Young Women activity

The young women helped me make posters to welcome Alison. The activity days girls wrote letters to Alison. I am going to put the candy poster and the poster with all the welcome messages and the letters from the activity days girls in Alison's room for when she comes home.

candy poster

Poster with messages

Welcome poster we are taking to the airport

Pictures of Alison

Regional Conference

This past Sunday we had Regional Conference. In attendance were, Elder Russel M. Nelson, Sister Carol McConkie, Elder Erich W. Kopischke of the Seventy, Elder Robert C. Gay of the Seventy, Elder Rulon Munns, Area Seventy.

Robert C Gay: I loved his talk about love, forgiveness and to not judge one another.  He told the story of a member of the church who was inactive for years and was very much against the church. Her husband took their children to church and was patient with her. When one of her grandsons turned 12 and received the Aaronic Priesthood, he learned the Aaronic priesthood held the key of "ministering of angels", so he started praying for his grandmother, that she would return to church. He never gave up on his grandmother.  But it wasn't until after he returned from his mission, years later that her heart would be softened. It was hard for her to come back to church though, because she felt bad of how she had felt before. Brother Gay told us that those who are not living the gospel are not happy. He told us to forget the past, to love one another, to help rescue those who have gone astray but most importantly to NOT JUDGE!  He said that if someone is not at church, don't judge, because you don't know their reasons.  The message that I got from his talk was that we should not judge others, that we should lovingly bring them back to the fold.  Especially those in our families. It seems to me that we are more patient with those who are not members of our families.  But with compassion, without being judgemental and with love we are to embrace those in our families who have gone astray and bring them back into the fold of God.

Carol McConkie: If you love me Keep my commandments.  We can't profess to love Christ and be selective in keeping the commandments.  She told a story of when her husband was mission president of the California, San Jose mission. There was a sister missionary who was serving at the time and they noticed that she never received any letters from her family or anybody, but was always happy. About 8 months into her mission, President McConkie asked this sister if she had received any letters and she said no.  He could not stand it any longer so he brought it up to the missionary and decided to have the members of the mission counsel write each a letter to this sister missionary. There were 18 letters written to her that day.  One common question that they all asked her was, how can you be so happy when you have no support? Her answer was, that she had been through the temple and had made covenants to keep the commandments. When we keep the commandments we are happy.

Elder Erich W. Kopischke:  Hastening the work.  We are preparing for the second coming. As the members of the church are growing so is the wickedness around us.  The hastening includes here in the world and beyond the veil. We have the truth and we need to share it.  We don't need to compare ourselves to others. We just need to be good.  Be more worthy of the Holy Ghost. Follow the promptings.  Express our desires to the Lord with more intent and precision. Pray for missionary opportunities. 

Elder Russel M. Nelson: We need to rescue those who are not active.  We need their strength in doing the work. "My parents needed to be rescued", he said.  He wrote a letter to the bishop for help in sending someone to their home.  The bishop sent a letter back saying "he did not have anyone he could send." Elder Nelson was crushed by that response.  Decades later his parents were sealed in the temple, they were in their 80s.  We need to nourish them by the word of God, the Doctrine.  There are 9 facets of the Doctrine.

1. The Godhead. Three separate beings, with one purpose, to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men.

2. Plan of Salvation. Introduced in the premortal life.

3. Atonement. Central act in all human history. It was The Savior's unique mission in mortality.

4. Dispensation, apostasy, restoration.  Last dispensation to gather scatter Israel, to seal them in the temple.

5. Prophets and revelation. God communicates with his Prophets for the entire church. For us our personal revelation comes from the Holy Ghost.

6. Priesthood and Priesthood keys. Men act in the name of God.  Restored so ordinances could be performed with the proper authority.

7. Ordinances and Covenants. Ordinances are a formal act of significance. Covenants are promises.

8. Marriage and family. Marriage is ordained of God and family is essential for the plan of God. It brings happiness.

9.Commandments. Are given to protect and bless God's children. Ten commandments are still enforced today.

If you know the Doctrine and live by it your heavy loaded life will be much lighter. I hope you will love the Lord and yoke yourself to him.  Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

He blessed us with an apostolic blessing.

Desire to feast upon the word to be disciples of The Lord, to be worthy examples. Desire to carry a temple recommend.  I sense a desire for healing, I bless you with healing of health.

