By Elder Carlos H. Amado

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born and died in unique circumstances. He lived and grew up in humble conditions, without material things. He said of Himself, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Luke 9:58).

He never received honors, favors, recognition, nor preferred treatment from the political leaders of the earth or from the religious leaders of His day. Neither did He sit in the highest seats of the synagogues.

His preaching was simple, and even though multitudes followed after Him, His ministry always consisted of blessing people one by one. He performed innumerable miracles among those who accepted Him as the One sent from God.

He gave His Apostles authority and power to do miracles “and greater works” than those He performed (John 14:12), but He never delegated to them the privilege of forgiving sins. His enemies became indignant when they heard Him say, “Go, and sin no more” (John 8:11) or “Thy sins are forgiven [thee]” (Luke 7:48). That right belonged only to Him because He is the Son of God and because He would pay for those sins with His Atonement.

His Power over Death

His power over death was another divine attribute. Great Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, pleaded “that he would come into his house: for he had one only daughter, … and she lay a dying” (Luke 8:41–42). The Master heard his plea, and while they were walking, a servant came to Jairus and told him, “Thy daughter is dead; trouble not the Master” (Luke 8:49). After entering the house, Jesus asked for everyone to go out, and straightway, taking her by the hand, He said to her, “Arise!” (Luke 8:54).

On another occasion, while He was traveling to the city of Nain, He came upon a funeral procession, a widow weeping for the death of her only son. Full of mercy, He touched the bier and said, “Young man, I say unto thee, Arise” (Luke 7:14). The people, upon seeing the miracle, exclaimed, “A great prophet is risen up among us; and … God hath visited his people” (Luke 7:16). This miracle was even more noteworthy because they had already declared the young man legally dead and were on the way to bury him. With two young people brought back to life, the evidence of His authority and power over death astonished the believers and filled the defamers with fear.

The third occasion was the most impressive. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were siblings whom Christ would often visit. When people informed Him that Lazarus was sick, He remained two days before leaving to come to the family. In consoling Martha after her brother’s death, He categorically testified to her, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

When the Savior asked for the mourners to remove the stone from the sepulchre, Martha timidly whispered to Him, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days” (John 11:39).

Then Jesus lovingly reminded her, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). And having said this, He cried out with a loud voice:

“Lazarus, come forth.

“And he that was dead came forth” (John 11:43–44).

After Lazarus’s four days in the grave, the enemies of the Son of God were faced with irrefutable evidence they could not ignore, diminish, or distort, and they senselessly and maliciously “from that day forth ... took counsel together for to put him to death” (John 11:53).

The New Commandment

Later on, the living Christ celebrated in Jerusalem, along with His Apostles, His last Feast of the Passover, established the ordinance of the sacrament, and gave them the commandment to love one another through sincere service.

His Agony in Gethsemane

After that, in the most sublime show of His love for humankind, and in the full exercise of His will, He walked bravely and determinedly to face His most demanding trial. In the Garden of Gethsemane, in utter loneliness, He suffered the most intense agony, bleeding from each pore. In total submission before His Father, He atoned for our sins and also took upon Him our illnesses and afflictions in order to know how to succor us (see Alma 7:11–13).

We are indebted to Him and to our Heavenly Father because His sacrifice blessed everyone, from Adam, the first, to the last of all human beings.

Condemnation and Crucifixion of the Savior

Once His agony in Gethsemane was concluded, He voluntarily gave Himself up to His detractors. Betrayed by one of His own, He was hurriedly condemned, in a manner both unjust and illegal, in a trial both manipulated and incomplete. That same night He was accused of the crime of blasphemy and condemned to death. In their hatred and thirst for vengeance--because He testified to them that He was the Son of God--His enemies plotted for Pilate to condemn Him. To that end, they changed the accusation of blasphemy to sedition so that His death would be by crucifixion.

His condemnation among the Romans was even more cruel: their mockings and scorn regarding His spiritual kingdom, the humiliating coronation with a crown of thorns, His painful scourging, and the prolonged agony of His public Crucifixion were all a clear warning for every person who might dare to declare himself or herself His disciple.

At each moment of His suffering, the Redeemer of the world showed exceptional self-control. He always thought of blessing others; with kindness and tenderness, He pleaded for John to take care of His mother, Mary. He asked His Father in Heaven to forgive the executioners who crucified Him. With His work on earth fulfilled, He commended His spirit to God and breathed His last breath. The physical body of Christ was taken to the tomb and remained there three days.

