#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.

I am a Daughter of God

Today at church was our Primary Program. For an usual ward, this would be the Sunday that children from 18months to eleven years of age get up to present what hey learned during the year with the help of the Primary Presidency and their teachers. Living in a BYUI Married Student ward, most of the couples are freshly married or like us still early in married years. The children in our ward are all under the age of 18 months. So being in Primary Presidency, it is a little difficult to have a Primary Program with NO children. Instead of having children speak then as a presidency we have to. This is now my third talk in a year and a half because of the Primary..... Getting better at it though ;)

                 LDS Primary Presidensy

So here is my talk:

Primary all over the world has had the sacred blessing to help teach each child to come to know that he or she is a child of God. The goal was to help each child learn this important truth as they feel our Heavenly Father's love for us. As adults, we are still children to our earthly parents, to our bishop, and to our Heavenly Father. We need to understand our own divine identity, purpose, and potential. We can help increase our faith in Jesus Christ and our testimony of our Heavenly Father’s plan for us when we realize our full potential as children of God. As we realize this for ourselves we can then teach this in our families, helping our children know and be strengthened by the knowledge that we are children of our Heavenly Father and He loves us.

Heavenly Father wanted us to be happy and He presented His plan to send us to earth and receive a body. He said that we could be happy if we obeyed His commandments. But He knew that we would need a Savior to help us since none of us would be perfect. When we heard about Heavenly Father’s plan, we shouted for joy! How great is the plan of happiness. And how simple it is for us to follow. The Primary song "I will follow God's Plan" explains in simple terms the plan before us.

My life is a gift; my life has a plan.

My life has a purpose; in heav’n it began.

My choice was to come to this lovely home on earth

And seek for God’s light to direct me from birth.

I will follow God’s plan for me,

Holding fast to his word and his love.

I will work, and I will pray;

I will always walk in his way.

Then I will be happy on earth

And in my home above.

In the search for our Heavenly Fathers love, we should be reassured by the examples from the prophets that He knows us by name. Enos when wrestling with his sins, kneeled before god:

"4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

 (Enos:4-5)

Another example was during Moses' encounter.

"2 And he saw God face to face, and he talked with him, and the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore Moses could endure his presence.

3 And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years; and is not this endless?

4 And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease......

6 And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son;...."

 (Moses 1:2-6)

Joseph Smith was also called by name as he kneeled before god...

"14 So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.

15 After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

16 But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction--not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being--just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other--This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!"

 (Joseph Smith—History:14-20)

God knows each of us by name and understands the trials in our lives. He did not give us just the plan of happiness though. He sent us the Holy Ghost to help us through our way. Again a primary song simply explains this wonderful gift.

"The Holy Ghost"

When Christ was on the earth,

He promised he would send

The Holy Ghost to comfort us,

Our true, eternal friend.

The Holy Spirit whispers

With a still small voice.

He testifies of God and Christ

And makes our hearts rejoice.

And when we are confirmed

By sacred priesthood pow’r,

The Holy Ghost is giv’n to us

To guide us ev’ry hour.

Oh, may I always listen

To that still small voice.

And with his light I’ll do what’s right

Each time I make a choice.

Another gift to help us on our way is our family.

“The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” explains that  Heavenly Father’s plan was for His children to come to earth in families. 

Think about a bundle of sticks.  Each stick separately represent members of your family. By itself, one stick is easy to break. We step on sticks all the time and they break into pieces with ease. But take a bundle of sticks and wrap them with layers of paper. Each layer represents an activity. First is family prayer, then family scripture study, family home evening, family going to church, family games, family support, and family love. Each activity bind the sticks together creating an unbreakable log. These activities invite the Spirit into our homes and lives and bring us closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, which then makes our families stronger.

Our Heavenly Father wants all of his children to come unto Him. He wants all to know of their potential that they are a child of God that they can return to live with him. He can not do this by himself. So he has recruited his disciples those of us who know that he is our father. 