My thoughts:
We must prepare ourselves for the Second coming. We must learn the Doctrine, read the scriptures and pray and strengthen our testimonies. We must be converted.  The time is now for the hastening of the work. We must bring the gospel to those who have not heard it yet and bring back those who have gone astray.

Saturday Session of Stake Conference

On Saturday January 25, Sister Carol McConkie, First Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, spoke to us in the Saturday session of Stake Conference. For this particular session of Stake Conference, we got special permission from President Thomas S. Monson to have all the youth 12 years of age and older in attendance.  Sister McConkie's words were directed to the youth.  We got there early because we wanted to have good seats so we sat on the front third row.  I noticed our Stake President, President Shill walking in the front of the chapel and motioned for a young woman to speak with him, then I noticed he looked at Parker so I knew something was up.  Our Stake President then started talking to one of his counselors, President Johnson who had been our bishop and both were looking in Parker's direction. The next thing, President Johnson walks over and sits next to Parker and asked him to participate in something that sister McConkie was doing during her talk. Parker said yes but was worried and not happy, and told me it was my fault for sitting in the front, hahaha. Sister McConkie asked a young woman and two young men, one of them Parker, to go up to the front.  The young woman had a picture of Jesus on one side of the podium, representing good choices and the young man was standing on the opposite side representing bad choices.  Parker stood in the middle, where an imaginary line was.  She would say some things that were either good choices that Parker did or bad choices and Parker would move to either side depending whether the choice was good or bad.  Parker did awesome he answered all her questions and was funny at times. It was great! Parker said to me when he was finished "now everyone in the Stake knows my name", Sister McConkie repeated his name many times.  After the conference Parker and I went up to speak with her for a few minutes. She is awesome! On Sunday we had a Regional Conference, but it was broadcast at our Church building.  When we were sitting waiting for it to start, one of the counselors in the Orlando Temple presidency and his wife were sitting in front of us. He turned to us and said to Brent how much he enjoyed his Gospel Doctrine lessons, when he saw Parker next to Brent he said, "You are Parker from last night's conference." I laughed because I remembered Parker saying that everyone in the Stake now knows his name! Hahaha. 

Becoming a Better Person

I have been thinking about this subject recently, not because I do it but because I USED to do it. President Uchtdorf said on his "Forget me not" talk: "I want to tell you something that I hope you will take in the right way: God is fully aware that you and I are not perfect.  Let me add: God is also fully aware that the people you think are perfect are not.  And yet we spend so much time and energy comparing ourselves to others-usually comparing our weaknesses to their strengths.  This drives us to create expectations for ourselves that are impossible to meet. As as result, we never celebrate our good efforts because they seem to be less than what someone else does.  Everyone has strengths and weaknesses.  It's wonderful that you have strengths. And it is part of your mortal experience that you do have weaknesses."

When I was younger I was always comparing myself  to others. It was very painful, so why did I do it? I don't know why and I don't have the answer to that. I just did.  I felt I was not a very good parent and I would compare myself to others and not just that, there were so many things that I thought I did not measure up to OTHERS.  That is where I was wrong. Why would I spend so much time, energy and effort comparing myself to others? Why would I let that make me so angry at myself and others? Why????? It is easy for me to question myself now because I look back at that person and think, What were you thinking? It is easy now that I feel liberated from those feelings and understand how useless and damaging they are to your soul.  It eats at you, and corrodes your insides like acid.  Why then would I do that?  I really don't have a straight answer but I realized once, as simple as that, that everyone is imperfect just like me. When I heard people talk about their fears and their insecurities I realized they were just like me! I used to think I was the only one that felt a certain way or that thought this or that thought that or what ever, but NO, other people have insecurities too. SO when I realized that I was comparing my weakness to their strengths and when I realized that they were not perfect, then I realized what a waste of time it was to compare myself to them. NO I am not perfect, and NO they are not perfect either.

One thing that helped me was that I decided that there is one person, that I should follow and that is Jesus Christ. He is the one that I must follow.  3 Nephi 27:27 "Wherefore what manner of men ought ye to be? verily I say unto you, even as I am."  I want to be like Him and not like anyone else. Yes, I love to hear the testimonies of others because it inspires me to be better, but I don't say "I want to be like them", I say to myself, "I want to try that (whatever it is, reading scriptures better, attend the temple more) not to be like them but to be "A BETTER ME". 

