New Year's Wish

The snow is finally here!  It happened yesterday morning.  Our roommate ran out of her room screaming "The snow is here!!!!!!" Everyone ran to the windows and ripped open the blinds.  We stared at the white blanket of twinkling snow.  It was picture perfect!
  Then Sister Hatch {my teaching companion} and I walked 4 miles through this "picture perfect" snow.    All of then sudden it wasn't so glamorous as it was blowing sideways into our faces. My wish for snow became more of a burden.  I even had the thought when will spring be here?
  But then I saw the miracle in the snow.  This is something I previously loved and wished for, and now I was grumbling.
Hmmm...sounds like New Year's resolutions.  We wish for something {to be skinnier, happier, get a better job, etc}.  We're excited, we just can't wait to loose the 20 lbs and then......it gets hard!  All of the sudden those things we want and wish for become a burden.  It's a picture perfect trial!  My New Year's wish is to set goals and keep them....even throught the good, bad and the ugly.  This will help me become a better person, and a better discliple of Christ. 
 

Start off the New Year hopeful:)

Missing Snow?

Never in a million years did I think I would say this.....but I miss the snow!  When I told all my friends and family I would be serving an LDS mission in Rochester New York, the first thing I'd hear was "You're going to freeze to death up there!"  But last year I survived my first New York winter.  You think I could at least get a bumper sticker for that or something.  Now it's Christmas time again, and we've been going door to door, spreading Christmas cheer and a message about Jesus Christ.  Only one thing is missing.....the snow!!! There's something about snow that makes Christmas complete.  Maybe it's because it validates some of my favorite Christmas songs.   
I have been in deep thought about all this.  Going to the shopping malls you see piles and piles of toys and "sale" signs.  Everyone is hustling and bustling around town, the post office line is clear around the corner, the tree and lights are going up, every single night is scheduled with a holiday concert or party, and hundreds of Christmas cards are sent.  Hopefully there's even snow to plow:)  I love all of these things that make the Christmas season happy.  

In the center of all the hustle and snow and buying and sending, there is something of greater value.  If it were missing, Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas.  There's is indeed the "reason for the season".....a reason to celebrate.   It is our Savior, Jesus Christ!  His birth represents everything we have in our lives!  So this year--if I must--I will go without snow, but I will not let this year past without remembering my Savior and celebrating His triumpant birth.  I know He lives!  May He be in your hearts this Christmas season.          

The Gift of the GPS

When I was born there was one thing I was born without...a sense of direction.  Growing up in Utah I could slide by without this gift because, lucky for me, there were mountains--and they were always east. New York has lots of beautiful trees and endless rolling hills...but no mountains. Maps are definitely necessary.


As a missionary we teach many people about the Savior and His plan for us.  Aside from making us super happy, it involves meeting at people's homes, which means driving to places we've never been before.   Last week Sister Lovell {my teaching companion} and I were rushing to an appointment.  We opened the glove compartment to retrieve our handy dandy map and....oops.....it was gone!  We had no clue how to get there. So we did what any mature 22 year olds would do and started aimlessly driving, having faith that someone would answer their cell phone and give us directions to our destination.  Needless to say we ended up on some expressway headed to a far away place.  By some miracle we found our way back home.  We came home to find a carefully wrapped package.  Sister Lovell's aunt sent us a gift:  the gift of a GPS.  Halleluja!  

When I was baptized I promised take upon me Christ's name and keep His commandments and in return Heavenly Father, through Priesthood power, gave me the gift of the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost is my spiritual GPS and luckily for me this time, it's built in, works 24/7 and has a perfect sense of direction.  It will lead me despite the road construction, traffic, and U turns of life.  Someday it will lead me back home to my Father in Heaven. 


I am grateful for the GPS's that lead us to safety and give us direction both physical and spiritually!
   

Because It's True

"What is so amazing about the Mormon church?"  splurted the Catholic Deacon,  "Why are millions of people of your faith so passionate about their beliefs?!"
Inside my heart screamed, Because it's true!  A flash of memories flooded my mind...the thousands of doors I've knocked in the pooring rain, stopping people jogging or talking to a melon-picker in the grocery store, finding ways to start a conversation with everyone and anyone--embrancing the awkward and having no shame--all to tell people about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  And why?  Why would I give up the "prime time" of my adult years to come to rural New York to serve people?  Why would I wear skirts for 18 months and face days of rejection?  
As I bubbled with emotion, I finally found the words to say, "Because it's True. Because people are praying to know if this church is true and they are finding answers.  Because people are reading the Book of Mormon and the Spirit is testifying it is real.  I know I did."  