There are many ways that we can help others know of their divine potential. But One way is to be an example and serve those around us.

When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 (Matthew 25:35-40)

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf told of this importance in his general conference talk in April of 2010 titled "you are my hands"

He stated:

"A story is told that during the bombing of a city in World War II, a large statue of Jesus Christ was severely damaged. When the townspeople found the statue among the rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith and of God’s presence in their lives.

Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but its hands had been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave it as it was--a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war. Ultimately, the statue remained without hands. However, the people of the city added on the base of the statue of Jesus Christ a sign with these words: “You are my hands.”

There is a profound lesson in this story. When I think of the Savior, I often picture Him with hands outstretched, reaching out to comfort, heal, bless, and love. And He always talked with, never down to, his people. He loved the humble and the meek and walked among them, ministering to them and offering hope and salvation.

That is what He did during His mortal life; it is what He would be doing if He were living among us today; and it is what we should be doing as His disciples and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 Our thoughts and hearts (should be) drawn to Him--the Hope of Israel and the Light of the World.

As we emulate His perfect example, our hands can become His hands; our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart."

 (“You Are Hands")

As we come to know our Heavenly Father and teach our children that we are children of god, let us not forget to thank him each day for the His plan, his blessing, his son, and our lives. 

I am a child of God,

And he has sent me here,

Has given me an earthly home

With parents kind and dear.

I am a child of God,

And so my needs are great;

Help me to understand his words

Before it grows too late.

I am a child of God.

Rich blessings are in store;

If I but learn to do his will,

I’ll live with him once more.

I am a child of God.

His promises are sure;

Celestial glory shall be mine

If I can but endure.

(Chorus)

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me,

Help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do

To live with him someday.

I testify that I know I am a daughter of God. I know that he loves me and has sent me to an earthly home when goodly parents who have taught me my potential. I know that he has blessed me with the Holy Ghost to know decipher between right and wrong leading me back to live with him. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God so have been the prophets before him. I know that The Lord appeared to Joseph and helped him restore the gospel so that I can return again. I know that the Savior atoned for my sins, for I am not perfect and The Lord knew I would need someone's guidance back to him. I know I am a daughter of god. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.  

Eves Homecoming

This last weekend was total Michelsen Crazy!!

Thursday night, Sherry (my mother-in-law), Kim and Michael (John's youngest siblings) arrived at our little apartment to start our family-filled weekend. Kim and Michael were super excited to meet our five kittens! 

Side note: Yes, people we have FIVE kittens.... No not a crazy cat lady just fostering some very cute babies.

Kim and Michael had lots of fun playing with the kiddies while I was still running crazy getting our suitcase ready after procrastinating!

Friday, we left at 9:00am for Utah after picking up Leisha! Now, I get terribly car sick when I am not driving like I can't even go ten minutes in a back seat without getting a headache and then the nausea kicks in. I have mastered at least not vomiting during a car trip since I was fourteen but it's still not fun.

 One of my worst experience with my carsickness was on a family trip when I was about twelve. I had been feeling it for a good while when I told my mom I did not feel good. She told me to sit up, look out the window, and suck on a peppermint. Well, the peppermint was no good and to this day I still do not like peppermints. I knew I had very little time before everything I ate that day came spewing out. Telling my mom and Jaren, my brother, this, they threw me a bag. Now if you ask either of them, they will say that they handed me the bag wide open. I do not remember this! I swear up and down that they threw me the bag in a crumbled ball and I did not have time to un-crumble and open it before everything fell apart. I vomited all over the bag and all over the floor next to me. I swear I have never vomited that much before in my whole life and it was all over the car! It's no surprise at all that my parents were not pleased especially after we cleaned as much as possible but still had to drive hours with all the windows open so that the smell didn't cause a repeat situation. And now it seems to be brought up all the time when we get all together.

