Forever Family

Yesterday I had the awesome opportunity of attending a good friend's wedding. Nothing compares to being in the temple especially with people you love. At each of the opportunities have had to witness temple weddings of dear friends it causes me to reflect. The temple is a place of reflection and I find as I sit in a sealing room there is nothing I want more for myself and those that I love than to be married in the temple for time and all eternity. What an awesome thing to be bound to those we love throughout eternity! I am excited I get to spend eternity with the people in that photo and many many more family members!

I Know He Lives

I am grateful to know we have a loving, kind, gentle friend- Our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know He loves me. I know He suffered and died for me. I know He lives! I know He lives for me- that each day He saves and lifts me from difficulty, sin, from it all! I am thankful to know that through Him I can maintain peace and happiness. Thankful that He sees me through the good and not so good experiences. He truly is my friend. Below is a piece of a talk from Elder Robert D. Hales. I like it and want to share it. Masaya Ang Aking Puso :)

Elder Robert D. Hales (October 1997) In Remembrance of Jesus. "A knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ, was given to us by Isaiah—that the Lord will guide us always. He will satisfy our needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen our frame. We will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail (see Isa. 58:11).

We remember Jesus as the Bread of Life, as the Living Water, as the Light and Life of the World as we come and follow Him, that by Him and through Him we will be saved. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

When the time for the Atonement was near, the disciples were concerned how long Jesus would remain with them. He told them that He would not tarry with them for long but that He would leave a Comforter with them, the Holy Ghost (see John 14:26). For you and me, we have to understand the loving nature of our Savior. We are not left alone. He has given us this day, through the Prophet Joseph Smith, a restoration of the gospel in these latter days. He has provided another testament of Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon. He has restored the priesthood and the keys that He gave to Peter, James, and John when He was with them and they were His Apostles. They came to Joseph Smith and restored those same keys in 1829. Additional priesthood keys were brought by Elijah, Moses, and Elias after the appearance of the Savior in the Kirtland Temple on April 3rd of 1836. These keys have been given for the ordinances of the temple (seeD&C 110).

We have not been left alone. We have the light of Christ and the Holy Ghost to lead and guide us in an otherwise very dark and dreary world. The keys of the priesthood have been restored to make available all of the ordinances that are necessary, that we may return to His presence.

May we follow our Savior, Jesus Christ, and always remember Him in all that we do and all that we say and in all of the acts of charity given one to another, that we may know that these things are done in remembrance of Him.

I testify that our Lord Jesus Christ lives and guides and directs His Church by revelation through His prophet this very day and time. “We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ” (2 Ne. 25:26). We believe in Christ, we remember Him, and we testify of Jesus Christ our Lord and our Redeemer with the knowledge that He will come again to earth to reign in glory as King of Kings.

May all who profess to be Christians, all who know and testify of Jesus, come unto Him and follow His teachings and example, being one as Heavenly Father and Jesus are one in purpose, to unite ourselves, to lift and strengthen each other, and take upon us one another’s burdens as our Savior has taken our burdens upon Him."

Encircled in the Arms Of God's Love

"We must also see His love in the smallest of things. Don’t underestimate your ability to share His love through a simple, genuine gesture such as sitting next to another sister and making her feel welcome. Do you feel the Lord’s love in your life? How I feel His love may be different from how you experience it. The key is to come to understand how you feel that love. And once you’ve felt it, be willing to share it."  -Sister Bonnie D. Parkin, Eternally Encircled in His Love, October 2006.

But behold, the Lord hath ^aredeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his ^bglory, and I am encircled about eternally in the ^carms of his ^dlove.

2 Nephi 1:15 

Therefore, if you will ^aask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you.

^bBe patient; be sober; be temperate; have patience, faith, hope and charity.

Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore ^atreasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and ^bdiligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my ^clove. 

 Behold, thou art Oliver, and I have spoken unto thee because of thy desires; therefore ^atreasure up these words in thy heart. Be faithful and ^bdiligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my ^clove. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

D&C 6:5,19-21

Happy August

I really can not believe it's August! I love August! There are going to be a lot of changes this month. I am excited for them and excited for the new, awaiting adventures!