The Work of the Redeemer among the Dead

While His disciples were suffering from sadness, discouragement, and uncertainty, our Savior, in another phase of His Father’s glorious plan, extended His ministry in a new way. In the short period of three days, He worked untiringly to organize the immense work of salvation among the dead. Those days became some of the most hope-filled of all for the family of God. During that visit He organized His faithful followers so that they would bear glad tidings of redemption to those who did not in life come to know of the glorious plan or who had rejected it. Now they would have the opportunity to be freed from their captivity and to be redeemed by the God of both the living and the dead (see D&C 138:19, 30–31).

The Firstfruits of the Resurrection

With His work completed in the spirit world, He returned to earth--forever to unite His spirit with His physical body. Even though He had authoritatively shown His power over death, the scriptural accounts of those He brought back to life before His Resurrection demonstrate that they were only coming back to a life that had been miraculously prolonged; they would yet die.

Christ was the first to be resurrected and never die again, to possess forever a perfect, eternal body. In His resurrected state, He appeared to Mary, who as soon as she recognized Him, began to worship Him. Our Redeemer, with great tenderness, warned her concerning His new and glorious condition: “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father” (John 20:17)--providing an additional witness that His ministry in the spirit world was real and complete. Then, using language that confirmed the reality of His Resurrection, He said, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17). After going to His Father, He returned again and appeared to His Apostles. “He shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord” (John 20:20).

The Redeemer Will Return

I testify that Christ will return in a way very different from His first coming. He will come in power and glory with all the just and faithful Saints. He will come as King of kings and Lord of lords, as the Prince of Peace, the promised Messiah, the Savior and Redeemer, to judge the living and the dead. I love and serve Him with all my heart, and I plead that we may serve with joy and dedication and that we may remain faithful to Him until the end. In His name, Jesus Christ, amen.

New Schedule

My new work schedule got approved yesterday!! So excited..... For something so small seems a little ridiculous. With all the craziness in our lived right now, John and I have very little time together :(. Our schedules just don't like each other... I usually work 8-5 Monday through Friday and John works 12-9 Tuesday through Saturday. Lame! 

Well a couple of weeks ago, I started punching the numbers for grooming at the clinic from the last four years. And the winter months are never very kind to groomers. It seems like every year, no matter what we tell customers all year long, people think that their dog is going to be cold if they get them groomed. So the number of grooms for the winter months usually comes to dismal few. 

So how I am going to fix these problems.... Oh I know work one less day!! Yes just one less day is all it takes. I will now be off on Mondays. Yay! This way I get a whole day to spend with my husband (probably doing errands and chores: running around with my head cut off) and it makes it that all the grooms for the week into four days instead of five. It's an experiment for now to see if we can make four busier days instead of five so-so days. So hopefully it works!!

Anyways to bring some wisdom to you.....

The Lighthouse of The Lord

Thomas S. Monson

My dear sisters, the spirit which permeates this meeting here in the historic Tabernacle and in hundreds of chapels and stake centers in many parts of the world is a reflection of your strength, your devotion, your goodness. To quote the words of the Lord: “Ye are the salt of the earth. … Ye are the light of the world. … Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:13–14, 16.)

Some of you are just approaching young womanhood, soon to leave the comfort of Primary and enter the exciting and challenging years as young women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Others here include those not yet married, many of whom are your teachers. There are also mothers, grandmothers, even great-grandmothers, who, with an occasional tear, think back to the summertime of their youth and ponder the words of Longfellow:

            How beautiful is youth! how bright it gleams

            With its illusions, aspirations, dreams!

            Book of Beginnings, Story without End;

            Each maid a heroine, and each man a friend!

          

All of you are sisters to one another and daughters of our Heavenly Father. It is with a humble and prayerful heart that I stand before you. I have always loved the words frequently quoted by President David O. McKay as he described you: “Woman was taken out of man--not out of his feet to be trampled underfoot, but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved.”

But the thought that never fails to stir my soul is the simple and sage advice: “Men should take care not to make women weep, for God counts their tears.”

Do we in attendance tonight know who we are and what God expects us to become? Remember that the recognition of a power higher than oneself does not in any sense debase; rather, it exalts. If we will but realize that we have been created in the image of God, we will not find Him difficult to approach, for God did create “man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Gen. 1:27.) This knowledge, acquired through faith, will bring inner calm and profound peace.

