Becoming Children of God

Well I haven't posted for awhile, mostly because I didn't know what to post but now I've started to find things I want to write about.

I've been preparing to serve a mission so that's been fun! I love getting all my things gathered and feeling like it's all coming together. I can't believe it's actually happening.

Recently I was called to be in the Primary. I am now teaching the eleven year old girls. It's been quite the challenge because I've never been good at teaching kids. My bishop said it's good for future missionaries to teach the kids because it's the mentality that most investigators have when approaching the Church. I really love my primary class.

Singing time is my favorite part of primary though. A dear friend of mine leads the singing and she does such a good job. I love how she interacts with the kids and gets them interested in the music. Today we sang "If the Savior Stood Beside Me." I've never really listened to the lyrics before but I'll post them at the bottom with a link to the music.

It's such a precious song and the words that hit me the hardest were the ones about how He loves me dearly and I am in His watchful care. Primary teaches us to return to the basics of the Gospel and to appreciate the simplicity that it really is. We must do as Mosiah teaches in Mosiah 18:22 and become like little children. We are all God's children and He wants us back in His arms.

I will work as a daughter of God, a missionary, to bring my family that is California to the light of the Gospel. I love the people there even though I don't know them and I am grateful for what they can teach me.

If the Savior stood beside me,

Would I do the things I do?

Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true?

Would I follow His example?

Would I live more righteously if I could see the Savior standing nigh,

watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me,

Would I say the things I say?

Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?

Would I try to share the gospel?

Would I speak more rev’rently if I could see the Savior standing nigh,

watching over me?

If the Savior stood beside me, would my thoughts be clean and pure?

Would His presence give me strength and hope and courage to endure?

Would His counsel guide my actions?

Would I choose more worthily if I could see the Savior standing nigh

watching over me?

Watching over me, watching over me,

He is always near me, though I do not see Him there,

And because He loves me dearly,

I am in His watchful care,

So I’ll be the kind of person that I know I’d like to be

if I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me.

I will be the kind of person that I know I’d like to be

if I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me.

They Have Better Work to Do

In the recent wake of new catastrophic events that shook America, along with the other shootings and mass murders that have captivated our attention on news channels every night, I think it's time we realize that life happens.

A lot of people, me included for a little while, believed that God has just allowed these things to happen. That He doesn't care about His children or about what happens to them down here. The people with little faith see these tragedies as sad. And they are! Don't get me wrong, children should never feel unsafe at school and I'm sure the parents are struggling. Families everywhere have suffered.

But Heavenly Father needs them more than the world does. LDS people teach that after we die, our spirits go to a place where we can learn and grow more. There is missionary work done, and people to be taught that didn't get the chance here. They are in need of angels there, and they have better work to do.

Those family members, friends, cousins, neighbors, sisters, wives, co-workers, children, and loved ones that have been lost in the past few months, are with God now. And where else would we want them. Through the   Plan of Salvation and Jesus Christ I know that we will see them again. They aren't lost to us, but they are much busier than us. And, at times we may feel sad and miss those we've lost, we need to keep in mind that Heavenly Father is keeping them busy. He as a better work for them to do than they could have ever achieved on earth.

Striving with the Spirit

"For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man then cometh speedy destruction, and this grieveth my soul." 2 Nephi 26:11

I was reading this scripture tonight in my nightly reading of the Book of Mormon. Now a lot of people will take it at face value to mean that when we don't have the Spirit of the Lord (or the Holy Ghost) we will sin and be destroyed. However, the word STRIVE struck my attention and gave me a deeper appreciation for this scripture. 

Strive, in the first definition does mean to put an effort out. The Spirit won't always try to be with us. But the second meaning is what caught my attention. Strive can also mean contend or fight with. Now I'm not saying that the Holy Ghost is a violent being. 

It means that His presence can't be felt when it is in contention with the natural man. "The natural man is an enemy to God." (Mosiah 3:7) He is not going to strive to be heard if we are too involved in sin. 