NOW I am focused on being a better person than I was yesterday, rather than I wish I was like her.  I compare myself today, to myself yesterday.  We all have different lives.  We all have different struggles. We all have different family circumstances.  We have our own strengths and weaknesses.  We are unique. 

One thing that has always been particularly difficult for me is speaking at church. I would compare myself to others. I would think "they do such a good job and feel so confident and always have the right words to say, they are so knowledgeable, blah, blah, blah. Then I would have negative thoughts about myself, you will never speak like them, they were raised by parents who were members all their lives and you did not so their parents knew more than yours blah, blah, blah. I always say that if you are afraid of speaking in public and you are a member of the church, it is a very difficult thing because so much of our time at church is spent in public speaking, like praying, teaching and giving talks etc. I always felt like Moses in Exodus 4:10 "Oh my Lord I am not eloquent...but I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue." Comparing breeds envy!!! Yes I have felt envy!!! It is awful!!!! I don't like it!! I never want to be that person again!!! When you compare yourselves with others, you start thinking about how much better they have it, how much better they do things, how much better their family is, you start feeling bitter or jealous or discouraged.  Comparing is bad because it has a lot to do with the Ten Commandments, you know, the one about coveting. So Heavenly Father, being loving and patient with me, has given me many chances, many opportunities to grow in that capacity.  I never said no to those opportunities.  It is still very difficult, I still get sick to my stomach, I still lose sleep and I still struggle with public speaking, BUT, I don't compare myself to others. I don't hurt myself with those thoughts anymore. I prepare myself and try to do MY BEST. I trust that the Lord will help me. I don't get angry at anyone for doing what I thought was "better than me", now I know it is not better than me BECAUSE they are NOT me.  Only I can be better than myself.

I read this and I always want to remember it, "Work on yourselves and on your situations".  God gave us our own unique lives, situations and circumstances for a reason, because He knows us and He knows what we need to grow. Don't ever think that someone else's life is better, or that they have it easier or even harder because sometimes we put ourselves down that way, thinking that someone is better because of what they are going through and thinking "I could never go through that."  You are stronger than you think.  Don't put yourself down!! Don't do it!! Don't put your family life down, don't do it!!!  Your children are precious and Heavenly Father gave them to you because He knows you and He did not choose someone else, He chose you to be their parent!!! He did not chose other kids for you, he chose them for you!! You have a work to do and it is YOUR work!! Not anyone else's!! Be loving and patient with yourself and your family.  We are all imperfect.

President Uchtdorf said: "God wants to help us to eventually turn all of our weaknesses into strengths, but He knows that this is a long-term goal. He want us to become perfect, and if we stay on the path of discipleship, one day we will. It's OK that you're not quite there yet. Keep working on it, but stop punishing yourself. Dear sisters, many of you are endlessly compassionate and patient with the weaknesses of others. Please remember also to be compassionate and patient with yourself."

Let's be kind with ourselves! Let's be kind with others! Our lives would be so much better!! I have a long ways to go but I am now kind to myself and it feels good to be kind! I feel free from those awful feelings that were keeping me prisoner from improving myself. Those thoughts are not from God, because everything good comes from God. Moroni 7:12-13 "Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually." "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."

Don't forget to be HAPPY. I have noticed that now that I am not comparing myself I am happier with myself. Stop worrying about what others are doing and start doing more to become better. President Uchtdorf said that those who are happy are those who are in pursuit of worthy goals. When you are working on being better you will bless those around you, you will come closer to the Lord, and that is a worthy pursuit!

Congratulations to Parker

Congratulations to Parker.  He was accepted at BYU Idaho. Now we wait for BYU Provo and BYU Hawaii. We are so proud of him!

Pictures from Alison

These are pictures of the two filipino who sono state battezzati sabato (who were baptized Saturday). Alison and her new companion Sorella Egbert