Just twenty years ago many of you had not yet commenced your journey through mortality. Your abode was a heavenly home. We know relatively little concerning the details of our existence there--only that we were among those who loved us and were concerned for our eternal well-being. Then there arrived the period where earth life became necessary to our progress. Farewells were no doubt spoken, expressions of confidence given, and graduation to mortality achieved.

What a commencement service awaited each of us! Loving parents joyously welcomed us to our earthly home. Tender care and affectionate embrace awaited our every whim. Someone described a newborn child as “a sweet, new blossom of Humanity, Fresh fallen from God’s own home, to flower on earth.” (Gerald Massey, “Wooed and Won,” in The Home Book of Quotations, sel. Burton Stevenson, New York: Dodd, Mead and Co., 1956, p. 121.)

Those first years were precious, special years. Satan had no power to tempt us. We had not yet become accountable but were innocent before God. They were learning years.

Soon we entered that period some have labeled “the terrible teens.” I prefer “the terrific teens.” What a time of opportunity, a season of growth, a semester of development, marked by the acquisition of knowledge and the quest for truth.

No one has described these years as being easy. Indeed, they have become increasingly more difficult. The world seems to have slipped from the moorings of safety and drifted from the harbor of peace.

Permissiveness, immorality, pornography, and the power of peer pressure cause many to be tossed about on a sea of sin and crushed on the jagged reefs of lost opportunities, forfeited blessings, and shattered dreams.

Anxiously you ask, “Is there a way to safety? Can someone guide me? Is there an escape from threatened destruction? The answer is a resounding yes! I counsel you: Look to the lighthouse of the Lord. There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what its beacon light can rescue. It beckons through the storms of life. It calls, “This way to safety; this way to home.”

The lighthouse of the Lord sends forth signals readily recognized and never failing. These words of warning, these safety standards, are printed in a small booklet soon to be distributed and entitled For the Strength of Youth.

May I share with you the introduction to the booklet, prepared by the First Presidency of the Church:

“Our beloved young men and women,

“We want you to know that we love you. We have great confidence in you. …

“We desire everything in this world for you that is right and good. You are not just ordinary young men and women. You are choice spirits who have been held in reserve to come forth in this day when the temptations, responsibilities, and opportunities are the very greatest. You are at a critical time in your lives. This is a time for you not only to live righteously but also to set an example for your peers. …

“God loves you. … His desire … is to have you return to Him pure and undefiled, having proven yourselves worthy of an eternity of joy in His presence. …

“We counsel you to choose to live a morally clean life. …

“You cannot do wrong and feel right. It is impossible! Years of happiness can be lost in the foolish gratification of a momentary desire for pleasure. …

“You can avoid the burden of guilt and sin and all of the attending heartaches … as you keep the standards outlined in the scriptures and emphasized in this pamphlet. …

“We pray that you--the young and rising generation--will keep your bodies and minds clean, free from the contaminations of the world, that you will be fit and pure vessels to bear triumphantly the responsibilities of the kingdom of God in preparation for the second coming of our Savior.” (For the Strength of Youth, 1990, p. 1.)

May I review with you, the women of the Church, these special standards referred to in the introduction just read? There are twelve items, followed by a conclusion. I shall treat briefly each standard.

1. Dating

Begin to prepare now for a temple marriage. Proper dating is a part of that preparation. In cultures where dating is appropriate, do not date until you are sixteen years old. Not all teenagers need to date or even want to. When you begin dating, go in groups or on double dates. Make sure your parents meet and become acquainted with those you date.

Because dating is a preparation for marriage, date only those who have high standards.

2. Dress and Appearance

Servants of the Lord have always counseled us to dress modestly to show respect for our Heavenly Father and for ourselves. The way you dress sends messages about yourself to others and often influences the way you and others act. Dress in such a way as to bring out the best in yourself and those around you. Avoid tight-fitting or revealing clothes and extremes in clothing and appearance. If you are tempted to dress as you shouldn’t, just remember the old rule: “If in doubt--don’t!”

3. Friendshipping

Everyone needs good friends. Your circle of friends will greatly influence your thinking and behavior, just as you will theirs. Treat everyone with kindness and dignity. Many nonmembers have come into the Church through friends who have involved them in Church activities. May I share with you a treasured family experience which had its beginning back in 1959 when I was called to preside over the Canadian Mission headquartered in Toronto.

