Saturday is a Special Day

Hi there!!! :)
I've been thinking a lot lately about the Sabbath Day. Especially with the wonderful lesson we had this week at church by our Bishop about how our faith in Christ and His Atonement can increase as we make our Sabbath Day observance more meaningful.
One point he made was about how our preparation for the Sabbath is so incredibly important. I remember when I was 6 or 7 receiving a wonderful Christmas present. I still cherish it to this day. It was a set of Little House on  the Prairie    books. I recall in there a lesson that Laura learned the hard way.
The lesson of how to act on the Sabbath. Her father shared a story about how when he was younger the Sabbath started Saturday night, when the sun went down, and it ended Sunday night when the sun went down. He was very clear as to the things that she and her sisters could and could not do on the Sabbath.
While the Sabbath does not generally start Saturday night, our preparation for it should. There are many things we can do to prepare for the Sabbath.
When I was little my mom would always sing to us (and make us sing) the song Saturday is a Special Day  the lyrics say:

Saturday is a special day.

It's the day we get ready for Sunday:

We clean the house, and we shop at the store,

So we won't have to work until Monday.

We brush our clothes, and we shine our shoes,

And we call it our get-the-work-done day.

Then we trim our nails, and we shampoo our hair,

So we can be ready for Sunday!

To this day I find myself humming this song as I think about getting prepared for Sunday. I know that as I have worked on making my Sabbath Day more of a delight, by preparing for it, I have received so many blessings. The least of which being a greater sense of the Spirit. God is looking for ways to bless us and as we keep the Sabbath Day holy we will be able to recognize and receive those blessings. 

Courage in Choices

Hi there!
I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to post today! I don't know why, but I'm just super grateful for it. I hope that something in this post helps someone today! :)
I have heard it said that courage is what it takes to stand up for what you believe in; and also to sit down and listen.
I think that we are all more courageous than we think we are. We have to be courageous in everything that we do. In the choices we make in life, we really only have one choice:

To have the courage to choose Christ,

Or

To take the easier way of the world.

 

 

 

 

I love this quote by Elder Soares. It is so difficult to choose the right. I remember a favourite primary song of mine called Choose the Right Way, the first verse says:

" There's a right way to live and be happy;

It is choosing the right ev'ry day.

                                                        I am learning the teachings of Jesus;

                                                         They will help me and show me the way."

 

I know how difficult it is to choose the right, but the blessings that are in store for us when we do are innumerable. As we show the needed courage to say NO to Satan and YES to Christ our lives will  be filled with a greater light and joy. I know that I have been able to feel of it. Through the difficult times of my life, I have always been able to turn and rely on my Saviour. As I have continually chosen Him, I have been blessed so much by having the Holy Ghost to be with me.

I would like to invite you to start today to take the needed courage to choose Christ and begin to see the blessings He is waiting to extend to you. 

Impossible.

Hi-ya!!
Sorry its been a while since I've been on the blog! Some super fun things have happened... not! Being sick is not fun! But it brings with it a lot of time to think and study, which is fun! :)


I've been thinking quite a bit about miracles and being able to do the impossible. The word impossible always leads me to think of the song from Roger and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Which is a favourite of mine.
But there is a line in the song that I absolutely love, the Fairy Godmother says, "Impossible things are happening everyday."
I LOVE IT!!!
I love it so much because it is so true! Impossible things really do happen everyday. Miracles happen everyday, because of our faith and obedience to the commandments of God.
God wants to give us miracles and blessings and He will as we follow Him. I think President Gordon B. Hinckley said it best when he said,

"I too believe that God will always make a way where there is no way. I believe that if we will walk in obedience to the commandments of God, if we will follow the counsel of the priesthood, He will open a way even where there appears to be no way."

We can learn to trust God perfectly. And we will begin to see Him opening the way for us. We will begin to the impossible things happening everyday. And our faith will increase in unprecedented ways.

The way back to Him is clear. It may seem impossible at times; however, by keeping His commandments we will be led back to our heavenly home. This is all God wants for us. And He will do the impossible things to help us.

I know beyond a doubt, that God has led me to be where I am today, and it is by following His commandments that I have been able to see the impossible things happen.



Like a Child

Hello again!!
I just had this incredible thought and I have to share! :)
More and more on my mission that I reflect upon my childhood. Especially to my parents and how they raised me.
I was reading today, and I read a verse in Moroni 8:12 and I just wanted to share the first part of it. It says, "12 But little children are alive in Christ,"
I love how it is so simple. The gospel is so simple. We are to become like little children, because children are so perfect, so Christlike.
Christ himself admonished us in Matthew 18:3, when He said, "3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted,and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
Why is it that we are to become like a little child? 
I think this goes back to the verse in Moroni 8:12, that children are alive in Christ. 
Also, we are taught in Doctrine and Covenants 29:46-47, " 46 But behold, I say unto you, that little children are redeemed from the foundation of the world through mine Only Begotten;

 47 Wherefore, they cannot sin, for power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable before me;"

Satan cannot tempt little children. If we become like little children, like Christ taught us to, we will do all that God wants us to. We will be following His commandments and relying on Christ. 