Temporary Home

Do you ever wonder where your place is in this big world? Do you wonder if someday you and your family can dwell in happiness forever?
There's one thing I know for sure: this is our temporary home. We are a part of a great plan of happiness. We lived with God before this life, and he created this beautiful world for us to live in. I think you would agree that this world goes crazy sometimes, and there's a lot of noise and confusion...a lot of heartache and trial. But this is just a stop to learn and grow. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, made it possible for us to someday go home to our Heavenly Father. There we can dwell in everlasting peace and happiness with Him and our families for eternity.
This is our temporary Home, it's not where we belong...windows and rooms that we're passin' through. This is just a stop, on the way to where we're going. We're not afraid because we know...this is our temporary home.

The Finished Product

Once upon a time there was a poor starving college student who had the desire to become a great artist. He wanted to move people with the beauty and style of his art. So he signed up to take a pottery class…figuring it would be an easy art to master. The first day he sat down on his potter's wheel, took a ball of clay in his hands, and went straight to work. He molded and worked with it for hours, feeling the rhythm of the wheel, forming a shape in his hands, and smoothing out the uneven spots.
At the end he was covered in clay but he had FINALLY made a pot. The teacher came, studied the pot for a moment, and said "That's good, but I know you can do even better." Then in one dramatic moment the student watched his teacher smash the pot! The teacher didn't want to teach the student just how to make a pot—not to make a common product—but to make a beautiful masterpiece fit for a King’s castle.
Do you ever feel like that art student? Going throughout life, trying hard to do what's right? Trials come, mistakes are made, and your clay pot gets smashed! It’s all a part of enduring to the end…..enduring those smashing-of-the-pot moments because you KNOW that with the Lord’s help, He can make your life better.
Jesus Christ is our Master Teacher. He taught that through faith in Him, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and then ENDURING TO THE END…our lives will be beautiful, and the end product will be a masterpiece. Then, like the clay pot, we will be FIT to dwell in His kingdom forever!

The Heavens Opened

I love the beauties of New York! When it rains and the air is thick, blankets of clouds draw close to the ground, as if the heavens have come to rest on the earth.

Do you ever wonder if the heavens are opened, if the Lord can speak to us today? God does love us and He answers our prayers. Many think that the heavens are sealed, that God cannot speak to us. But He can!

There once was a boy named Joseph who was told that the heavens were sealed.

In a grove of beautiful New York trees, he knelt and prayed. He pleaded the heavens would open, that God would answer his humble question: Is there one true church on the Earth? As he was praying, he saw a pillar of light over His head. In amazement he looked up and saw two glorious beings. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared and spoke to Joseph. Through this answer to a prayer, Heavenly Father restored the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth once again. Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet, to speak for God, and the heavens were opened.

I know that through the words of a living prophet and by our own personal communication with God we can know how to find heaven on earth.

M. Russell Ballard said, “Perhaps the most important lesson young Joseph learned in the Sacred Grove is this significant eternal truth: the heavens are not sealed. God loves us. God does communicate with mortals. What comfort that sweet assurance provides in a world filled with confusion and discouragement! What peace and security come to the heart that understands that God in heaven knows us and cares about us”


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWAoKTj7Y30

The Secret

So what is THE SECRET to happiness? People say that they have found the ultimate "formula" to lasting joy and success. You can read books upon books and flip through endless amounts of magazines. You can buy all the free DVDs and CDs that the experts have to offer. Some say it's all in your look...get on your glam! Others exclaim it's found in a successful business making millions. There are those that think it’s in the power of your thoughts or self-awareness. Several say it starts in the comfort of a loving home, surrounded by family and friends. It is true; all these things can bring happiness to the seeker. But TRUE happiness—the feeling that lasts through the good, bad, and crazy parts of life—has one simple formula. True happiness = Jesus Christ