Our daughter, Ann, turned five shortly after we arrived in Canada. She saw the missionaries going about their work and she, too, wanted to be a missionary. My wife demonstrated understanding by permitting Ann to take to class a few copies of the Children’s Friend. That wasn’t sufficient for Ann. She wanted to take a copy of the Book of Mormon, and she talked to her teacher, Miss Pepper, about the Church. I think it rather thrilling that just a few years ago, long years after our return from Toronto, we came home from a vacation and found in our mailbox a note from Miss Pepper which read:

“Dear Ann,

“Think back many years ago. I was your schoolteacher in Toronto, Canada. I was impressed by the copies of the Children’s Friend which you brought to school. I was impressed by your dedication to a book called the Book of Mormon.

“I made a commitment that one day I would come to Salt Lake City and see why you talked as you did and why you believed in the manner you believed. Today I had the privilege of going through your visitors’ center on Temple Square. Thanks to a five-year-old girl who had an understanding of that which she believed, I now have a better understanding of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

Miss Pepper died not too long after that visit. How happy our daughter Ann was when she attended the Jordan River Temple and performed the temple work for her beloved teacher whom she friendshipped long ago.

4. Honesty

The oft-repeated adage is ever true: “Honesty is the best policy.” A Latter-day Saint young woman lives as she teaches and as she believes. She is honest with others. She is honest with herself. She is honest with God. She is honest by habit and as a matter of course. When a difficult decision must be made, she never asks herself, “What will others think?” but rather, “What will I think of myself?” Have the courage to do what you know to be right.

5.  Language

How you speak and the words you use tell much about the image you choose to portray. Use language to build and uplift those around you. Profane, vulgar, or crude language and inappropriate or off-color jokes are offensive to the Lord. Never misuse the name of God or Jesus Christ. The Lord said, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” (Ex. 20:7.) Set a positive example for your friends and others by using clean language to express your thoughts.

6. Media: Movies, Television, Radio, Videocassettes, Books, and Magazines

Our Heavenly Father has counseled us to seek after “anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy.” (A of F 1:13.) Whatever you read, listen to, or watch makes an impression on you.

Avoid any semblance of pornography. It is dangerous and addictive. If you continue to view pornography, your spirit will become desensitized and your conscience will erode.

Don’t be afraid to walk out of a movie, turn off a television set, or change a radio station if what’s being presented does not meet your Heavenly Father’s standards. In short, if you have any question about whether a particular movie, book, or other form of entertainment is appropriate, don’t see it, don’t read it, don’t participate.

Just a week ago there appeared in the newspaper an observation by comedian Steve Allen. It describes one of the greater problems of our time:

“Steve Allen doesn’t find anything funny about television’s trend toward stronger language and adult-oriented themes. The veteran comedian lashed out at current television trends in an opinion piece published in the Los Angeles Times.

“The ‘flow is carrying all of us right into the sewer,’ he wrote. ‘The very sort of language parents forbid their children to use is now being encouraged not only by anything-goes cable entrepreneurs but the once high-minded networks,’ said Allen. Shows that depict children and others using vulgar language only point up the collapse of the American family, he said.”

7. Mental and Physical Health

The Apostle Paul declared, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? … The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (1 Cor. 3:16–17.) Use good eating habits, avoiding fad diets and ignoring the often alluring advertisements which emphasize slimness as the ultimate objective. Hard drugs, wrongful use of prescription drugs, alcohol, coffee, tea, and tobacco products destroy your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Any form of alcohol, including beer, is harmful to your spirit and your body. Tobacco can enslave you, weaken your lungs, and shorten your life.

An example of tobacco’s powerful hold is illustrated in a letter which was written by a mother to the popular columnist and human relations adviser Ann Landers:

“Dear Ann Landers:

“A year ago our two-year-old son, Earl, had difficulty breathing, so we took him to a doctor. We learned Earl is allergic to cigarette smoke. My husband said we both had to quit smoking right then and there. He hasn’t touched a cigarette since. I went back to smoking that same night.

“My husband doesn’t know I smoke. I have to sneak around and smoke in the basement, and it is making a nervous wreck out of me. Do you think it would be wrong if we let a nice couple adopt little Earl--a nice couple who don’t smoke? The only problem is that my husband is crazy about the boy. I love him too, but I am more the practical type. What do you think, Ann?

“/s/ Mrs. E. R. M.