Anyways, somehow I forgot this situation and that I don't do good for trips, and got in the car without any form of dramimine. I didn't realize it until we were already on the highway when I started getting a headache. I immediately thought "oh crap" with the incident I just described running through my head! Luckily, we weren't too far just yet and were able to stop in Idaho Falls for some travel sickness pills which put me completely asleep for the next four hours of the drive. Sweet!

We arrived in Draper about 1:00pm to see Kristie and my niece, Lilly! She is too cute! Lilly was very apprehensive at first with everyone in her face and cooing at her but after a couple days with us, she was laughing and playing!

After a very quick pitstop at Kristie's, we were in the car again to Springville where the Eves live which was the whole reason for us coming to Utah. Grandma & Grandpa Eves just came home from their mission in California!! What is crazy is their mission area what the exact area where I have lots of relatives! Small world, right? Both my mom's parents and my dad's mom go to the Oakland temple every week right where John's grandparents were called to!! Crazy!

Anyways after we ate a quick lunch and we said our hellos, Sherry took Kim and I over to John's cousin, Annie. Annie does hair and is amazing....totally recommend if you live near or in the surrounding area of Mapleton. Annie gave me a great haircut and helped me achieve a long time coming dream..... Drum roll please ......... Dye my hair dark!! My mom has given me highlights and I went one other time and got professional haircuts but this was my very first time to dye ALL OF MY HAIR! And I love it!! It's exactly what I wanted!

I need to take a better pick of my new hair.....coming soon!

Well now we are still on Friday!! Holy long day..... Right after and I mean as soon as we were picked up from Annie's house, we were off again! This time, we drove all the way to Logan which ended up being almost two and half hours. We were all super excited though because we were going to watch Jake's soccer game! Bt man was it cold. All ten, and later eleven, of us were bundled up in blankets but that did not stop us from screaming at the top of our lungs, rooting on Jake's team. It was a pretty exciting game too and we flew off our seats when Jake made a goal!

(Wish I could have gotten better pics of Jake's game!!)

Saturday morning, we had pictures with my amazing cousin, Melodie Scott! And the grove that Melodie picked for the pictures was fanatastic! I wish I had taken some pictures myself. The falls colors were sublime and were the perfect setting! We ended up having lots of fun and laughing during the process too, which, of course, helps tremendously with smiles.

(Repeat Picture!! But seriously ... It is that good.)

Luckily after that we had a more relaxing day at the Eves. At least it was for me since John needed to finish a good amount of homework while we were there. I did make him take a break and get a nap in with me ;).

That night we met up with our clan at the Brick Oven to celebrate Leisha's birthday. It's so funny listening to everyone debate on what we should order. I definitely took longer than us actually eating the pizza later! It was super funny though and I believe we had a great time. The night got even better when the balloon lady came over and we insisted that she make Leisha a crazy birthday hat. It is so mesmerizing to watch someone manipulate balloons, all the while talking to you and not popping the balloons. The monkey she made for Michael was too cute! I hope Leisha enjoyed her birthday dinner!

Sunday was very nice as all of Sherry's sisters and their families showed up for their parents homecoming talks. It was great to feel the support and love the children had for their parents and what they had just accomplished. I am not one who gives their testimony at church a lot. But I love listening to others' testimonies! It's amazing to feel the spirit as others bear witness of the gospel, of our leaders, and of our standards. I feel like my own testimony grows through the things that they speak of. And missionary testimonies are the best of all! I loved listening to Grandma and Grandpa Eves talk about some of their experiences and trials that they pushed through. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity of being there.

Before we left but after church, we had a lunch at the Eves with most of the family. There was lots of us! The time with family was super enjoyable but the same time, I craved my bed! About two o'clock, we left back to Rexburg for another five hour drive to make it back to our own bed safely! 

Thank you to the Michelsens for taking John and I with you. It was great to have time with family!

Broken Vessel

Life is hard and there are times were even the most put together person can feel overwhelmed. I know that I have definitely felt overwhelmed with my life and the way it was going. I had some very, very low points when I wasn't sure what my purpose was. I loved how Jeffrey Holland shared his feelings.