"The gospel of Jesus Christ has the answers to all of our problems. The gospel is not a secret. It is not complicated or hidden. It can unlock the door to true happiness. It is not someone’s theory or proposition. It does not come from man at all. It springs from the pure and everlasting waters of the Creator of the universe, who knows truths we cannot even begin to comprehend. And with that knowledge, He has given us the gospel—a divine gift, the ultimate formula for happiness and success."–Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Through Jesus Christ we can be happy! Through Jesus Christ we can be free from our sins! Through Jesus Christ we can live with our loved ones for eternity! Through living His gospel and keeping his commandments we can become free from the heavy clouds of the world. I know Jesus Christ “the secret” and He invites everyone to come into His arms and receive His joy.

All For Freedom

In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.
--Franklin D. Roosevelt

I stood there, with my hand over my heart as I watched the casket go by, draped in red, white, and blue. I could not stop the tears from swelling. I did not know her, but I loved her. She was one, among thousands, who had given their lives for this great country of America. All for our freedom, for our families, and for our happiness. I dedicate this to her.
She was a young woman who was killed overseas while protecting this country. It yanked at my heart strings because she was my age, starting the beginnings or her life. Yet, she gave me the opportunity, the GIFT, of FREEDOM.
Freedom isn't free! Someone has to pay the price. It is not bestowed upon us, but it is achieved. When I get down on my hands and knees tonight I will thank God for her choice to serve. I will thank Him for all the valiant men and women who fight for our liberty, for the mothers and fathers who wait strongly for their return, and for the wives, husbands, or children who sacrifice their most loved and cherished ones.

I am grateful for a Savior, who paid the ultimate price of freedom. I know that He died, that we may live. I know He made a sacrifice for sin. He made this sacrifice so we can see our loved ones again, and dwell forever in happiness.
This Independence Day, may we all thank God for the men and women who lay down their lives for freedom sake. And may we all thank God for the freeing power of his Son, Jesus Christ.

Be Still!

Alarms rings at 6:00...the first sound of a busy day. Scarf down breakfast before you drop of the kids and head to work. Backseat drama, somebody breathed on somebody. Bye kids! Remember who you are and what you stand for! Deadline at work—a lot of pressure with your new position—probably staying late. Can't forget to buy the wedding gift for your cousin and gas the car. Dinner: definitely a Hamburger Helper night! Try to get the kids gathered around the table, ipod and DS free. Friend calls, going through a rough time and needs a listener. Jake just threw up. Sorry honey, I guess we'll try to go on our date next week! 12:35am your oldest finally creeps in the door. After a mild scolding you crawl into bed. Can hardly....keep...eyes...open.
Right as you are about to drift you remember....I forgot to pray! After a quick pep talk you lift the covers and crawl down on your knees.
You thank God for your blessings, you tell him about your day, you tell him your worried about Melanie's grades and that you don't see your spouse enough. Now your mind is racing 1,000 mph. Then you sigh, I just can't do it all. Am I doing enough? Am I doing too much? Can you hear me?

"BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD"
He whispers.

You are still. His Spirit enters into your heart. You feel Him near.
We live busy lives and we are pulled in a million different directions, but we NEVER have to do anything ALONE. God is always there, reaching out to us. As we take those moments and be still, He will give us the peace and direction we need to carry on. Just be still. God is there for you!

Worth of a Soul = Priceless

After a hard day of work and school, my dad and I used to plop in front of the TV and turn on Antiques Roadshow. Love it…people come from all over, bringing their treasures. From rare gem heirlooms, handcrafted dressers, and hand painted china, to old combs, pictures, and stamps. They all come for one thing...to put a price on an object they think to be of great worth.

Most objects are well kept and preserved as an item of great value, like a necklace passed down from their great-great grandma. It is kept polished and clean, and proudly displayed. Other objects may be a stumbled on treasure from cleaning a stuffy, cobwebbed attic, like an old wooden chair. It’s old and has been fixed, which may lessen its value. The owners wait in line until finally, their possession, how greatly loved or undervalued, is assessed.

We are all different, coming from various places, backgrounds, personalities, opinions....we may feel loved, or perhaps forgotten like that old chair in someone’s attic. We might be weather worn or need to be fixed. But I know that no matter who you are, YOU are of great worth, in fact, PRICELESS.