Alison and her previous companion Sorella Heupel

Alison and Heupel and a less active they are working with

Alison and Heupel

More miracles

I have a story that I would like to share. Over the past few months a lot of the people in Alison's Ward in Milan, Italy have asked to be her friend on facebook.  Some of them have asked to be my friend.  Almost all of them are from South America which is fun for me because I can communicate with them.  They have all told me how much they love Alison.  This one gentleman in particular asked to be my friend a while back but I did not know who he was and at the time and we did not have friends in common so I did not accept him. A week ago Alison talked to us about an investigator who was ready to be baptized. This investigator, during the night  found her little girl had stopped breathing and rushed her to the hospital. According to Alison she was purple and almost dead. On the way there she remembered the hymn she had memorized, I need Thee every hour. She sang it and her daughter got a little better and started to breath. I did not realized that this investigator was my friend on Facebook. I thought that this lady I had accepted on Facebook was a member.  One day as I was looking on Facebook I saw that this lady had posted about her daughter almost dying, so I realized this was Alison's investigator.  The gentleman that I had not accepted on Facebook was the little girl's dad. I accepted his friendship on Facebook. He then posted a few pictures of Alison and her companion.

He posted this picture with the caption: Two angels sent from God

He messaged me on Facebook and we had a good conversation.  He bore his testimony of how Alison and her companion Sorella Heupel had helped him return to church.  How they had bored their testimony to him and how it helped him strengthen his testimony and now his wife would be getting baptized.  He told me that back in October they were so sad because they did not want Alison to be transferred. He said they prayed that she would stay in Milan.  I was hoping that she would be sent to Mestre, because it is close to the Venice area and also the closest she could get to Trieste, where my ancestors are from.  Sisters do not serve in Trieste but Mestre is the closest city where the sisters serve. Well, Alison did not get transferred and he said, that the Lord answered his prayer. The Lord knows what is best and Milan is where she needed to be. This past weekend Alison was very sick and Sister Dibb, the presidents wife had to take her to the hospital. This gentleman told me that he felt bad that he could not help, his wife was in the hospital with their little girl and he could not go alone to help without his wife. He said they love her like she was a daughter! They are sad that she will be leaving soon.His wife cried the other day because Alison will be returning home soon and they are sad because she has been a big strength for their family. I assured him that she will always remember them.  I told him that I am still in contact with the Elder that baptized me in 1974.  You never forget those very special missionaries.  I also told him that we will visit them when we come in June. He said that he knows the Lord sent Alison to their family. He said that "because of your beautiful daughter he is converted to the Lord, she gave him the key to speak to the Lord, he is happy that everyday he receives a testimony of the book of Mormon and the revelations that he has received are big". He said "Alison is faithful and has a strong testimony and when she explains things is wonderful to listen and easy to understand her." I have also spoken to his wife and given her words of comfort when their little girl was in the hospital. Today this little girl went home from the hospital!!

I am thankful to know that Heavenly Father knows us and loves us.  I know that Alison was sent to Italy to help these people.  It is amazing to me all the wonderful miracles that I have seen during her mission.  I wanted her to serve in some Spanish country and she went to Italy to serve Italians and Hispanics.  The two wards she has served in, in Milan are mostly Hispanics.  The Lord truly is in control and this is His church and He knows where we are needed. I am thankful for such wonderful loving people who have received Alison and treated her like a daughter.

Conner's new glasses

Conner loves his new glasses

Missionary Work and the Atonement

Spelling Bee

Conner did great today in the spelling Bee. He did not win the overall spelling Bee but to get there he won his classroom spelling Bee.  To me he is a winner!!!

Three Kings day

On Sunday night, January 5, Three kings day eve, Conner got the grass and water ready for the camels.

On Monday morning January 6, Three Kings day he got his little gift.

Later that day he had his eye doctors apointment

More Christmas miracles

I love this Christmas miracle that Alison shared with us.  I had printed some pictures at Walgreens of a picture of the Sacred Grove that I took last summer, I had used that picture in a spiritual thought I gave at presidency meeting.  While I was sitting at home a couple of weeks ago the thought came to me that I should send the two pictures I had left to Alison and that maybe there would be someone she could give them to.  She told us that she had two investigators that she would love to give them to! I love miracles!

December 18th, 2013

I want to begin by telling you a miracle that happened this morning. Two weeks ago we were doing finding work (well we do at least a couple hours of finding work everyday, but this day was all day) and ran into a Filipino woman and who we thought was her daughter (turns out it was her cousin). The lady who we thought was the mom said that she is married to a mormon and he is in the Philippines. I think my companion and I just about died to hear those words. She kept on calling us sisters. Like okay sisters, see you later sisters. It was really cute. Well we had the privilege to see her this morning for the first time. She told us that 3 years ago she married this mormon and that her kids recently were baptized mormon, that her sister in law is the relief society president in the Philippines and her brother in law is the bishop. And she told us that everyone had been telling her to go to the church to find peace, etc. And then we randomly meet her on the street. Her cousin was like it was so sudden. We laughed and she told us that now she was ready to know about the church. We talked about the restoration and invited her to be baptized and she accepted and said she knew it was true already and she could feel the spirit with us today. So in about a month she will be baptized!! My companion and I have been having a hard time finding people and at least I was starting to be really discouraged and then at my point of weakness God brought us a miracle. A miracle that I cannot express how excited I am for her. You should have seen how happy she was. 