A Baseball Dream

 For as long as a can remember I loved baseball! I don't think I really stood a chance not to. Extended family on both sides are big baseball lovers! My Grandpa Evans was the biggest baseball fan I have ever known and pretty sure will always take the cake on being the biggest fun. He loved and knew the game very well. From the time I was a young girl I have wanted to attend a major league baseball game especially a New York Yankess game! I have always been a fan of the Yankees, even though I come from a family who prefers The Reds or the Red Sox. Open day I hope to fulfill this dream of eating nachos and hot dog and washing it down with a cold coke while cheering in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium. Today I thought of it more as I watched a documentary on Derek Jeter who recently had his 3000th hit. It definitely upped my excitement and want to go!

A New Job

I have accepted a new job and internship this week! I am super excited and feel good about it! I am excited for the adventure and to learn more about food and beverage management.

Gratefully Endure to the End

I know I just posted an entry, but I have more I want to write about and want to do it in a different post. This morning as I left for work which was just before seven. I was feeling icky and not excited about being up with the sun and going to work, but as I drove down my street I looked up and saw the sun on its way over the tall wondrous mountains and than as I looked a little to the left there was a hot air balloon near the top of the mountain. It was what I so needed this morning. I'm grateful Heavenly Father places things in our path to show His love, concern, and awareness of us. I love hot air balloons and I love love love our mountains and the awesome sunrises and sunsets that occur each day. I'm thankful when He causes me to look up and see His masterful hand. I love Him and thankful to know He loves me.
Tonight I went to a viewing for a neighbor lady who died last weekend. One of her children said to us she "endured to the end". I've been thinking about that since. "Endured to the end" I want that said of me. And not only at my passing into the next life, but in each trial or challenge I face. Oh how awesome is Our Heavenly Father and His plan! I am thankful for His Son, Jesus Christ who makes it possible to face and overcome every challenge, trail, and heartache we will ever experience. Through Him we truly can do all things. Through Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ we can know what real life is and that it leads to eternal life.  Masaya Ang Aking Puso :)

Faith. Patience. Diligence. Process.

A few weeks ago I received the below message from my mission president. (Each week he sends out a weekly thought of something he's been studying and learning more about.-I love it!) I have been thinking about faith and patience a lot a lot :)  

Faith, Patience, Diligence

Alma went to teach the Zoramites. From this experience we learn so many powerful principles and practices. From the conversion of Korihor through the teaching about Faith, to Amulek’s teaching about prayer, there is wonderful learning that benefits us very much.

The concluding verse in chapter 32 reads: “. . . Ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and yourdiligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit.” (Emphasis mine.)

I don’t know how many hundreds of times I have read this. As I read it yesterday it opened a whole new thought for me. In that verse we learn a “Process”.  Alma applied this process to the accumulation of Knowledge using Faith. As I read it I recognized that the process is the same in the accumulation of anything. The ingredients do not change, only the end goal changes.

When you decide you will have a great marriage it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

When you decide you want a healthy body, it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

When you decide you want happy and productive children, it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

When you decide you want good grades in school, it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

When you decide you want a successful career, it will take Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering.

More than education, experience, or good breaks, these four powerful principles and activities shall lead us to success.

Once these principles and activities have been applied we will experience the “fruit” from the “tree”.

So, here is the process:

Identify the desired “fruit” (Goal).

Apply Faith, Diligence, Patience, and Long Suffering for as long as it takes.

Enjoy the “Fruit” forever.

Look and Live

Over the past year I have been studying, pondering, and understanding what it means to look and live more than ever before. I find great strength as I look to God and live as He would have me. I have discovered that I am more patient and dedicated to God's will and timing than my own. I know He loves me and is The Reason I am becoming the woman that I am. I am thankful to know that He is never early or late in His timing and that the trials, sufferings, sorrows, excitement, and goodness in our lives is a way for us to become closer to Him and become more like Him if we choose to look to Him and live.  

Alma 37:47 "...yea, see that ye look to God and live."

3 Nephi 15:9 "Behold, I am the law, and the light. Look unto me, and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life."

Thinking About

 

I Stand All Amazed

I Stand All Amazed, Hymn #193

1. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me,
Confused at the grace that so fully he proffers me.
I tremble to know that for me he was crucified,
That for me, a sinner, he suffered, he bled and died.

[Chorus]
Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me
Enough to die for me!
Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

2. I marvel that he would descend from his throne divine
To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine,
That he should extend his great love unto such as I,
Sufficient to own, to redeem, and to justify.

3. I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!
Such mercy, such love and devotion can I forget?
No, no, I will praise and adore at the mercy seat,
Until at the glorified throne I kneel at his feet.