“God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He doesn’t care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly.”
--Dieter F. Uchtdorf
There is no way to evaluate our worth, because God's love for us is without price. That is worth more than all the rare gems and heirlooms combined. I know He sees us as we truly are: divine sons and daughters of God. So the next time you feel old, lost, or of little value, remember the worth of your soul = priceless.

To Be, or Not to Be?

“To be, or not to be, that is the question?" This simple question is asked by Hamlet, the main character in a play written by William Shakespeare. Hamlet is pondering this vital question, one that will alter his life forever. He has the power of agency, the ability to choose whether to be, or not to be.

We make millions of choices on a daily basis! Some are little choices, like which shoes should I wear? or vanilla or chocolate icecream? Some choices are big, like which college should I attend? or Should I buy this car? All in all, our daily decisions can affect us for the rest of our lives.

I know God gave us this agency before we came to earth. We chose to come here. We knew we’d experience joy and pain so we could grow. Now we get to choose where we are going! Lehi, a prophet in the Book of Mormon, tells his sons, “Men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death…”
Our latter-day Prophet, Thomas S. Monson always reminds us "Decisions Do Determine Destiny!" The decisions we make, whether big or small, can create the direction we go. We have the power to choose to smile on a bad day, to love someone who hurt us, or to choose happiness in obeying the commandments. We have that power!

“My sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life…” Like Lehi, I know that as we choose to live like our Savior that we can create the direction of happiness in our lives.

White As Wool

This week a Sister in our church needed some help with her goats. When her goats where out in the field they had digested some worms while eating the grass. This began the process of goat "worming." Our job was to bring each goat out of the stall, wash their coats clean, and give them medication to clear out the worms.
The Goats stood there frozen, just staring at us with big glassy eyes. We had come to take one of them, but they didn’t know why. As we stepped in the stall, chaos occurred! They were running in circles, leaping and dodging from our hands. It was not an easy task! We finally herded them into a corner and quickly grabbed one by the collar. It bleated and cried and kicked and jerked. It was scared for what was going to happen.

As I sat the goat on my lap and scrubbed her coat, a scripture came to mind:
“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18

Like the goats, sometimes we get dirty and cover ourselves with the filth of the world, and it hurts us inside and out. But I know there is one who can cleanse us, who can make us white and pure again: Jesus Christ. Because He suffered for our sins, we can be washed clean by coming to Him in repentance. When we repent, we want to change our minds and hearts to become like the Savior. It involves turning away from sin--the things that spot us. The process can be scary and sometimes hurts, but He promises us that we will feel at peace. I know as we turn to Jesus Christ, we can be white as wool.

Prayer

"oh Great God, be small enough to hear me now"
I have a friend who once found herself down the dark and dreary of the world. They had offered her everything, in which she found pleasure, but it was only temporary. She longed for lasting happiness and didn't know where to find it. All of the sudden a thought came into her mind. With all the energy she could muster, she bowed her head and whispered a prayer, Heavenly Father, if you are up there and you can hear me, please help me change my life.
It wasn't a prayer of great length or elegance, but it was given with all her heart. God heard her prayer. And from that very moment her life was changed forever.

We are the children of God. He knows our names and He knows our hearts. He loves us deeply and cares about our lives. He is ready to help and comfort us. When we pray, we talk to God. And He in return can talk to us.
Jesus Christ said, “Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name” (3 Nephi 18:19). As we pray, we will come to know and draw nearer to Him. Our hearts will become more like His. When we ask in faith, believing we can receive, He will bless us.

Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

--Alma 37:36-37

I know that God will answer my prayers, just as He answered my friend years ago. I know that He can provide that lasting happiness that we are all searching for, if we but come unto Him.

Serving Others

How would you like to paint a bright spot on your soul today? Serve others! Do you feel like you need more happiness in your life? Serve others! Do you want to truly serve God? The answer lies in serving others.

In the Book of Mormon there is a righteous king name King Benjamin.
Everyone loved him, and there was peace in all over the land. This is because he truly cared about the people he served. Instead of dining all day on the finest foods, sitting upon a golden throne, or sun-bathing next to a royal pool, he worked shoulder to shoulder with HIS people. He saw each individual as a child of God to be helped. At the end of his reign, all his people gathered from far and wide to hear his words. King Benjamin declared:

“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God."