If you would like to listen or watch Jeffrey R. Holland's talk, click here

Like a Broken Vessel

Jeffrey R. Holland

The Apostle Peter wrote that disciples of Jesus Christ are to have “compassion one of another.”1 In that spirit I wish to speak to those who suffer from some form of mental illness or emotional disorder, whether those afflictions be slight or severe, of brief duration or persistent over a lifetime. We sense the complexity of such matters when we hear professionals speak of neuroses and psychoses, of genetic predispositions and chromosome defects, of bipolarity, paranoia, and schizophrenia. However bewildering this all may be, these afflictions are some of the realities of mortal life, and there should be no more shame in acknowledging them than in acknowledging a battle with high blood pressure or the sudden appearance of a malignant tumor.

In striving for some peace and understanding in these difficult matters, it is crucial to       pursuit of godliness will be tested and tried again and again. Of greatest assurance in God’s plan is that a Savior was promised, a Redeemer, who through our faith in Him would lift us triumphantly over those tests and trials, even though the cost to do so would be unfathomable for both the Father who sent Him and the Son who came. It is only an appreciation of this divine love that will make our own lesser suffering first bearable, then understandable, and finally redemptive.

Let me leave the extraordinary illnesses I have mentioned to concentrate on MDD—“major depressive disorder”—or, more commonly, “depression.” When I speak of this, I am not speaking of bad hair days, tax deadlines, or other discouraging moments we all have. Everyone is going to be anxious or downhearted on occasion. The Book of Mormon says Ammon and his brethren were depressed at a very difficult time,2 and so can the rest of us be. But today I am speaking of something more serious, of an affliction so severe that it significantly restricts a person’s ability to function fully, a crater in the mind so deep that no one can responsibly suggest it would surely go away if those victims would just square their shoulders and think more positively—though I am a vigorous advocate of square shoulders and positive thinking!

No, this dark night of the mind and spirit is more than mere discouragement. I have seen it come to an absolutely angelic man when his beloved spouse of 50 years passed away. I have seen it in new mothers with what is euphemistically labeled “after-baby blues.” I have seen it strike anxious students, military veterans, and grandmothers worried about the well-being of their grown children.

And I have seen it in young fathers trying to provide for their families. In that regard I once terrifyingly saw it in myself. At one point in our married life when financial fears collided with staggering fatigue, I took a psychic blow that was as unanticipated as it was real. With the grace of God and the love of my family, I kept functioning and kept working, but even after all these years I continue to feel a deep sympathy for others more chronically or more deeply afflicted with such gloom than I was. In any case we have all taken courage from those who, in the words of the Prophet Joseph, “search[ed] … and contemplate[d] the darkest abyss”3 and persevered through it—not the least of whom were Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Elder George Albert Smith, the latter being one of the most gentle and Christlike men of our dispensation, who battled recurring depression for some years before later becoming the universally beloved eighth prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

So how do you best respond when mental or emotional challenges confront you or those you love? Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more than you can comprehend. As President Monson said to the Relief Society sisters so movingly last Saturday evening: “That love never changes. … It is there for you when you are sad or happy, discouraged or hopeful. God’s love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve [it]. It is simply always there.”4 Never, ever doubt that, and never harden your heart. Faithfully pursue the time-tested devotional practices that bring the Spirit of the Lord into your life. Seek the counsel of those who hold keys for your spiritual well-being. Ask for and cherish priesthood blessings. Take the sacrament every week, and hold fast to the perfecting promises of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Believe in miracles. I have seen so many of them come when every other indication would say that hope was lost. Hope is never lost. If those miracles do not come soon or fully or seemingly at all, remember the Savior’s own anguished example: if the bitter cup does not pass, drink it and be strong, trusting in happier days ahead.5

In preventing illness whenever possible, watch for the stress indicators in yourself and in others you may be able to help. As with your automobile, be alert to rising temperatures, excessive speed, or a tank low on fuel. When you face “depletion depression,” make the requisite adjustments. Fatigue is the common enemy of us all—so slow down, rest up, replenish, and refill. Physicians promise us that if we do not take time to be well, we most assuredly will take time later on to be ill.