So readers, if there is anything in your life that the Holy Ghost could be contending against, I urge you to change it now. He wants to bless you and He can't do that if He has to shout his way to the top. The Spirit is a still, small voice that whisper's words of peace and love to our hearts. He will direct us by small daily promptings every day. 

I know that the Holy Ghost can influence us if we let Him. We have to be doing what is right and keeping out the natural man for Him to make a difference. I know this church is true. 

Amen. 

Mission Call!

Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to announce that my mission call came last week.

CALIFORNIA REDLANDS MISSION!!! I leave July 24.

I am so excited to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of California. I know that I have a loving Heavenly Father who is watching over me and protecting me. He loves me and I am His daughter. I also know that the Gospel has the capacity to bless the lives of families no matter what circumstances.

The gospel may seem hard to some because of all the rules. But I like to think of the rules like a funnel. Right now we feel like we are living constricted, but later on in our lives so many more freedoms will open up to us in the forms of blessings. However, live free now and those rules suddenly constrict us because we aren't following them.

I know that the Church is true. I know that my Heavenly loves all of His children. I know that if you turn to him that he will listen and always answer our prayers.

I love this Gospel.

Amen.

Partake of the Fruit of God

1  Nephi 8:9-33. 

This passage of scripture depicts the vision of the tree of life that Lehi and then later his son Nephi see. Two words, however, came out very strong for me this time reading around. They were the words "partake" and "taste." 

When Nephi first takes a bite of the fruit he partakes of it. (vs. 11-12) He describe the feelings that he has and the way that he eats it. Partaking of something implies a much greater appetite. It means being a part of something. There was a much greater connection there. 

 Compare that, then, to the people in verse 28: "and after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them, and they fell away and were lost." Those people merely TASTED of the love of God. They didn't dwell on it like Nephi did. It was as if they licked the fruit, kind of got a sense of what it was like, then got embarrassed and left.

Again, in verse 33 the people who partook were mocked and ridiculed but they "heeded them not." They were too busy being a part of the love of God. They kept partaking and partaking. Compare that to the people who were lost that only ate the fruit once then fell away.

We need to be like the people of Nephi. Embrace the love of God and continually eat it. Don't listen to the ways of the world and just keep eating and eating. It can't just be a one time conversion either, like those who tasted. It's a constant process of partaking. I invite all who read my blog (all 2 of you) to join with me in partaking of the fruit of God and living this Gospel to it's fullest. 

The Art of Dating

Last night I was stood up again. This was the second time this kid has flaked. I wait and wait and wait for a reply, for a sign that , ya he does have a good excuse for canceling on me again. Nope, nothing. Just some lousy text and 11:30 at night saying he was sorry. 

Boys, listen up, it's time to stop acting like boys and start acting like men. I think that's been the problem with most of the guys I've dated. They aren't acting like they should. When I go on a date, I should have my door opened, my chair pulled out, my food paid for, and the jacket laid across the puddle. 

But no, half the time I have to CHECK to see if it's a date or not. I have to clarify with them. Yes, I know it can be hard to tell the difference between date and hanging out, but I believe you should have the respect to let her know which is which. 

However, girls, some of the blame lies on us. We aren't acting like proper ladies either. We need to ask for their respect. One thing that I always do is I wait for him to open my door. I will sit in the car till he comes and gets it. Also, don't bring any visible form of money on a date (hanging out is different). It forces him to realize that the gentleman thing to do is pay. Now I know some of you girls are shaking your head right now, you want to be independent. And that's wonderful! Don't get me wrong. But when on a date, it's important for us to let him lead. Men like to feel in charge and protective. So let him be that. 

So guys, girls, please please PLEASE rethink the way you date. Boys don't be afraid to call that cute girl up. Girls, don't say no unless you have a REALLY good reason why not. Be respectful, chivalrous. Don't talk with your mouthful. Don't flake out or cancel half a dozen times. 