When we truly love others, we want to serve God's children. When we serve God's children, we serve God. That's why everytime we dry a tear or lend a helping hand, our hearts swell with joy. There are so many people in need that surround us, from the people who need food and housing in Japan to the person walking down the street who needs a simple smile.

As we look outward and DO we won't have to worry about our personal happiness. The Savior has promise us as His disciples, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”
I know there is no better way to serve God than opening our hearts and help to His children. I know that as we lose ourselves in the service of others, we will find the happiness that will brighten up our souls. So today.....SERVE OTHERS!

The Still Small Voice

Have you ever felt a still small voice inside of you, helping you make a desicion? Have you ever felt peace and comfort during a trial? Do you ever feel a warm, happy feeling while you are praying or reading from the scriptures? This is the feeling of the Holy Ghost.

Before Jesus left the earth, he was with His Apostles. He promised them that although he could not be with them forever, He would give them the Gift of the Holy Ghost. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."
It is a gift He has given us today! When we have faith in Jesus Christ, repent, and are baptized by someone holding the proper authority, the Lord has promised us the Gift of the Holy Ghost. That means that we are given the still small voice as a constant companion. That peace and comfort we feel through trials, the guidance we receive through prayer, and the quiet voice in our hearts and minds that help us make decisions can be with us ALWAYS.
I don't know about you, but this gives me so much comfort!!! In the middle of the worldy chatter and noise, I know that if I listen to that still small voice, I will be guided by God. I know that as we follow the Lord's teachings that He will never leave us, but that we can feel and hear Him through the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Miracle of the Rainbow

This month it has been raining like crazy! I love the rain. I love the sound it makes on the roof tops, the feel of it on my skin, the smell of the earth as it takes in each drop. This week I was reminded of a very special promise that was made to us. It had been raining and raining. And raining. As my missionary friend and I were walking down the street, inviting people to hear our message, we looked up and saw this gigantic rainbow that reached across the whole sky. The colors were so vivid. We stood there for a moment, taking it all in.

After Noah built the ark, God flooded the earth to cleanse it from sin and unrighteousness. God gave us the rainbow as a promise that the earth will never be flooded again.
I remembered a song I sang as a little girl:
"I like to look for rainbows, whenever there is rain, and ponder on the beauty of the earth made clean again. I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain, I want to live the best I can and live with God again."
We too, like the earth, can be cleansed from sin through baptism. Baptism is by immersion, meaning that the person being baptized is briefly submerged in water. When we are baptized by someone holding the right authority, we go down into the water and receive complete forgiveness of our sins. We are as clean as the earth right after rain. We promise to follow the example of Jesus Christ and live His commandments. He gives us the gift of the Holy Ghost, which helps us make it back to our Savior. I know because I was baptized, I can continue to follow Jesus Christ and make it back to him someday.

A Simple Smile

It's something small and simple...yet one smile can brighten someone's day or light up a whole room. It is completely contagious and universal. So what makes someone smile? Smiling is a sign of happiness and joy characterized by those who wear it.
Colleen K. Menlove said: "Happiness looks like a smile that you can see in people’s eyes so that you know they really are happy...happiness is as simple as a smile."
So what makes us truly happy? How can we learn to smile even through the less trodden paths or storms of life? The answer is simple: Jesus Christ. When center our lives around the Savior we will always have reason to smile. This requires effort on our part. We are taught in order to come closer to Jesus Christ, we must strive to do the small and simple things he has asked of us, like praying, reading the scriptures, going to church, keeping the commandments, and loving all men.
This may seem hard to do rather than simple, but the Savior lovingly teaches us in the Book of Mormon: "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise. And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls." Alma 37: 6-7
I know that as we do those small and simple things the Lord will make our lives great and full of happiness. His promise is sure! Just like a simple smile, it can brighten our day and change our lives.
"As we come to understand the great plan of happiness, we will radiate, for all the world to see, a glad heart and a cheerful countenance. We will show that we know the gospel of Jesus Christ is a simple, ever-present source of true happiness today and ever after in eternity."