Text and music: Charles H. Gabriel, 1856–1932
Mosiah 3:5–8
John 15:13

Looking Outward Together

"Love does not consist of gazing into each others eyes, but looking outward in the same direction." Today as I was driving I this quote came to my mind. I can't remember who said it, but it's one that I have loved for awhile now, but only now I am really beginning to understand what it truly means.

Is Beautiful

The following quote from Elder Richard G. Scott's talk "Finding Joy in Life", I know is rather long, but I couldn't bring myself to cut out some. I hope it conveys some of what I am feeling and pondering about. I linked the full talk at the bottom of the quote. 

"Tears of gratitude formed for this wondrous world in which we live, for the extraordinary beauty our Heavenly Father so freely shares with all who are willing to see. Truly, life is beautiful.

Do you take time to discover each day how beautiful your life can be? How long has it been since you watched the sun set? The departing rays kissing the clouds, trees, hills, and lowlands good night, sometimes tranquilly, sometimes with exuberant bursts of color and form. What of the wonder of a cloudless night when the Lord unveils the marvels of His heavens—the twinkling stars, the moonlight rays—to ignite our imagination with His greatness and glory? How captivating to watch a seed planted in fertile soil germinate, gather strength, and send forth a tiny, seemingly insignificant sprout. Patiently it begins to grow and develop its own character led by the genetic code the Lord has provided to guide its development. With care it surely will become what it is destined to be: a lily, crowned with grace and beauty; a fragrant spearmint plant; a peach; an avocado; or a beautiful blossom with unique delicacy, hue, and fragrance. When last did you observe a tiny rosebud form? Each day it develops new and impressive character, more promise of beauty until it becomes a majestic rose. You are one of the noblest of God’s creations. His intent is that your life be gloriously beautiful regardless of your circumstances. As you are grateful and obedient, you can become all that God intends you to be.

Sadness, disappointment, and severe challenge are events in life, not life itself. I do not minimize how hard some of these events are. They can extend over a long period of time, but they should not be allowed to become the confining center of everything you do. The Lord inspired Lehi to declare the fundamental truth, “Men are, that they might have joy.” ¹That is a conditional statement: “they might have joy.” It is not conditional for the Lord. His intent is that each of us finds joy. It will not be conditional for you as you obey the commandments, have faith in the Master, and do the things that are necessary to have joy here on earth.

Your joy in life depends upon your trust in Heavenly Father and His holy Son, your conviction that their plan of happiness truly can bring you joy. Pondering their doctrine will let you enjoy the beauties of this earth and enrich your relationships with others. It will lead you to the comforting, strengthening experiences that flow from prayer to Father in Heaven and the answers He gives in return." -Elder Richard G. Scott, April 1996 

The creations of this Earth are beautiful and amazing! The Lord truly loves us and blesses us constantly and continually as we discover more of Him and the beauty that is this mortal life. I know real life is eternal life. It is living the gospel of Jesus Christ and partaking of it's fullness each day. 

Happy Golden Birthday to my Bestie!

infamous sunglasses photo

Tomorrow is my bestie's golden birthday! I am so grateful for her! She is always willing to listen and share good, funny, random stories, experience fun, good, random, and crazy adventures with, will eat unique, new, and familiar foods with me, she is kind hearted and super creative. She stands firm in what she believes and knows and is there for me when I need to have a good laugh or a good cry.  I am very blessed to have such an awesome awesome sweet person as my bestie! Heavenly Father leads us to places to meet people who will teach us, be there for us, and connects us for eternity. Kris-to-the-Tina Happy Golden Birthday! I know this year will be full of awesomeness and happiness! Masaya Ang Aking Puso :)

Anxiously Goodly Happy

My heart is anxiously, goodly happy!

Patience and Faith

"Truth, covenants, and ordinances enable us to overcome fear and face the future with faith!"-Elder Russell M. Nelson



"Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious. It is the ability to do God’s will and accept His timing. When you are patient, you hold up under pressure and are able to face adversity calmly and hopefully. Patience is related to hope and faith—you must wait for the Lord’s promised blessings to be fulfilled." -Preach My Gospel, P.120


I'm grateful to know that Heavenly Father is fully aware and into every detail of my life and that I am doing and becoming what He desires. His love is real. I'm grateful for the direction and peace that only He can give. Masaya Ang Aking Puso :)