Week 10: Location, Location, Location.....

As a builder for Christ, location is a very important aspect of how well we can build. No matter how hard you try you cannot dig a foundation in the middle of the ocean.

In Genesis there is a story about a man named Lot and the people he was with. Lot chose to face his tent towards the wicked city of Sodom, while others chose to face their tents toward the temple. Lot's choice eventually led to his captivity... but what about the choice of those who faced their tents towards the temple?

I recently just finished a book called "Paper Towns" by John Green. (SPOILER ALERT!!!) It is about a girl who is popular and has a car and is beautiful and lives a very nice life... at least in the worldly sense. Margo the girl in the book seeks escape... to build herself. She reads of this paper town in New York. Paper towns are towns that don't really exist. They are fake towns created by the map maker to keep other people from copying their maps without consent. She reads of this town called Agloe. It was a paper town until someone came along and built a General Store then making it an extremely small town, population zero. Even though Margo has a great and wonderful worldly life, she seeks more. So she runs off to the town of Agloe to build herself.

Although this book wasn't even church related, maybe there is something we can learn. When we are in the wrong location can we build ourselves? Can we build ourselves when we are surrounded by groups of people facing the wrong way?

So yes I must face my tent towards the temple but what can I do for others who's tent is in the wrong direction? What if Lot would have had a pal that was like "Hey bro, come sit in my tent for a while. We can look at the temple and listen to the messages. It'll be so fun!"I know it sounds a little crazy and they probly wouldn't have said it like that but it makes you wonder. What if someone could have helped him turn his tent? All the time we travel through misguided "tents", but what would happen if we took the time to take down the tent carry it to the temple and plant it so far deep into the ground that it can "be not moved"? This my friends, is missionary work.

I recently read a quote that said, "You may feel like you are on the wrong path, but as long as your sights are on  the temple, the path is always correct!" How comforting! This life may be full of trail and temptation and we may wander and feel lost and hopeless, but I promise you as long as your sights are on the temple it is ALWAYS right! Our lives will never be picture perfect.... our paths will never be straight.... and sometimes we have to check out several locations before we know we are headed in the right direction. But I beg and plead that your sights be on that temple... it doesn't matter how you get there or how long it takes.. if your sights are on the temple, YOU WILL GET THERE!!!!!

Month 3: BECOME A BUILDER---How Is It That He Cannot Instruct Me That I Should Build?

We all know of the notorious chapter in Nephi where the Lord instructs Nephi to build a ship. No Nephi was not a ship builder, he had never built a ship and I doubt he had even taken a ride in one. But I love Nephi's response to the Lord. He did not say "I can't build one I don't know how" or even "how do I construct a ship" but rather his response was "Where can I find the material needed to build tools?"

How willing was Nephi? He was given a task that was heavy even for someone who knows how to build a ship but Nephi knew God would help Him. He knew that he was not alone and that the Lord would help him along the way. After all, is any task to big for our Father in Heaven?

In 1 Nephi 17:51 Nephi says, "If the Lord has such great power.... how can He not instruct me?"

Sometimes I wonder if I overlook what Nephi is trying to say. I praise the Lord on His power and His knowledge. I have faith that He is molding me into what He wants me to become. I trust that He knows me better than I know myself and that because of that He knows exactly what I need. HE IS ALL!! He is alpha and omega! He created all things.... this bed I am sitting on, the food I just ate, the computer I am using to speak to you, the scriptures I read every night, the skin on my body, the love in my heart, the thoughts in my mind, the blood pumping in my veins, and the soul that flows through me. He created me.... and just as He created me, He created you. How could He not know the very thing He spent so much time to create?

If I know that the Lord has all this power, how then, can He not instruct me?

The Lord knows us. He knows our desires and our fears, our hopes and our failures, our joy and our pain. He knows our struggles and our tears. The only thing that holds back his instruction is YOU.

Today in Gospel Doctrines the teacher explained that when our minds have a question it truly seeks an answer for it, it is as if a Velcro strip has been implanted in the back of our mind. We can be taught and taught and taught but until that Velcro strip is there we will not retain any of the knowledge.

God knows the answers... but sometimes we must ask the questions. Sometimes we must want something to cling to our Velcro so badly that we must truly desire Him to teach us. Sure He has the knowledge, He has the answer, but until we want to know of it He can't share it. He won't share until we ask.

Why then is it so hard to ask? We know He has the answers. We know He has the power... so why then is it so hard for me to just get down on my knees and ask. Perhaps if we would go to Him first with our questions... this life would be a whole lot easier.

Someone once said, "That which I HAVE I can easily give you, but that which I AM you must obtain yourself." We will never know of something until it has bombarded our hearts. We will never truly learn something until it has been constantly running through our brain. As much as I want the lessons others have learned they won't become apart of me until I have obtained it myself.

Week 8: Become Willing To Consider Your Ways

In order to truly become willing we must be able to consider our ways. To consider our sins and bad habits and addictions.. 