And above all, don't forget to have fun. (:  

Blessings in Disguise

Sometimes we expect blessings that we're waiting for to come in the exact way we asked for them. Bless us with good health? We won't get sick. We pay tithing? We get monetary blessings. But one thing I've learned this week is the Lord doesn't always reply the same. If we put faith in Him He will  bless us. 

Here's why I think that. 

Again, mission things have been making me so stressed. Everybody around me tells me to have faith and I try super hard to just believe that the Lord will provide. This past week I have been so stressed again about money and saving. I was even so desperate I went to parent's for food. I was wondering why He wasn't giving me more money. I was saving, and paying tithing every paycheck. Sometimes extra because I would round up, or pay fast offerings. In my mind, I should be overloaded with money, my bounty over flowing. 

Not true. Tithing has become so hard to pay. I've really had to learn to budget. Yet I haven't seen any extra money. I have however seen blessings in other ways. For instance my mission papers could have been delayed two weeks because of cavities. But I'm still trying my best. The dentist sent in my medical stuff today, so that was a blessing. 

I love the Gospel and I love the Church. 

Amen

Alisha jean

Did I not Speak Peace?

Doctrine and Covenants 6 is probably my favorite passage of scripture. I am constantly returning to it to gain insight and to make me feel better. Every single scripture in there is relate-able to me and my life. Ever since I was 16 and read it in the temple, I have been constantly returning. 

This past week has been yet another example of how it has helped me. I've been struggling with trying to decide if  a mission is for me. Like, I don't think I've ever really prayed about it. When they announced the age change, I just felt like serving a mission was now a commandment for me. But it wasn't. 

Girls still aren't required to go but they can and are strongly encouraged. I took the age change to mean I HAD to go without first really and truly praying. I hadn't gotten that confirmation that I needed. 

But oh I how I got it. I've been struggling to figure out if I want to serve a mission or not. If it's really for me or if I need to be doing different things. I would just like to illustrate a few of the many examples of confirmation I've had over the past four days:

1. After going to the temple on Wednesday, the scripture in D&C 6:23. He's already told me that I need to go. 
2. Yet ANOTHER boy wanted to be "just friends." Now I know it's not the typical way for God to answer prayers but the fact that every boy since October has felt like it wasn't right, is a huge evidence for me to know that dating is not my focus. My focus is my mision. 
3. Patriarchal blessing, nuff said. 
4. My best friend wrote me a letter this week that pretty much said, "Satan is going to make you feel like you shouldn't go, but don't give in. You need to serve a mission, Alisha, you will do so much good in the world."
5. Doctrine and Covenants 6. Like I said this passage of scripture has been my go-to since I can remember. All the scriptures and sentences have little gems of revelation that make me feel peace. 

So there you have it folks. If anyone of you are doubting ANYTHING, turn to the Lord. He WILL bless you. He will edify your mind to know everything that you need to know. Have faith. Love the Lord. Amen. 

With Faith, Nothing Wavering

I found this wonderful talk from President Thomas S. Monson this morning and I'd like to share it with you:

Come unto Him in Prayer and Faith

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” ¹ So spoke the wise Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel.

Jacob, the brother of Nephi, declared, “Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith.” ²

In this dispensation, in a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord said, “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not.” ³

This divinely inspired counsel comes to us today as crystal clear water to a parched earth.

We live in troubled times. Doctors’ offices are filled with individuals who are beset with emotional problems as well as physical distress. Divorce courts are overflowing because people have unsolved problems. Human resource administrators in government and industry work long hours in an effort to assist people with their problems.

One human resource officer assigned to handle petty grievances concluded an unusually hectic day by placing facetiously a little sign on his desk for those with unsolved problems. It read, “Have you tried prayer?” What he may not have realized was that this simple counsel would solve more problems, alleviate more suffering, prevent more transgression, and bring about greater peace and contentment in the human soul than could be obtained in any other way.