January 1st, 2014

Thank you for the kind thought of the photos.(We sent a couple of pictures of the Sacred Grove that we visited this past summer and asked her if she knew someone that would like them and benefit from having them)  I already have in mind the two people I will give them to.

So we actually have three baptism dates. Along with the Filipino lady, her cousin is getting baptized the same day (I will give them the photos). These are the sweetest and most pure of heart people I have ever seen. I love them. They came to church on Sunday and the member who went to one of the lessons with us started introducing them to the members and bringing members to meet them. It was awesome. The other day they kept on telling us about when we are baptized, when we are baptized. The one that is married to the Mormon and her kids are Mormon said she told her family and they we just so excited. That they started reading the scriptures together. This Sunday all of our baptism were in church. The other baptism is of a member's sister. She will be baptized the 8th of febbraio. Her sister brought her to church and told us we had to start teaching her. We have seen her every week for the past three weeks and this last week she has accepted a date. :) I am so excited for all them. It is just so awesome. In the last week our area has started to pick up and I cannot wait to see what it will continue to do. 

Christmas miracle

I came across this beautiful miracle story in Elder Benson's blog.  He is serving in the Italy, Milan mission. This story was written in his blog by his parents.  It touched me so much I wanted to have it so I could read it, so that it would remind me of how much Heavenly Father loves us, each and everyone of us and that He is aware of even the smallest thing in our lives. This story makes me cry everytime I read it!

Drew had a Christmas package for his family ready to go about 4 weeks before Christmas but just got too busy with the work and didn't get a chance to mail it. Every evening when he got home, he would see that package sitting there and it made him feel bad. He said that by the time he got around to checking to see how much it would cost him to mail the package and get it there in time for Christmas that it would have cost him $100 Euro's. Way too much money and he was depressed that it would never get mailed. The week right before Christmas was busy and Drew and his companion were visiting with some people in a park. They came upon a homeless man and stopped to talk with him. Drew said that the man looked at him and right off asked if he could have his gloves. Drew said, "No, I need my gloves." They visited for a bit longer and the man asked him for his gloves again. Drew said "No, I really do need these gloves." They had to leave because they had an appointment and were walking away. Drew said that he couldn't stand it and turned back and gave the man his gloves. He said that even though he really did need them, he could not stand leaving the man in the cold without any gloves. The very next appointment they went to, was an investigator. They gave him one of the discussions and as they were leaving the man said. "Elders, I would like to do something for you for Christmas. I work for a shipping company and would like to mail a package home to your families for free.  Drew said he could not believe what he was hearing.  Drew said “how did you know I needed to mail a package?” He said I didn’t, but I would like to do that for you if you have anything.” Drew said he brought the package back to the man the next day which was the Thursday before Christmas.  We got the package the following Monday, two days before Christmas.  Drew felt certain that this was a tender mercy that the Lord sent him because he sacrificed his gloves for the homeless man.  We would like to send a big “Thank You” to the kind Italian investigator who mailed that package to us. You will never know how much that meant to us.  

First Sunday of the Year!

Today is the first Sunday of 2014, and the kids had their first day in their Primary classes

 Today at church was Conner's first day as Valiant 9

 Today was Ronan's first day as Sunbeam

Today was Brinley's first day as Sunbeam

Pictures of Alison

These pictures we found on the Italy Milan mission blog

December Coucil

Sister Training leaders December 2013

Sorella Hanson and Sorella Heupel

Video of Alison's friend mission call

This is a video of Giulia opening her mission call to Salt Lake City.  Alison helped reactivate her in Italy.

The Gift of Grace

I read an article on lds.org that helped me better understand "Grace".  The article by
Elder Gene R. Cook a Seventy,  is called "Receive Divine assistance through the Grace of the Lord".