If things continue to be debilitating, seek the advice of reputable people with certified training, professional skills, and good values. Be honest with them about your history and your struggles. Prayerfully and responsibly consider the counsel they give and the solutions they prescribe. If you had appendicitis, God would expect you to seek a priesthood blessing and get the best medical care available. So too with emotional disorders. Our Father in Heaven expects us to use all of the marvelous gifts He has provided in this glorious dispensation.

If you are the one afflicted or a caregiver to such, try not to be overwhelmed with the size of your task. Don’t assume you can fix everything, but fix what you can. If those are only small victories, be grateful for them and be patient. Dozens of times in the scriptures, the Lord commands someone to “stand still” or “be still”—and wait.6 Patiently enduring some things is part of our mortal education.

For caregivers, in your devoted effort to assist with another’s health, do not destroy your own. In all these things be wise. Do not run faster than you have strength.7 Whatever else you may or may not be able to provide, you can offer your prayers and you can give “love unfeigned.”8 “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; … [it] beareth all things, … hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.”9

Also let us remember that through any illness or difficult challenge, there is still much in life to be hopeful about and grateful for. We are infinitely more than our limitations or our afflictions! Stephanie Clark Nielson and her family have been our friends for more than 30 years. On August 16, 2008, Stephanie and her husband, Christian, were in a plane crash and subsequent fire that scarred her so horrifically that only her painted toenails were recognizable when family members came to indentify the victims. There was almost no chance Stephanie could live. After three months in a sleep-induced coma, she awoke to see herself. With that, the psyche-scarring and horrendous depression came. Having four children under the age of seven, Stephanie did not want them to see her ever again. She felt it would be better not to live. “I thought it would be easier,” Stephanie once told me in my office, “if they just forgot about me and I quietly slipped out of their life.”

But to her eternal credit, and with the prayers of her husband, family, friends, four beautiful children, and a fifth born to the Nielsons just 18 months ago, Stephanie fought her way back from the abyss of self-destruction to be one of the most popular “mommy bloggers” in the nation, openly declaring to the four million who follow her blog that her “divine purpose” in life is to be a mom and to cherish every day she has been given on this beautiful earth.

Whatever your struggle, my brothers and sisters—mental or emotional or physical or otherwise—do not vote against the preciousness of life by ending it! Trust in God. Hold on in His love. Know that one day the dawn will break brightly and all shadows of mortality will flee. Though we may feel we are “like a broken vessel,” as the Psalmist says,10 we must remember, that vessel is in the hands of the divine potter. Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind.

I testify of the holy Resurrection, that unspeakable cornerstone gift in the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ! With the Apostle Paul, I testify that that which was sown in corruption will one day be raised in incorruption and that which was sown in weakness will ultimately be raised in power.11 I bear witness of that day when loved ones whom we knew to have disabilities in mortality will stand before us glorified and grand, breathtakingly perfect in body and mind. What a thrilling moment that will be! I do not know whether we will be happier for ourselves that we have witnessed such a miracle or happier for them that they are fully perfect and finally “free at last.”12 Until that hour when Christ’s consummate gift is evident to us all, may we live by faith, hold fast to hope, and show “compassion one of another,”13 I pray, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Favorite General Conference Talk

So life has been a little crazy of late so I apologize for the lack of posts but I refreshed and ready to start anew!! Thank you for being patient with me!

 I loved listening to this talk and it definitely had the most notes from me so I decided to share it with you all! If you would like to watch and listen to it instead of reading, I have posted the link below:

No Other Gods - by Dallin H. Oaks

No Other Gods

by Dallin H. Oaks

The Ten Commandments are fundamental to the Christian and Jewish faiths. Given by God to the children of Israel through the prophet Moses, the first two of these commandments direct our worship and our priorities. In the first, the Lord commanded, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). Centuries later, when Jesus was asked, “Which is the great commandment in the law?” He answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:36–37).

