Following Pocahontas to Victory

So I really love this video.
It's awesome.

http://lds.org/pages/strengthen-your-testimony-of-jesus?lang=eng

I love the beginning how it shows the view of the sky as it comes up over the clouds. Sometimes life is like that. We see life and its like we're stuck in the clouds (or the Benicia fog). We can't see too far and it seems sometimes like you'll never get out of it or that it will ever leave and you'll just be in the fog forever.
But we can rise above it. Everytime!
 Sister Tucker and I used to sing "Just around the river bend!" to each other when nothing seemed to be going right because it's always true! Even on the worst day, there is something amazing coming our way, if we choose to be positive and are proactive and have faith, Heavenly Father will open up a way for our righteous desires and dreams to actually happen!


I've seen it happen again and again on my mission, and when I was at home too.
Even this week Sister Carron and I were able to see amazing things happen, but it was after we had done a lot of waiting and praying and working. Hard work always helps!


One of my favorite talks from April General Conference is this talk,
"More than conquerors through Him that loved us." By Paul V. Johnson.
I've always loved that phrase; 'conquer', that's a good strong word, and we can conquer our trials through Christ.
Elder Johnson used several examples of people who overcame difficult hardships and then received great blessings. He said, "Time after time we see marvelous blessings on the heels of great trials."


I know that is true. Life is tough; it's meant to be because if we want to be one who is a conqueror, we need a feat to conquer. And when we turn to Christ and ask for His help, and have faith that He will answer, He will be that guiding light at the end of the tunnel or around the river bend. Be of good cheer!


 http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/more-than-conquerors-through-him-that-loved-us?lang=eng

One of My Favorite Christmas Songs!

http://lds.org/topic/christmas/christmas_video_8.html

Gratitude blogs on Thanksgiving are a cop out...but I couldn't resist

I have to say, out of the 22 Thanksgivings I've been able to participate in, I think this one has been the most precious in many ways. I woke up in my quaint apartment which I've lived in for only 3 days. With bags only half unpacked in a strange town on a gloomy day; things looked bleak. Especially on this day, I truly had the choice of whether or not I would be thankful.
If there is an overlying theme of my mission, it is that I have choice. I can choose to be bitter about my circumstances or I can choose to be happy. I can choose to be miserable or I can choose faith. I can choose to be ungrateful, or I can choose to see all that the Lord has given me.
Today I choose gratitude. I'm grateful for the the Lord and the loving sacrifice He made for me as my Savior. I recognize that He runs to me in my hour of need and with pure love makes me whole. I can choose to see Heavenly Father's hand in my life and the personal direction He gives me and the reality of His deep love for me individually.
As Sister Carron and I were pondering this morning and analyzing the tasks ahead of us in an area that is relatively new to both of us, the thought came to my mind to turn to the new issue of the Ensign from General Conference and the page opened to a talk by Elder Carl B. Cook. It's called, "It Is Better to Look Up."
He shares this story, "At the end of a particularly tiring day toward the end of my first week as a General Authority, my briefcase was overloaded and my mind was preoccupied with the question “How can I possibly do this?” I left the office of the Seventy and entered the elevator of the Church Administration Building. As the elevator descended, my head was down and I stared blankly at the floor.

The door opened and someone entered, but I didn’t look up. As the door closed, I heard someone ask, “What are you looking at down there?” I recognized that voice—it was President Thomas S. Monson.

I quickly looked up and responded, “Oh, nothing.” (I’m sure that clever response inspired confidence in my abilities!)

But he had seen my subdued countenance and my heavy briefcase. He smiled and lovingly suggested, while pointing heavenward, “It is better to look up!” As we traveled down one more level, he cheerfully explained that he was on his way to the temple. When he bid me farewell, his parting glance spoke again to my heart, “Now, remember, it is better to look up.”

I remember my mom had heard that story a few months ago and when I heard it for the first time it impressed me. It is better to look up. We can choose to focus on all that havoc and chaos in the world. It can seem overwhelming and all encompassing with all of the negativity we face. But it reminds me of this one last quote before this gets too lengthy, "While there is much that is wrong in the world today, there are many things that are right and good. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways.

We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude ofgratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” 

President Monson, the Prophet and mouthpiece of our Heavenly Father said that, and it has stuck with me!

I am still learning, and there is so much more that I don't know or understand, but I do know with a complete surety that with a heartfelt prayer and the power of Jesus Christ, my Savior, my day can turn from dark clouds to rays of light within my heart. That is something to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving! There is truly so much that is good!