The Message

You've seen us before walking down the streets through rain, sleet, snow, or shine, riding bikes in suits or even in skirts, knocking door to door, and talking to EVERYONE and ANYONE who passes. You might have tried to dodge us. You might even think that we're crazy. We're the Mormon missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. So why do we do what we do? Why do we leave our families for 18 months to 2 years to spread this message with everyone? Because we know that the true gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth.
Throughout the history of time God has sent us prophets, right? We can read about these prophets in the Bible...like Adam and Noah and Moses. These prophets had the power and authority to act in the name of God to lead and guide his children, a power that is called the priesthood. They performed miracles. Do you remember when Moses parted the Red Sea? It's because he had that special priesthood power and was able to act in God's name. And just like the children of Israel who walked through the Red Sea on dry ground, when people listen to the prophets, they are blessed. Sometimes they don't listen and fall into a period of spiritual darkness, or a period of apostasy.

When Jesus Christ came to the earth, He was the perfect example, and he showed us to have faith in Him, repent, be baptized, and receive the Holy Ghost. He died for our sins and made the ultimate sacrifice. He established His true church on the earth. You can think of this perfect church as a beautiful glass window. Everything he taught was so clear and full of truth. He called a Prophet, Peter, and 12 apostles and gave them that priesthood power to act in His name and stay true to His teachings. These men supported and protected this glass window, the church, from breaking.

Though many believed Jesus and accepted His teachings, many rejected Him and He was crucified. Peter continued to act in Christ's name to lead and guide the people. He still held up that glass window for all to see. But as we know, people eventually rejected Peter and the apostles, which led to a great period of spiritual darkness. The beautiful glass window was no longer supported, and it fell, shattering into a million pieces. No more was there one perfect true church on the earth. Many people saw those small shards of truth. They picked up a piece of truth and saw it was good, and formed a church out of it.

Since then many have searched for this truth. Many have questioned, is there one true church on the earth? What church is right for me? In 1820, a boy by the name of Joseph Smith had those same questions. After reading in James 1:5 "If any of ye lack wisdom let him ask of God" he decided the only way to know was to ask. So he went into a grove of trees and humbly knelt in prayer, earnestly seeking an answer. When suddenly he says "I saw a pillar of light, exactly over my head above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. 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."
This is the glorious message that we bear, that Christ lives! He has once again established His true church upon the earth today. He called a prophet to act in His name, to lead and guide us today. This is what brings me the greatest happiness, and there is no storm that I wouldn't trudge through, no desert I wouldn't walk to bring this message to His children. The greatest part is you don't have to take my word for it, but you can ask God, just as Joseph did, if this is true. I know that you will receive an answer and that it will change your life.

The Book of Mormon

"And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he withheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
Behold I say unto you, Nay..." --Moroni 7:35-37

God is the God of all miracles. He loves His children and has provided a way for us to be happy. God has once again opened the heavens and poured out His love!!! In the midst of the confusion, he has sent us both spiritual and physical evidence. This evidence is found in The Book of Mormon. You can hold it in your hands! You can read it! The Book of Mormon is a volume of ancient scripture written by holy prophets who came from Jerusalem to the Americas in 600 B.C. It tells of their joys, trials, lives, and most of all, their faith in Jesus Christ. This record was preserved and hidden for generations. After a period of spiritual darkness and confusion, God again reached out His hand to His children. He called a man by the name of Joseph Smith, to be a prophet and gave him the authority to act in the name of God and establish Jesus Christ's church on the earth. Jospeph Smith was able to translate the ancient record, the Book of Mormon by the power of the Holy Ghost. It stands today as a testimony that Jesus is the Christ and that God still performs miracles among the children of men!

The Greatest Miracle

Miracles Never Cease!!!

So much is to be said about life.  It is the essence of our happiness and joy, and also the bringer of pain, heartache, and trial.  But I am a firm believer that miracles never cease.  No matter who you are or where you come from, no matter how lost or found, broken or whole....there is a God you knows and loves you.  He is the worker of miracles. 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  

shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution

or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword?  

Nay, in all these things we are more than

conquerors through him that loved us.  

For I am persudaded, that neither death,

nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,

nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,

shall be able to separate us from the love of God,

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 

--Romans 8:34-39

There isn't a miracle too small or too great for the Lord to perform.  The God that parted the Red Sea has the same power to heal a broken heart.  He is the same God that brings us true joy and His miracles never cease.