The second of the Ten Commandments elaborates the direction to have no other gods and identifies what should be the ultimate priority in our lives as His children. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing” in the heavens or the earth (Exodus 20:4). The commandment then adds, “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:5). More than merely forbidding physical idols, this states a fundamental priority for all time. Jehovah explains, “For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, … shewing mercy unto … them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5–6). The meaning of jealous is revealing. Its Hebrew origin means “possessing sensitive and deep feelings” (Exodus 20:5, footnote b). Thus we offend God when we “serve” other gods—when we have other first priorities.

What other priorities are being “served” ahead of God by persons—even religious persons—in our day? Consider these possibilities, all common in our world:

1. •Cultural and family traditions
2. •Political correctness
3. •Career aspirations
4. •Material possessions
5. •Recreational pursuits
6. •Power, prominence, and prestige

If none of these examples seems to apply to any one of us, we can probably suggest others that do. The principle is more important than individual examples. The principle is not whether we have other priorities. The question posed by the second commandment is “What is our ultimate priority?” Are we serving priorities or gods ahead of the God we profess to worship? Have we forgotten to follow the Savior who taught that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments? (see John 14:15). If so, our priorities have been turned upside down by the spiritual apathy and undisciplined appetites so common in our day.

For Latter-day Saints, God’s commandments are based on and inseparable from God’s plan for His children—the great plan of salvation. This plan, sometimes called the “great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8), explains our origin and destiny as children of God—where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. The plan of salvation explains the purpose of creation and the conditions of mortality, including God’s commandments, the need for a Savior, and the vital role of mortal and eternal families. If we Latter-day Saints, who have been given this knowledge, do not establish our priorities in accord with this plan, we are in danger of serving other gods.

Knowledge of God’s plan for His children gives Latter-day Saints a unique perspective on marriage and family. We are correctly known as a family-centered church. Our theology begins with heavenly parents, and our highest aspiration is to attain the fulness of eternal exaltation. We know this is possible only in a family relationship. We know that the marriage of a man and a woman is necessary for the accomplishment of God’s plan. Only this marriage will provide the approved setting for mortal birth and to prepare family members for eternal life. We look on marriage and the bearing and nurturing of children as part of God’s plan and a sacred duty of those given the opportunity to do so. We believe that the ultimate treasures on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity.

Because of what we understand about the potentially eternal role of the family, we grieve at the sharply declining numbers of births and marriages in many Western countries whose historic cultures are Christian and Jewish. Responsible sources report the following:

1. •The United States now has the lowest birthrate in its history,² and in many European Union nations and other developed countries, birthrates are below the level necessary to maintain their populations.³ This threatens the survival of cultures and even of nations.
2. •In America, the percentage of young adults ages 18 to 29 who are married fell from 59 percent in 1960 to 20 percent by 2010.⁴ The median age for first marriage is now at its highest level in history: 26 for women and almost 29 for men.⁵
3. •In many countries and cultures (1) the traditional family of a married mother and father and children is coming to be the exception rather than the rule, (2) the pursuit of a career instead of marriage and the bearing of children is an increasing choice of many young women, and (3) the role and perceived necessity of fathers is diminishing.

In the midst of these concerning trends, we are also conscious that God’s plan is for all of His children and that God loves all of His children, everywhere.⁶ The first chapter of the Book of Mormon declares that God’s “power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth” (1 Nephi 1:14). A later chapter declares that “he hath given [his salvation] free for all men” and that “all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden” (2 Nephi 26:27–28). Consequently, the scriptures teach that we are responsible to be compassionate and charitable (loving) toward all men (see 1 Thessalonians 3:12; 1 John 3:17; D&C 121:45).