Truth

I've pondered a lot about truth. What is truth? Everything is so confusing. It is so much more common today for people to create their own belief and call it a truth. But what is the honest truth?
I guess everyone has a different opinion, of course. But isn't gravity still gravity? The apple still falls down from the tree no matter how much we convince ourselves to believe that it will one day fall upwards to the sky.
There are many beliefs, but there is only one truth. So how do we figure it out?


What difference would it make? Why bother trying to figure it out? Who cares? There are so many questions, differing opinions and interesting and sometimes senesless answers.


But I do know a few things. I know, for sure, and that is really cool. There is a lot less anxiety with a sure knowledge. There is peace and steadiness in understanding, accepting and applying real truth.
1. I know that God lives.
2. I know He has a plan for us and that families can live together forever in happiness if we follow Him.
3. I know we all chose to be here on earth and that God has not stranded us.
4. I know that you can know those things too, without a shadow of a doubt, 'Nothing wavering' (James 1:6).


Heavenly Father loves us so much and He gives us this ability to choose and make choices. So He doesn't force truth on anyone, but He makes this promise:


"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." Matthew 7:7-8

"For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come..."
1 Nephi 10:19 (Book of Mormon)


"Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Doctrine & Covenants 88:63


I know that if you diligently seek and ask with:
1. A sincere heart
2. Faith in Christ
3. Real intent to follow God


Heavenly Father will:
"...manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.(Moroni 10:4-5)"


I know that is true because I've done it myself. The Spirit is an undeniable witness from God that He lives, that He loves us, that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ and that He has restored His Gospel by His prophet Joseph Smith.
Brothers and Sisters, I love you! And I hope with all my heart that you will find out for yourself, with an undeniable assurance from God that we can know truth for ourselves.

Gourdon

So I had an experience that I wanted to share. You'll probably think I'm odd, but that's ok because I am, sort of. But I've learned once again that Heavenly Father watches over us and knows even the smallest desires of our hearts.

I'm an artist and I like home decorating. I also love fall and everything that has to do with crunching leaves and the smell of nutmeg and pumpkin. And you know, gourds and stuff. So we went to the grocery store and I practiced self restraint by not buying a bunch of those little decorative pumpkins. And by practicing self restraint I mean I asked Sister Tucker if we could get some and she said no.

But I know that a few small events were Heavenly Father's evidence of His love and acknowledgement of me and my significant and insignificant desires.
So as we went tracting last week, we came up to this house that had maybe 20 or 30 different gourds in all shapes and sizes all over the porch. We rang the door bell and a woman answered the door. She took a pamphlet and said we could try back another time. "Oh", she added, "and take a gourd, whichever one you want!" How funny that Heavenly Father would care about something so small, but I know that He loves us.
That happened around the same time that Elder Cornish gave his talk in General Conference. He shares this,

"Perhaps a personal experience will help to illustrate the point. When I was a young resident physician at Boston Children’s Hospital, I worked long hours and traveled between the hospital and our home in Watertown, Massachusetts, mostly by bicycle since my wife and young family needed our car. One evening I was riding home after a long period in the hospital, feeling tired and hungry and at least a bit discouraged. I knew I needed to give my wife and four small children not only my time and energy when I got home but also a cheery attitude. I was, frankly, finding it hard to just keep pedaling.

My route would take me past a fried chicken shop, and I felt like I would be a lot less hungry and tired if I could pause for a piece of chicken on my way home. I knew they were running a sale on thighs or drumsticks for 29 cents each, but when I checked my wallet, all I had was one nickel. As I rode along, I told the Lord my situation and asked if, in His mercy, He could let me find a quarter on the side of the road. I told Him that I didn’t need this as a sign but that I would be really grateful if He felt to grant me this kind blessing.

I began watching the ground more intently but saw nothing. Trying to maintain a faith-filled but submissive attitude as I rode, I approached the store. Then, almost exactly across the street from the chicken place, I saw a quarter on the ground. With gratitude and relief, I picked it up, bought the chicken, savored every morsel, and rode happily home.

In His mercy, the God of heaven, the Creator and Ruler of all things everywhere, had heard a prayer about a very minor thing. One might well ask why He would concern Himself with something so small. I am led to believe that our Heavenly Father loves us so much that the things that are important to us become important to Him, just because He loves us. How much more would He want to help us with the big things that we ask, which are right (see 3 Nephi 18:20)?"
I know that Heavenly Father loves and cares for each of us individually and if He answers our smallest wish, I know that He can answer our prayers of great importance as well. In fact, I'll write about how His hand has played a hand in my life that "...great things [have been] brought to pass...(Alma 37)"

http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-privilege-of-prayer?lang=eng&media=video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zndsJTdGwLQ&feature=player_embedded

Self-Worth

                                          