While Satan will still be able to tempt us, our ability to withstand His temptations will be greater. And by degree his power against us will lessen. We will have greater faith in Christ and a greater knowledge of who we are as children of God. We will know where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going. And we will be able to help others along the way. 

I know that having childlike faith, hope, and charity is difficult, especially in today's world. But the joy that comes with being closer with Christ is so worth it. I know that God lives, and that He has a plan for each of us. And that plan is centered on Jesus Christ and following His example. 

Believe in Christ!

Ollo!
Its so wonderful to be on here again! :) There is little I enjoy more than writing a blog post. While I've been here on my mission I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet people from around the world! It is so amazing to hear all of the differing beliefs and views that people have. I count myself incredibly blessed to be where I am.
A question I am posed with a lot is about who Jesus Christ is, and if the Book of Mormon truly teaches about Him.
I would like to draw my answer to these questions from a couple of wonderful verses! :) They are found in 2 Nephi 33:10-11 they say:

" 10 And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words believe in Christ. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good.

 11 And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye—for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness."



 

These verses are AMAZING!!! It is broken down so simply. That the words found in the Book of Mormon are the words of Christ. And if you believe in Christ, then you will know of the truthfulness of them.

And vice versa if you believe in these words, then you will believe in Christ.

 

The Book of Mormon has truly brought me closer to my Saviour, Jesus Christ. I have come to know that He really did suffer and die for my pains, sins, sickness, and anything else you can think of. I know that through Him I have been able to find the greatest joy and peace in this life. I know of these things because I read the Book of Mormon, truly seeking to know if it was true. And through the power of the Holy Ghost I was able to learn that they really are true.

This same promise is given to you over and over again throughout the scriptures.

If you have any questions I invite you to check out Mormon.org where you can request a Book or Mormon, a visit from missionaries, or simply chat with a missionary like me! :)

 

Happiness

Hi-ya!!
So I wasn't going to post today but then one of my favourite quotes came to my mind.
Its from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It was said by Professor Dumbledore, he said, "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times. If one only remembers to turn on the light."
I absolutely love this quote!!
There is so much happiness that can be found in turning on the light and turning to Christ.

Christ Himself many times says that He is the light of the world. In John 8:12 it says,

"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light‍ of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk‍ in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Christ is the Light. He is the one that will bring true happiness into our lives. Darkness cannot over come light. A single ray of light can change a completely dark room.
There has been a metaphor of life that I particularly love. Why? Well it has to do with my favourite flowers.
Sunflowers are interesting flowers. They literally follow the sun in the sky all day. They do this so that they can absorb the most sun as possible.
We should be like the sunflowers, and continually follow Christ. As we do so greater light and happiness will come into our lives.
So going back to the quote; it can now read, "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times. If one only remembers to turn to Christ."
I know that it is through Christ that I have been able to find true happiness in life. It hasn't been easy by any means, but through Christ it has been possible. I know that the Light of Christ is real, and that it can touch hearts and change people.

Saviour, Redeemer

Hi-ya!

I hope all has been well with you this week! 

I just wanted to share some quick thoughts today about Christ. Also, I was asked to give a talk today, so thats a little bit of it! ;) 

One of my favourite songs is Saviour, Redeemer of My Soul (Hymn 112)

The first verse is particularly special to me the lyrics read:

"1. Savior, Redeemer of my soul,

Whose mighty hand hath made me whole,

Whose wondrous pow'r hath raised me up

And filled with sweet my bitter cup!

What tongue my gratitude can tell,

O gracious God of Israel. "

I love the third line about Christ raising us up. It reminds me of one of my favourite scripture stories. About Christ walking on the water, and Peter going to Him. 

This story is found in Matthew 14: 22-33

I won't quote the whole thing, its far to long, but I just wanted to highlight Peter's reaction to Christ, and then the world around Him. 

Verses 28-29 read, " 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.

 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus."

When Peter saw Christ, He had faith to follow Him, even to take the steps he needed to to reach Him. However, verse 30 says, " 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me."

As Peter took his eyes off of Christ, he became afraid. But verse 31 teaches us something absolutely incredible. It says, " 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

Christ IMMEDIATELY stretched forth His hand. Peter didn't have to wait for Christ. He was already right there to help him and to save him. 

Christ is there for each one of us. Always and forever. His wondrous power will raise us up. In a world that is always changing, isn't it incredible to know that Christ will NEVER change? He will never leave us, and He will always be there to lift, guide, guard, and protect us. I know this is true. I know that I have only been able to accomplish what I have because of Christ.