Well it's Snowing...

It snowed! :D It was really exciting!

 Then it snowed again.

 and again.

  Then it got cold.

Can you feel the excitement diminishing?

However it made for a great conversation starter,

"So, what do you think of the snow?"

I've gotten a wide range of answers, there were two answers that reached the two ends of the spectrum however.

It's dandruff falling from the sky and it's angels feathers falling from heaven.

Pretty opposite huh?

However it's the same snow storm.

How do we see the snow? How do we see the events in our life?

True happiness doesn't come from changing events, but rather changing how you view them.

Be thankful for who you are and that YOU, YES YOU! Has a Heavenly Father that knows you and loves you.

He has a hand in our lives and always will lead us towards true happiness if we let him.

Most of us, who seek after good, do a pretty good job at this.

But do we thank him for it?

Do we thank him even for the snow storms?

Tonight, when you're on your knees, thank him and let him know how much you appreciate him.

He is our Father and loves to hear how much we appreciate him. We are his work and glory!

Let's take time this season and give Thanks.

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Blessings through Others

One of my greatest joys on my mission is being a tool in the Lord's hands of blessing another's life and being an answer to prayers.

Time and time again we have been in the right place at the right time, very far from coincidence.

We were tracting at one point and knocked on someones door. She answered and didn't seem too interested in our message so we offered our help and she was taken back a bit.

She told us that she had huge stones she wanted to move and her neighbor who was going to do it for her hurt his back.

"But the problem is you are going to need a truck."

We smiled and pointed out the Chevy Colorado that we drive and she couldn't believe it. We set up a time and moved all the rocks for her.

The whole time she couldn't believe that two young men showed up on her door step offering to do this for free.

She kept pointing out how great God was to her.

How great is our Heavenly Father to all of us?

Especially when he provides us with the direction to be a blessing in the lives of others.

Seek the direction from the Holy Ghost.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Eternal Families

My second day in Canandaigua I met a recent convert and he touched me with his testimony. I leaned over to my companion and mentioned that we should really try to teach his mom.

6 months later:

And what even was more miraculous:

 

 

The recent convert, her son, baptized her.

 

The whole journey has been miracle after miracle and the many missionaries that brought them through the sites on tours and the many who met them in serving knows of the incredible miracles.

 

The joy they felt was overwhelming. Her son just kept telling her how proud he was of her.

 

There was an experience a few months ago when we were at their house teaching them a lesson when her son get's a guitar out and tells her she should play for us.

 

She began playing songs that she had sung to her son while he was growing up. His face lit up as he sung along with her.

 

Families are ordained of God.

 

The truth that Families are not only ordained of God but are also meant for eternity hit me harder than it ever had before.

 

They are the basic and most important unit.

 

They are so important that God has provided a way that we can live with them for eternity.

 

I have seen the miracles of a righteous family not only in this family but in my own too.

 

As my mission continues, it becomes more and more obvious that I would not be here if it wasn't for my family.

 

I know that we have a Heavenly Father and a Brother, Jesus Christ, who made the sacrifice for all of us.

 

Look towards your family and learn how to strengthen your own.

 

Pray to know what you can do to make your family more of what God meant it to be.

 

Have the influence on your children/spouse that will last into the eternities.

 

He will always strengthen us to serve his children, seek his love and grace.

 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

 



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Hope, Even When All Hope is Lost

I was sitting in church and was trying not to be discouraged as none of the people that the missionaries had been teaching came that Sunday.

About half way through the first meeting my attention was diverted as someone came and sat down next to the missionaries in front of us.

One of the missionaries leaned back and asked us to save the seat  next to us so when their investigator came, he would have a place to sit.

I was stunned.

It was half way through the meeting and this missionary kept the faith and hope that he was going to show!

He never did show and I never did see that missionary become discouraged from it. She kept the faith and hope until the very end. And then when it didn't pan out, transferred that hope and faith to the fact that he will come next week.

We pray for things.

We hope for things.

We have faith that things will happen.

But when they don't it seems like the world is crashing down and we allow ourselves to get frustrated at our Heavenly Father.

He knows much more than we do and a lot of times tests us and directs us to reach our full potential.

Keep the faith and keep the hope.

As long as you are taking care of what He wants you to, everything will work out for the best.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Famine in our Lives

The most memorable moment in the MTC was that first evening.

They had 50+ missionaries all in one classroom teaching one person. We all have had been missionaries for only a few hours and we were expected to work together to teach a person the Gospel of Christ that we have a testimony of.

I didn't know what to say.

I grew up living this gospel and I honestly could not come up with an answer to this person's questions.

I wouldn't say I was discouraged that night, because I knew the Lord would strengthen me, but I definitely realized I had a long way to go.

I realized how much of a famine in my life I had to overcome to help those in my mission.

Now don't get me wrong, my parents taught me extremely well and I graduated from seminary, I had all the scripture mastery references memorized, I did my homework, but I still was missing something.

It really hit me hard when I was reading in Genesis and the plea of the people to Egypt for the want of food, "Wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate." Genesis 47:19

 They knew how much of a famine they were in. They realized how little they were without food I realized that night in the MTC how little I was without the spirit.

They wanted to give of their lives and all they posses to recieve that food they needed to live. That night I wanted to give of everything to have the spirit so I can help those I know i'm going to grow to love.

When I'm becoming frustrated I find myself reflecting on this humbling experience.

We are all in a famine and the only way we can quench our hunger is to bring the spirit more fully in our lives.

The gospel of Jesus Christ isn't just for Salvation after this life but rather strength and happiness during this life also.

Realize how much of a famine you are in, allow the hunger to grow in you, and then feed the hunger.

As you do this you will feel joy.

"The Lord gives us His Holy Spirit in this life as a foretaste of the joy of eternal life." -Bible Dictionary 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Fast Sunday Miracle

Once a month the LDS church has fast Sunday, in which we don't eat or drink for 24 hours or two meals.

As a kid I tended to dread fast Sundays because of the torturous pantry that would taunt me all day.

However being out on a mission it has changed my view quite dramatically.

This last Sunday was fast Sunday and I made it a point, the night before, to kneel down and begin my fast with a true heart and a reason to fast. With those I'm fasting for in mind I went to sleep that night.

I woke up and used the extra hours in the morning to study a few verses.

Dinner time was beginning to loom over us as we realized our meal appointment that night canceled.

Our stomachs weren't looking forward to our own cooking, we kept a bright outlook and moved on with faith!

As we were talking to people after church we had someone walk up to us and tell us that that morning she had put dinner in the crockpot and for some reason not known to her she put the whole bag of chicken in!

She found out that all six of us missionaries were without a dinner appointment and invited us over for dinner!

She truly was inspired!

My favorite part about this whole experience is not only did I enjoy fasting today as it brought me closer to my Heavenly Father, but he also blessed me with a tender mercy to not have to suffer through my own cooking!

Our loving Father in heaven is pleased when we follow him with a true heart and honestly seek after him.

He want us to be happy! and will bless us in little ways to show that he's there and wants you to feel his love.

Seek his love and honestly follow what he asks of you.

With a sincere heart and contrite spirit.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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