A prominent American judge was asked what we as citizens of the countries of the world could do to reduce crime and disobedience to law and to bring peace and contentment into our lives and into our nations. He carefully replied, “I would suggest a return to the old-fashioned practice of family prayer.”

Strength in Prayer

As a people, aren’t we grateful that family prayer is not an out-of-date practice with us? There is no more beautiful sight in all this world than to see a family praying together. There is real meaning behind the oft-quoted “The family that prays together stays together.”

The Lord directed that we have family prayer when He said, “Pray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.” ⁴

Will you join me as we look in on a typical Latter-day Saint family offering prayers unto the Lord? Father, mother, and each of the children kneel, bow their heads, and close their eyes. A sweet spirit of love, unity, and peace fills the home. As father hears his tiny son pray unto God that his dad will do the right things and be obedient to the Lord’s bidding, do you think that such a father would find it difficult to honor the prayer of his precious son? As a teenage daughter hears her sweet mother plead unto the Lord that her daughter will be inspired in the selection of her companions, that she will prepare herself for a temple marriage, don’t you believe that such a daughter will seek to honor this humble, pleading petition of her mother, whom she so dearly loves? When father, mother, and each of the children earnestly pray that the fine sons in the family will live worthily that they may, in due time, receive a call to serve as ambassadors of the Lord in the mission fields of the Church, don’t we begin to see how such sons grow to young manhood with an overwhelming desire to serve as missionaries?

I am sure that family prayer motivated a letter written some years ago by a young Latter-day Saint girl attending a Colorado high school. The students had been asked to prepare a letter to be written to a great man of their choice. Many addressed their letters to well-known athletes, to a noted astronaut, to the president of the United States, and to other celebrities. This young lady, however, addressed her letter to her father, and in the letter she stated: “I have decided to write this letter to you, Dad, because you are the greatest man that I have ever known. The overwhelming desire of my heart is that I might so live that I might have the privilege of being beside you and Mother and other members of the family in the celestial kingdom.” That father never received a more cherished letter.

As we offer unto the Lord our family prayers and our personal prayers, let us do so with faith and trust in Him. Let us remember the injunction of Paul to the Hebrews: “For he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” ⁵ If any of us has been slow to hearken to the counsel to pray always, there is no finer hour to begin than now. William Cowper declared, “Satan trembles, when he sees the weakest Saint upon his knees.” ⁶ Those who feel that prayer might denote a physical or intellectual weakness should remember that a man never stands taller than when he is upon his knees.

We cannot know what faith is if we have never had it, and we cannot obtain it as long as we deny it. Faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.

Accepting His Invitation

If our desire is to discard all doubt and to substitute therefor an abiding faith, we have but to accept the invitation extended to you and to me in the Epistle of James:

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.” ⁷

This promise motivated the young man Joseph Smith to seek God in prayer. He declared to us in his own words:

“At length I came to the conclusion that I … must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to ‘ask of God,’ concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.

“So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. … 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.” ⁸

Now, if we have hesitated in supplicating God our Eternal Father simply because we have not as yet made the attempt to pray, we certainly can take courage from the example of the Prophet Joseph. But let us remember, as did the Prophet, our prayer must be offered in faith, nothing wavering.

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that the brother of Jared saw the finger of God touch the stones in response to his plea. ⁹

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Noah erected an ark in obedience to the command from God. ¹⁰

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Abraham was willing to offer up his beloved Isaac as a sacrifice. ¹¹

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea. ¹²

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Joshua and his followers brought the walls of Jericho tumbling down. ¹³

It was by faith, nothing wavering, that Joseph saw God our Eternal Father and Jesus Christ, His Son. ¹⁴

Now, the skeptic may say that these mighty accounts of faith occurred long ago, that times have changed.