We are also respectful of the religious beliefs of all people, even of those increasing numbers who profess no belief in God. We know that through the God-given power of choice, many will hold beliefs contrary to ours, but we are hopeful that others will be equally respectful of our religious beliefs and understand that our beliefs compel us to some different choices and behaviors than theirs. For example, we believe that, as an essential part of His plan of salvation, God has established an eternal standard that sexual relations should occur only between a man and a woman who are married.

The power to create mortal life is the most exalted power God has given to His children. Its use was mandated by God’s first commandment to Adam and Eve (see Genesis 1:28), but other important commandments were given to forbid its misuse (see Exodus 20:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). The emphasis we place on the law of chastity is explained by our understanding of the purpose of our procreative powers in the accomplishment of God’s plan. Outside the bonds of marriage between a man and a woman, all uses of our procreative powers are to one degree or another sinful and contrary to God’s plan for the exaltation of His children.

The importance we attach to the law of chastity explains our commitment to the pattern of marriage that originated with Adam and Eve and has continued through the ages as God’s pattern for the procreative relationship between His sons and daughters and for the nurturing of His children. Fortunately, many persons affiliated with other denominations or organizations agree with us on the nature and importance of marriage, some on the basis of religious doctrine and others on the basis of what they deem best for society.

Our knowledge of God’s plan for His children⁷ explains why we are distressed that more and more children are born outside of marriage—currently 41 percent of all births in the United States⁸—and that the number of couples living together without marriage has increased dramatically in the past half century. Five decades ago, only a tiny percentage of first marriages were preceded by cohabitation. Now cohabitation precedes 60 percent of marriages.⁹ And this is increasingly accepted, especially among teenagers. Recent survey data found about 50 percent of teenagers stating that out-of-wedlock childbearing was a “worthwhile lifestyle.”¹⁰

 There are many political and social pressures for legal and policy changes to establish behaviors contrary to God’s decrees about sexual morality and contrary to the eternal nature and purposes of marriage and childbearing. These pressures have already authorized same-gender marriages in various states and nations. Other pressures would confuse gender or homogenize those differences between men and women that are essential to accomplish God’s great plan of happiness.

Our understanding of God’s plan and His doctrine gives us an eternal perspective that does not allow us to condone such behaviors or to find justification in the laws that permit them. And, unlike other organizations that can change their policies and even their doctrines, our policies are determined by the truths God has identified as unchangeable.

Our twelfth article of faith states our belief in being subject to civil authority and “in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” But man’s laws cannot make moral what God has declared immoral. Commitment to our highest priority—to love and serve God—requires that we look to His law for our standard of behavior. For example, we remain under divine command not to commit adultery or fornication even when those acts are no longer crimes under the laws of the states or countries where we reside. Similarly, laws legalizing so-called “same-sex marriage” do not change God’s law of marriage or His commandments and our standards concerning it. We remain under covenant to love God and keep His commandments and to refrain from serving other gods and priorities—even those becoming popular in our particular time and place.

In this determination we may be misunderstood, and we may incur accusations of bigotry, suffer discrimination, or have to withstand invasions of our free exercise of religion. If so, I think we should remember our first priority—to serve God—and, like our pioneer predecessors, push our personal handcarts forward with the same fortitude they exhibited.

A teaching of President Thomas S. Monson applies to this circumstance. At this conference 27 years ago, he boldly declared: “Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but as the determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well.”¹¹

I pray that we will not let the temporary challenges of mortality cause us to forget the great commandments and priorities we have been given by our Creator and our Savior. We must not set our hearts so much on the things of the world and aspire to the honors of men (see D&C 121:35) that we stop trying to achieve our eternal destiny. We who know God’s plan for His children—we who have made covenants to participate in it—have a clear responsibility. We must never deviate from our paramount desire, which is to achieve eternal life.¹² We must never dilute our first priority—to have no other gods and to serve no other priorities ahead of God the Father and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

May God help us to understand this priority and to be understood by others as we seek to pursue it in a wise and loving way, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Load Your Handcart

The Lord isn't asking us to load up a handcart; he's asking us to fortify our faith. -  Elder Ballard

Our lesson in Sunday school today was kind of like Elder Ballards quote. We have been given prophets in this age, we have the full gospel in our hands, and we millions of members to support us. We feel like our lives are hard during times and that our trials are ridiculous. But as I read this quote  and listened to the lesson today, I realized that our trials are small and less painful in comparison to the early saints.