I love stories about people overcoming challenges. One of my favorite feelings is that heart flying feeling when you hear about people who have made a difference while overcoming their own personal struggles.
So I love American History (I know I'm from D.C.; I can't help it!). I love the heroes who sacrificed and stood their ground when they have every reason not to. Whether the red coats were coming or their own brothers of the same nation were rebelling, there are a lot of strong people who helped organize, defend and maintain this country and what it stands for.
One of my favorite people is Abraham Lincoln. Of course. One of the things that really sticks out to me is how many times he failed. Can you imagine being beat so many times whether in school or politics and over and over again picking yourself back up? He had people tell him he couldn't do it.
I think at one time or another we all face what seems to be defeat, or rejection. I wanted to share something that I've learned, is that no one can define us. We have the ultimate choice to react to our situations. President Lincoln is a wonderful example of that because not only did he try again and again but he made his situations positive. When we are faced with  negative comments from others or fail to feel our own self worth we need to, "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10)."
When we truly understand that the Son of God, the greatest of all, partook of the bitter cup and "finished [His] preparations" for us, we cannot feel worthless. Each one of us has a Divine Nature as children of God and we have great capabilites. We will face trials. We will face opposition. We may even face deception, rejection or betrayal by those we trust. As we choose to react positively and to never ever ever give up, we will be able to accomplish our greatest potential.
There is a difference between pride or arrogance, and confidence that you are of great worth. Your opinion matters. Find comfort through prayer and focus on the good that you can do.
Abraham Lincoln was faced with rejection and persecution, but he finally became President after many attempts. While many fought against him, he made a great impact that still carries on. We each have that same power to choose to overcome, fight against great odds and make an impact for good, because of the One, Jesus Christ, who said, "...my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things becomes strong unto them (Ether 12:7)."

Pie!

I love pie. It’s great. Thanksgiving is no doubt one of my favorite holidays because of it. This is actually relevant (don’t worry :) )
As we were walking downtown we met a man who gave us this parable:
(paraphrasing) “If I had pie I wouldn’t just choose a select few to give some big pieces to. I would cut it into 30+ pieces and give it to as many people as I could.”
 That man has a great heart. I think we all feel like we want to fix the problems in the world and we should give what we can. We should give our time and our love, and whatever we feel we can spare. There have been many who desire the end of world hunger and we want world peace and for everyone to be taken care of. Of course! But how?
As I was thinking about what this man said, this quote came to my mind from the April General Conference, “One of the distinguishing characteristics of this inspired gospel-centered endeavor (The Church Welfare Program) is its emphasis on personal responsibility and self-reliance. President Marion G. Romney explained: “Many programs have been set up by well-meaning individuals to aid those who are in need. However, many of these programs are designed with the shortsighted objective of ‘helping people,’ as opposed to ‘helping people help themselves.’”
The Lord has given us so many tools. We each have the means to be successful. We can make of our lives so much more than what we can comprehend, but it all comes down to our own effort.
 I love the parable of the talents in the New Testament. This is quoted from Elder Rasband in his talk, “Thou Good and Faithful Servant”:
“Jesus told the story of a master who gave each of his three servants a sum of money. The amounts were set according to each servant’s previously demonstrated capabilities. The man then left for a long time. When he returned, he asked each of these servants to report what he had done with the money.
The first two servants revealed they had doubled his investment. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord,” was the master’s reply.
The third servant then came trembling before his master. He had already heard what the others had reported and knew that he could not give a similar report. “I was afraid,” the servant said, “and went and hid thy talent in the earth.” The master was upset. “Thou wicked and slothful servant, . . .” he said. Then he commanded, “Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.””
The Lord has an endless supply and many of us have already been given what we need, if we just take the time and effort to go out and make of what we have been given. As we turn to the Lord and make of what we’ve been given, we will have sufficient for our needs.
There are those who demand and claim the “right” to a slice of pie when they could really make their own and have more to give in return!
Self reliance is an important but misunderstood principle in our society today. Dependence comes from laziness, selfishness, or perhaps lack in confidence in ourselves. Independence comes from determintation, work and faith. I’ve been learning that the Lord has great faith and trust in us. When we understand that we are children of God, we see that we are capable of so much. As Mark says, “...With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27)”
I guess my moral of this story is, don’t give those in need a sliver of pie, give them a pie recipe!