Have times really changed? Don’t we today, as always, love our children and want them to live righteously? Don’t we today, as always, need God’s divine, protecting care? Don’t we today, as always, continue to be at His mercy and in His debt for the very life He has given us?

Times have not really changed. Prayer continues to provide power—spiritual power. Prayer continues to provide peace—spiritual peace.

Faith in Action

Wherever we may be, our Heavenly Father can hear and answer the prayer offered in faith. This is especially true in the mission fields throughout the world. While presiding over the Canadian Mission, under the direction of President David O. McKay (1873–1970), Sister Monson and I had the opportunity of serving with some of the finest young men and women in all this world. The very lives of these young missionaries exemplified faith and prayer.

There sat in my office one day a newly arrived missionary. He was bright, strong, happy, and grateful to be a missionary. He was filled with enthusiasm and a desire to serve. As I spoke with him, I said, “Elder, I imagine that your father and mother wholeheartedly support you in your mission call.” He lowered his head and replied, “Well, not quite. You see, President, my father is not a member of the Church. He doesn’t believe as we believe, so he cannot fully appreciate the importance of my assignment.”

Without hesitating and prompted by a Source not my own, I said to him, “Elder, if you will honestly and diligently serve God in proclaiming His message, your father will join the Church before your mission is concluded.” He clasped my hand in a vise-like grip, the tears welled up in his eyes and began to roll forth down his cheeks, and he declared, “To see my father accept the truth would be the greatest blessing that could come into my life.”

This young man did not sit idly by hoping and wishing that the promise would be fulfilled, but rather he followed the sage advice that has been given of old: “Pray as though everything depended upon God. Work as though everything depended upon you.” Such was the missionary service of this young man.

At every missionary conference I would seek him out before the meetings and ask, “Elder, how’s Dad progressing?”

His reply would invariably be, “No progress, President, but I know the Lord will fulfill the promise given to me through you as my mission president.” The days turned to weeks and the weeks to months, and finally, just two weeks before we ourselves left the mission field to return home, I received a letter from the father of this missionary. That father wrote:

“Dear Brother Monson:

“I wish to thank you so much for taking such good care of my son who recently completed a mission in Canada. He has been an inspiration to us.

“My son was promised when he left on his mission that I would become a member of the Church before his return. This promise was, I believe, made to him by you, unknown to me.

“I am happy to report that I was baptized into the Church one week before he completed his mission and am at present time athletic director of the MIA and have a teaching assignment.

“My son is now attending BYU, and his younger brother was also recently baptized and confirmed a member of the Church.

“May I again thank you for all the kindness and love bestowed upon my son by his brothers in the mission field during the past two years.

“Yours very truly, a grateful father.”

The humble prayer of faith had once again been answered.

There is a golden thread that runs through every account of faith from the beginning of the world to the present time. Abraham, Noah, the brother of Jared, the Prophet Joseph Smith, and countless others wanted to be obedient to the will of God. They had ears that could hear, eyes that could see, and hearts that could know and feel.

They never doubted. They trusted.

Through personal prayer, through family prayer, by trusting in God with faith, nothing wavering, we can call down to our rescue His mighty power. His call to us is as it has ever been: “Come unto me.” ¹⁵

On the Topic of Love

Dating sucks. The end. When we aren't dating someone seriously we begin to think there is something wrong with us or that we are inadequate. Nobody will ever be interested in me.

Trust me, I've felt these inadequacies enough to marry them. Speaking of marriage, it's not something I'm thinking of. My focus is my mission. I am a part of the unashamed gospel. D & C 15:6 tells me the thing that will be of most worth will be to DECLARE REPENTANCE. So it's what I'm doing.

However that doesn't mean I don't love. I'm just not in love with anybody. There are tons of people that I love and appreciate as friends. And right now, that's all I want is good friends. I don't need a boyfriend. I'd rather just be very close friends that I can be myself around and not worry about impressing them. I love my friends. I have great friends, most of who are on missions now but there's a few still here that I appreciate.