“Dear Mrs. E. R. M.:

“I think a lot of people who read this letter are going to say I made it up. It’s utterly fantastic that a mother would put cigarettes ahead of her own child. Don’t present your wild idea to your husband. I wouldn’t blame him if he decided to keep little Earl and unload you!”

8. Music and Dancing

Music can help you draw closer to your Heavenly Father. It can be used to educate, edify, inspire, and unite. However, music can, by its tempo, beat, intensity, and lyrics, dull your spiritual sensitivity. You cannot afford to fill your minds with unworthy music. Dancing can be enjoyable and provide an opportunity to meet new people and strengthen friendships. Plan and attend dances where dress, grooming, lighting, dancing styles, lyrics, and music contribute to an atmosphere in which the Spirit of the Lord may be present.

9.  Sexual Purity

Because sexual intimacy is so sacred, the Lord requires self-control and purity before marriage, as well as full fidelity after marriage. In dating, treat your date with respect, and expect your date to show that same respect for you.

President David O. McKay advised, “I implore you to think clean thoughts.” He then made this significant declaration of truth: “Every action is preceded by a thought. If we want to control our actions, we must control our thinking.” Sisters, fill your minds with good thoughts, and your actions will be proper.

Whenever temptation comes, remember the wise counsel of Paul, who declared: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” (1 Cor. 10:13.)

10.  Sunday Behavior

The Lord has given the Sabbath day for your benefit and has commanded you to keep it holy. Many activities are appropriate for the Sabbath. Bear in mind, however, that Sunday is not a holiday. Sunday is a holy day.

11.  Spiritual Help

When you were confirmed a member of the Church, you received the right to the companionship of the Holy Ghost. He can help you make good choices. When challenged or tempted, you do not need to feel alone. The Holy Ghost will help you know right from wrong. “For they that are wise … have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide.” (D&C 45:57.)

Be true to your ideals, for “ideals are like stars; [you can’t touch] them with your hands, [but by] following them you reach your [destination].” (In Familiar Quotations, 14th ed., comp. John Bartlett, Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1968, p. 733.) Spiritual help is but a prayer away.

12. Repentance

If any has stumbled in her journey, there is a way back. The process is called repentance. Our Savior died to provide you and me that blessed gift. Although the path is difficult, the promise is real: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” (Isa. 1:18.)

Don’t put your eternal life at risk. Keep the commandments of God. If you have sinned, the sooner you begin to make your way back, the sooner you will find the sweet peace and joy that come with the miracle of forgiveness.

These, then, are the standards found in For the Strength of Youth. Joy and happiness come from living the way the Lord wants you to live and from service to God and others.

Our beloved President Ezra Taft Benson sends to you his love. He is your advocate for all that is good and clean and wholesome. He loves you. He trusts you. And how might you return that love, that trust?

            You have a heritage: Honor it.

            You will meet sin: Shun it.

            You have the truth: Live it.

            You have a testimony: Share it.

Spiritual strength frequently comes through selfless service. An actual experience involving young women, their teacher, and a widow illustrates this truth.

As the Christmas season approached, a teacher of Laurels arranged a visit to bring joy to the heart of a lonely widow, Jane. The girls busied themselves preparing delicious cookies, special refreshments--even a Christmas tree with ornaments to be placed thereon. They did not forget a beautiful corsage which they knew would brighten the soul of the special woman they planned to visit.

With their parcels tucked tightly under each arm, the girls and their teacher made their way up the never-ending flights of stairs which led to Jane’s apartment. There was an interminable delay as Jane’s aged feet made their way to the door. As she opened it, she greeted each of the beautiful young ladies and made them welcome in her humble apartment. Their smiles reflected the goodness of their hearts as they erected the Christmas tree and placed upon it the decorations they had so carefully carried. Then the packaged gifts were placed beneath its outstretched branches. I was there. I had never seen a more beautiful tree, for no tree had ever before been decorated with such love, such Christlike care and concern. The teacher slipped into the kitchen; and, aided by three of her girls, the refreshments were prepared and a feast enjoyed.

Then the dear widow gathered her guests around her to share with them her life’s precious memories. She told how, as a young girl in far-off Scotland, she had heard the missionaries, embraced the truth which they taught--even suffered the gibes and comments which adherence to a then-unpopular faith inevitably provoked. She told them how the entire Sabbath day was taken just to travel and to attend the meetings of her newfound faith. Instinctively, the girls compared the ease with which they made their way each Sunday to their chapel.