Refined

There's always so much to think about...hmmm...
Words that have been flying around my brain today are things like 'change', 'becoming', 'refining'. I've been reflecting on a talk in church this last Sunday from one of my new favorite Latter-day Saints!
She told a story of how she and her family were in a gold mine and they were told by the tour guide that there was gold all around them but they couldn't see it. Pure gold doesn't start out purely gold! You can't even tell it is gold at all.
It makes me think of us and how we start out. I was only a small girl in Virginia. I loved painting and crayons and organizing colored pencils for elementary school, but I was so shy. I wouldn't buy lunch because I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to do math right and some days I don't think I spoke a word at all before I walked through the front door, home from school.
How does someone change and break old habits that keep from progression? How do we as humans change and become, "even as He is"?
We start out rough and hardly refined, but that is why Jesus Christ established His gospel. Through faith, repentance (or change), baptism and taking the sacrament, recieving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and seeking to follow the Holy Ghost is what brings us to become a new creature.
I was reading in Revelations and I cam across this scripture:
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." (Revelation 3:21)
It reminded me of a scripture I love in the Book of Mormon. First in Alma 7:23-24 it lists attributes of Christ that we must seek to develop. The one that stands out to me most is humility. Then he says, "And may the Lord bless you and keep your garments spotless, that ye may at last be brought to sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and the holy prophets who have been ever since the world began, having your garments spotless even as their garments are spotless, in the kingdom of heaven to go no more out."
I know that we each have an incomprehensible potential. We may not see it in ourself but the Lord sees it, just as we see a clump of dirt that has potential to be refined and shining gold.
We ought not to keep ourselves or others from attaining that potential. That is our purpose in life, to reach our greatest potential, which is to become, "perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect."
One last thought. In the Book of Mormon, there is a well known vision seen in a dream by the prophet Lehi, found in 1 Nephi 8. In the dream there is a path with a rod which leads to a tree which represents the Love of God. That path leads through a mist of darkness. We too will go through mists of darkness, in fact we are in it right now. At the grocery store, at school, at work. Do we see the glimmer in others as we pass the halls? Do we see it as we look in the mirror?
I know its there. I hope we will all endure well that we may become like Him.
http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/as-many-as-i-love-i-rebuke-and-chasten?lang=eng&query=christofferson

Be of Good Cheer

Something that I have learned for myself is that there is a lot to be gloomy about…but only if I choose to see it. There is also so much to be happy about! Over the last few months in the LDS church magazine, The Ensign, there have been a lot of messages about overcoming our circumstances. As President Uchtdorf pointed out in the April General Conference, “…we have a glad message to share, and we have a message of joy.”
As I was thinking about this topic, I thought of so many quotes and words from other people more knowledgeable than me, but I’m going to attempt to not make this entire blog in quotation marks!
In the Ensign this month there is an article called, “Be of Good Cheer.” It is based off of the scripture John 16:33 where Christ says, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
What a gift! Jesus Christ came from a better world, “…to live among His people and share in their poverty and suffering so that He might be a more compassionate king.” He came to overcome the world and all of the havoc in it. Through Christ we can see all of the good because there is an, “…escape from the grasp of this awful monster…” who is Satan (2 Nephi 9:10). He is as real as Christ and we each fall prey to his cunning tricks. But there is hope. Joy to the world! The Lord is come! There is so much good to look to for, because through Christ we can be made free. Just like in my favorite Christmas hymn, “No more will sin and sorrow grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He’ll come and make the blessings flow Far as the curse was found…”
Some of the most precious moments of my life have been to feel Christ’s love for me personally. We will each endure tough things; but if we didn’t, we would not become our greatest potential by overcoming our sorrows through the One who feels our sorrows personally, “…that He [would] know…how to [help] his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:12).
I’ll finish with one of my favorite quotes: “In my lifetime I have seen two world wars. … I have worked my way through the Depression and managed to go to law school while starting a young family at the same time. I have seen stock markets and world economics go crazy, and I have seen a few despots and tyrants go crazy, all of which causes quite a bit of trouble around the world in the process.
“So I am frank to say tonight that I hope you won’t believe all the world’s difficulties have been wedged into your decade, or that things have never been worse than they are for you personally, or that they will never get better.” 2
There are no better days than these days, because “these are [your] days” (Helaman 7:9). You are here on earth at this time for a reason. You have what it takes. You have skills, knowledge, and natural talents given to you from God. If you live righteously, you will have access to the inspiration and strength you will need to triumph over any challenge you face. You will have the protection of a worthy life; guidance from the Lord through the Holy Ghost and prophets, seers, and revelators; and the power of sacred promises that are yours because you keep your covenants.
Take these things that are yours and have a great life!
References:
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Waiting on the Road to Damascus,” Ensign, May. 2011,70.
Camille Fronk Olson, “Be of Good Cheer,” Ensign, Jul. 2011, 56.
 Bruce D. Porter, “The Prince of Glory,” Ensign, Dec. 2009, 26. 
Hymns, no. 201
Paul V. Johnson, “Make Yours a Great Life,” Ensign, Jan. 2011,