There is a lady in my ward who I just love. She is so sweet and kind and a great missionary and a great example, but like us all she had a fault... she was addicted to nicotine. She stood up one day and told us that she had seriously thought about it and realized that because of her addiction was holding her family back. She wanted so badly to be sealed with her husband and her 2 kids in the temple, but her addiction was holding them all back. She stood in front of us all and humbled herself as she confided in us her deep dark secret. I'm sure she had to feel low and awful, but she asked us all to pray for her.... now here we are several months later and this lady has been nicotine free and went through the temple and is soon to be sealed to her family. 

What a great example she is to be truly willing. How can we truly become willing when we hold on to things that are holding us back? We HAVE to let go of these things.. In order to move forward we have to let go..
We have to consider our ways.. 

It might not be sins or addictions holding us back either. Perhaps it is our emotions or fears... 

One time I was struggling. I felt incredibly alone. I just wanted someone to love me. I knew my family and friends did but I wanted a lover. Someone to take me on dates and confide my secrets in. Someone to hold my hand and wipe away the tears. I was a good girl, I went to church and believed in every word, but no one came along. One particular night I was struggling, up in my room I was crying and angry. Why hadn't Heavenly Father answered my prayers? My mom came up and asked me a simple question. "Are you doing everything you can?" I was a good kid. I was doing good things but I was not doing everything. I decided that night to pick up my scriptures and read. After three nights of continuous scripture study my answer came in the heart of a blonde hair blue eyed boy. There's not a doubt in my mind that this is the man I am supposed to marry. I'd known him for years but it wasn't until I lost myself in Christ that I found him. How can we expect Him to do all these things for us when we can't do all the things he asks of us? 

Lose yourself in Him and you will find yourself there too. 

Week 7: Reaching

READ- Luke 8:41-48 and Matthew 14:22-33

Sometimes we may feel as though we are drowning. Drowning in pain, drowning in stress, drowning in sorrow, drowning in sin, drowning in loneliness. In these moments of drowning it is so very important that we reach for Him. 

There are some phenomenal examples of reaching in the scriptures. 

There was Peter and his willingness to reach. When being tossed in the ship upon violent waves the apostles watched our Savior walk upon the water... Peter had a desire to also walk with Christ. After the Savior invited Peter to walk with Him upon the water, Peter stepped out of the water onto the uncertain, crashing waves. For a while Peter walked confidently, but soon Peter began doubting and started to sink. "Lord, save me." and  immediately Christ reached out His hand and lifted up Peter. 

Another story is of a woman who suffered a terrible blood disease, but after 12 years of suffering and her disease worsening she did not falter. She knew that if she could just reach out and touch Christ, even just His clothes, she would be healed. One day as Jesus was traveling through a larger crowd, she finally got her chance to touch Him. As she reached out and touched His robe He could feel His power leave Him. "Who touched me?" He asked. I could only imagine what she was feeling as she said it was her who had touched Him. But then the Savior kneels down to look at her (in her newly healed body) and said, "Daughter, be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole, now go thy way in peace." 

Sometimes I find that I am like Peter or even like the woman. I am sometimes broken, or drowning, or struggling, or doubting.... But with faith I know that if I will just reach for Him... He will reach back. When we reach for Him, He will always reach out to hold us. Sometimes there is a lesson to learn... If the woman could have immediately been healed she wouldn't have had as much faith (or even appreciation) for the miracle of being made whole, but if Peter hadn't have been reached out for and held up immediately he would have drowned. Sometimes His reaching comes immediately, and sometimes it just takes time. But know this, a prayer for strength NEVER goes unanswered. 

He knows you. He knows of your hopes and successes and desires and dreams and happiness... but He also knows your pain and sorrows and loneliness and stresses. He knows when you are drowning. And if you are faithfully willing to reach for Him, He will not sit back and watch you sink. He will save you. He will heal you. So please if you are drowning, DO NOT think you are alone. DO NOT turn to something else to take away that pain. REACH FOR HIM AND BE HEALED!!!! <3 :)

Week 6: "Upon These I Write The Things Of My Soul"

This weeks post is a little belated due to my 19th BIRTHDAY!!!! But anyways... 

This weeks challenge was to act. I have had a really hard time connecting with these last couple of chapters but here's a few things I learned. 

She brings up one of the biggest hero's in the Book of Mormon... When Nephi first started writing he wrote "upon these I write the things of my soul.." Like we preserve the precious memories we make with loved ones in scrapbooks and pictures or keepsakes, we must also preserve the divine memories we make with our Heavenly Father. Although we may not have physical memories with our Heavenly Father we do share very deep and personal spiritual memories with Him. "Sometimes these moments come from reading our scriptures; other times they come during humble, heartfelt prayer. The Lord's spirit can be felt in the tearstained hours of trial and in the most tender moments of service. His spirit can sustain us through the deepest heartache and strengthen us to face our unmasked fears. The undeniable warmth that settles in our heart signifies His answer, accompanies His peace, and confirms His witness. These things of the Lord, these are the things we must remember." 

It is important for us to write down those divine spiritual guidances we receive from our Father in Heaven. This past General Conference I decided to make a conference notebook. With each talk we listened to I wrote down the things that really touched my soul. Although I have not referred back to that notebook yet I carry it in my purse... so that in times of need or a rainy day I can have that strong spiritual guidance with me. We should carry a spiritual journal with us. :)