When Jane told them of the voyage to America, described the storm-tossed Atlantic and the warm feeling which came to the heart when the Statue of Liberty was first glimpsed, I noted that the girls were visibly touched. Tears brimmed in their eyes and pledges were made within their hearts--pledges to do that which is correct, to be honorable, to live true to the faith, and to abide by their standards.

As the evening came to an end, there were kisses and embraces; and then each young lady filed silently from the doorway and made her way down the staircases to the street outside. They left behind a mother filled with the goodness of the world, with love rekindled, with faith again inspired. I’m certain this was one of the happiest days of her life. That night the corsage was carefully and tenderly placed in safekeeping. It had become a symbol of all that is good and clean and wholesome.

Outside the snow was falling, and the girls could hear the crunch of their own footsteps on the snow-covered pavement. Words didn’t come easily, and then one Laurel girl asked, “Why is it I feel better than I’ve ever felt before?” Others nodded the same curiosity. I answered them, “Remember the words of the Master: ‘Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these … , ye have done it unto me.’” (Matt. 25:40.) The words from the hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem” seemed fitting. They were repeated:

  

    How silently, how silently

    The wondrous gift is giv’n!

    So God imparts to human hearts

    The blessings of his heav’n.

    No ear may hear his coming;

    But in this world of sin,

    Where meek souls will receive him, still

    The dear Christ enters in.

  

The dear Christ had indeed entered in--entered a humble home, entered a widow’s heart, and entered, forever to remain, in the soul of each girl. The lighthouse of the Lord had shown the way.

That this same spirit, even the Christ spirit, may ever be ours is my humble prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Picture My Heart

Had a lovely, but freezing photo shoot yesterday! Check out my pictures on my other blog : Picture My Heart.
Here are a few of my favorites:

Day One

Yay!! Stayed within my 1200 calories for the day! So day one totally successful. 

I had a handmade blueberry smoothie for breakfast that I got to say turned out amazing!

Lunch, John and I enjoyed turkey sandwiches with a little cottage cheese.

But I left the best for last, we had BBQ rubbed chicken with Creamy Avocado Pasta!! 

And guess what? It was fabulous!! 

Courtesy of Cookin Cowgirl

But what went even better today, not that we need a huge effort to start it, was the start of our Disneyland Fund!!! We want to get there so badly so we have started the 52 Week Money Challenge! 

We are pretty excited that we are finally going to start saving to make our goal come true! Hopefully this time next year, I will be posting picture from Disneyland!

Anyone want to join us in he 52 Week Money Challenge here is where I found the template: Life As You Live It

The Year 2014

I am actually pretty excited for this year! I have decided that this year is going to be my year... Yes, I know it is a little cliche and everyone at this time of year is saying about the same thing but my goal is to make this year mine! So, of course, I have some New Year's Resolution. But John and I also have some resolutions together!

John and I's Resolutions

~ Be better at Saving Money.... Considering I seem to be really bad with cars in the last four months, we need to be better at having a rainy day fund. So our goal is to at least have enough in savings to get new tires (which seems to happen a lot to me) or enough to cover the rent for a month.

~ Spend 2 hours three times a week with just each other.... With our crazy 40 hour work schedules, different work times and John commuting to Idaho Falls, we don't get to spend a whole lot of time with each other. Our goal is to make time for together time.

~ Make a better Habit of Scripture Study... We want to be better at this. Marion G. Romney stated "There is another reason why we should read the Book of Mormon: By doing so we will fill and refresh our minds with a constant flow of that “water” which Jesus said would be in us “a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). We must obtain a continuing supply of this water if we are to resist evil and retain the blessings of being born again."

~ To work on the Chores together. Partly because of our work schedule, we are not very organized on the chores around the house. We have tried a chore chart and assigning chores but they have never worked. So new method, we assigned chores to certain days and we are going to try our best to get them done together. 

My Self Resolutions

~ Lose at least forty pounds... Some of you may say that's an unreasonable goal but in my mind it's not. I am not saying it needs to be lost in three month or even six. It's my resolution for the year 2014 to lose at least 40 if not more during the course of the year.

~ To stress less... This is going to be harder to do. And it may affect some of you. I am going to have to say no to things asked of me more often. I need to be able to focus my attention on my husband and myself before others. This last week has made me finally decide this plus stress isn't healthy anyways.

My Motto for the year is:

Do you have any resolutions for 2014?