Even before the Saints moved west to Utah, their lives were full of persecution and pain. When I think of a big example of the pain and suffering i think of what they went through at Haun's Mill. So many of them where murdered that day just because others didn't believe what they did. They lost so many.

For those of you reading this post who don't know what the heck I am talking about here is in excerpt explaining:

"Haun's Mill Massacre

Author: Blair, Alma R.

On October 30, 1838, segments of the Missouri militia attacked a settlement of Latter-day Saints at Jacob Haun's mill, located on Shoal Creek in eastern Caldwell County, Missouri. Because the attack was unprovoked in a time of truce, had no specific authorization, and was made by a vastly superior force with unusual brutality, it has come to be known as "The Haun's Mill Massacre." It was one incident in the conflict between the Missourians and the Latter-day Saints that resulted in the LDS expulsion from the state in 1839 (see Missouri Conflict).

Tensions had been building up ever since the Latter-day Saints began moving into Caldwell and Daviess counties in central Missouri in 1836. From August to October 1838, incidents of overt conflict had grown dramatically. Rumors abounded that the Mormons planned to "despoil" the Missourians and take their land. Specifically, some believed that the Haun's Mill's population threatened to spill over into non-Mormon Livingston County. Outbursts of violence led Governor Lilburn W. Boggs on October 27 to issue an "Extermination Order," demanding that the Latter-day Saints leave the state or be exterminated. It is uncertain whether this order was a catalyst for the attack, but it is clear that both the Latter-day Saints and the Missourians believed that their rights had been violated and their existence threatened.

Thirty to forty LDS families were at Haun's Mill when some 200 to 250 militia from Livingston, Daviess, and Carroll counties, acting under Colonel Thomas Jennings, marched against the village. Assuming that an earlier truce still held, the residents were surprised by the late afternoon attack. Church leader David Evans' call for "quarter" was ignored, and the villagers were forced to flee for safety. The Mormon women and children fled south across a stream into the woods, while the men gathered in the blackSmith shop, but found it a poor place for defense because the Missourians were able to fire through the widely spaced logs directly into the group huddled inside.

Seventeen Latter-day Saints and one friendly non-Mormon were killed. Another thirteen were wounded, including one woman and a seven-year-old boy. No Missouri militiamen were killed, though three were wounded. Certain deaths were particularly offensive to the Saints. Seventy-eight-year-old Thomas McBride surrendered his musket to militiaman Jacob Rogers, who shot him, then hacked his body with a corn knife. William Reynolds discovered ten-year-old Sardius Smith hiding under the bellows and blew the top of the child's head off.

While women cared for the wounded, the men remained in hiding during the night. The dead were thrown into an unfinished well and lightly covered with dirt and straw. A few Missourians returned the next day, took plunder, and warned the remaining Saints to leave Missouri.

The 1838-39 Missouri judicial proceedings investigating the "Mormon War" largely ignored the events at Haun's Mill, but Latter-day Saints wrote numerous, bitter accounts. The Haun's Mill Massacre became embedded in the LDS psyche as an epitome of the cruel persecutions that they had endured."

Then as the Saints pushed their handcarts over the rough terrain towards Utah. They had little food and supplies, they had to leave much of their furniture. Just think about if you were asked to leave some of your belongings, leave some of your treasured possessions and your home to trek across the wilderness. Could you up root everything and move?

And yet The Lord now is asking so little in comparison. Saints then had the faith to move across the country and settle in a place humans had not lived yet. Do we have the faith to simply read our scriptures, go to church and listen to the prophets?