They're the ones who answer my constant questions and appreciate my movie-quoting abilities. They are the ones that don't care what I look like because they've seen me at my best and worst. They are the people that I can call up no matter what and know they'll help out a friend. I love those people, and even though they may not know how I feel, I hope I make it apparent.

I'm not a perfect friend, I make mistakes and regret things said. But those friends who stay with me regardless of my flaws are the people I want to surround myself with. I treasure their companionship and friendship more than I think even I realize.

So thank you friends. Thank you for being my friend, I hope you know how I feel about you, and that you never doubt that you are loved.

Well there Ya go

Well readers, remember my stresses? They have been fixed. I was reading in 1 Nephi 17. Here Nephi is commanded to build a ship even though he has no idea what he's doing. He has faith that the Lord will help him. When his brother's scoff at him he reminds them of the children of Israel and all that they went through.

When the children of Israel had the fiery serpents sent through them they couldn't humble themselves to have enough faith to look at the brass serpent. Sometimes the things the Lord asks us to do aren't that hard, we just have too much pride to do it.

Heavenly Father will take care of me as long as I do everything I can do. Verse 50 says: If God has commanded me to do all things I could do them. God doesn't give us commandments to trick us or make us feel inadequate. They are tests and trials of faith.

I can save enough money for my mission because He has asked me to. I know that if I put all my efforts into being smart that everything will work out in the end. I am in the Lord's hands.

The House of the Lord

Well reader's, just so ya'll know I'm preparing to serve a full time mission in July. I don't know where I'm going yet, I haven't even submitted my papers. But in three weeks I'll have them submitted and I'll have my call in about six.

Missions cost a lot of money folks, they aren't free. Ever since the age change in October I have been saving my butt of to try to earn as much as I can. Money has always been a stress point for me so saving this much and trying to budget has been a skilled I've needed to learn.

However, I have two jobs and still don't make that much. Not going to say the dollar amount but, let's just say that it's not enough. So today I got my paycheck and it was less than I thought it was going to be. My heart stopped. I am never going to be able to save up enough.

I called my dad and he said to just have faith. That if I do all that I can to save up enough they'll make up the rest. I still was feeling really stressed out so on my way home from work I stopped by the Logan Utah temple. There next the house of the Lord, I made peace with myself.

He didn't tell me that it was going to get easier. That's not the feeling I got. Instead the scripture from Doctrine and Covenants came into my head: "Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not. Fear not."

Heavenly Father is watching over me. He knows my life and He knows what I'm going through and what I will go through. I just need to put my faith in Him, and although it's not going to be easy, realize that it will all be worth it in the end.

Standing up to Friends

To all my readers, how every many there are of you. Right now? Probably 0 considering I just started this blog a few hours ago. But I figured I'd address you anyway.

Tonight I'm eating dinner alone. Why? Because my roommates are watching inappropriate things on TV that I don't want to see or hear. I could be in there listening and laughing too, because ya some of the stuff is funny. But I know it's not what I want to surround myself with.

So instead I sit in my room with my frozen pizza and Barq's red cream soda and write to you guys. I didn't make a big deal or even say anything. I just gathered up my things and shut the door. No drama. No arguing. Just silent bravery.

Did you know it's a lot harder than it seems to stand up for your beliefs? Like I know that in church you always talk about getting up and walking out of room. It's really hard though. Because it's not like I was totally offended by what I saw or heard, it's just that those things aren't things that I really wanna surround myself with. Does that make sense?


They can choose to watch those things, I'm just choosing to not to. And it's not like I judge them for it. It's their life. I just know what I want out of this world and it's not those things on TV.

So readers, don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. Sometimes you will stand alone. I've never really had to do it till tonight, but the spirit you feel and the happiness you get is amazing. Ya you might feel like crying or feeling depressed but it's going to be ok. You did the right thing.

Love,

Alisha