He starts by saying that perhaps some of us have not received or or don't know how to use the "great gift of grace that Father has given us through the Atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ".  In D&C 88:33 it says: "For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?". Many times we try to carry our burdens alone, without asking the Lord for His help.  Often times we find ourselves asking, Why won't God answer my prayers, or help me in my trials?  When we are sick or afflicted or having a miserable time, we feel alone, like God has left us. But the truth is, He does not leave us.  He is always there. In 1st Nephi 21:16 it says: "Behold, I have engraven thee upon the palms of my hands".  "And He will take upon him death that he may loose the bands of death which binds his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." Alma 7:11-13

To withstand the trials that we are going to have in this life, we must center our lives, hearts and mind in the Lord Jesus Christ. Alma 33:11 it says, "And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of Thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto Thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of Thy Son". When we do all we can, He will help us.  We need to have hope, that even though we are weak, unworthy but we are doing ALL that we are capable to do, the Lord will help us and provide for us what "we may lack".  He will make up the rest! This is what grace means. Grace is "divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ" (Bible dictionary).

Elder Cook says that "the doctrine of the grace of the Father and the Son and how affects us is so significant that it is mentioned over 200 times in the standard works".

Elder Cook says that "If we can obtain the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, that divine enabling power to assist us, we will triumph in this life and be exalted in the life to come." I want to triumph in this life and I want to be exalted with my family! I am so thankful that I have this knowledge, that I can, with the help of the Lord, because I can't do it alone, endure all the problems, illnesses, afflictions, infirmities etc. etc. and live with Him again.  That is the gift that The Lord has given us through His atonement. He knows each and everyone of us individually.  He suffered my afflictions, He knows how I feel everyday.

To obtain GRACE, there are 5 principles we must apply.

FAITH

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ IS the first principle of the Gospel. Grace is accessed by faith. When the apostle Peter doubted and took his eyes off the Savior, he severed himself from the power of Jesus Christ that had sustained him on the water. I wonder how many times, when I have prayed for help, but because of doubt or fear, I severed myself from the power of God and could not obtain grace.  I do this a lot and I wish I did not. I have felt alone and that He wasn't listening to me. But that is not true. In D&C 6:36-37  it says: "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. Behold thy wounds which pierced my side, and also my prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven."

REPENTANCE

Elder Cook says "The grace of the Lord through the Atonement can both cleanse us of sin and assist us in perfecting ourselves through our trials, illnesses, and even "character defects.  We are both sanctified and justified through the grace of the Lord."

The effect of grace in our lives is conditioned upon repenting of our sins. Helaman 12:23-24 Blessed are they who will repent.... And may God grant in his  great fullness, that men might be brought unto repentance and good works, that they might be restored unto grace for grace, according to their works. " A repentant heart and good works are the very conditions required to have grace restored to us.  When someone pleads fervently in prayer for an answer, the answer may be more conditioned on repentance of personal sins that on any other factor." D&C 101:7 it says: They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.

HUMILITY

James 4:6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and 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 become strong unto them.

We must be humble to obtain grace. I need to remember that these trials and weaknesses are for our good, we become stronger for having gone through them. I have been through some pretty hard things, but the Lord has helped me and looking back I am grateful for them and the lessons I have learned from them.

DOING ALL IN YOUR OWN POWER

Elder Cook says, "Yes, by works alone, cannot bring that divine gift, but they are key condition upon which the gift is received." 2 Nephi 10:23-24 Reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved. 2 Nephi 25:23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

Unless I have done my part, everything in my power, I cannot expect the grace of God to be manifest. Elder Cook says something I really like; "What a glorious principle to understand: the Lord's assistance to us-whether we have strong faith or weak faith:whether a man, a woman, or a child-is not based just on what we know, how strong we are, or who we are, but more upon our giving all that we can give and doing all that we can do in our present circumstance.  Once one has given all he can, then the Lord, through His grace, may assist him." Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

KEEPING THE COMMANDMENTS

D&C 93:20 For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fullness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father, therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace.D&C 93:28 He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things.

We don't need to be perfect to obtain grace, but we need to be keeping the commandments of God as best we can and then the Lord may allow us to receive grace.

Moroni 10:32-33
Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness: and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

Elder Cook closes by saying, "Let no trial or affliction, ever separate us from the love of God and the true love of Christ."

One of my favorite scriptures is: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
I came to this earth to gain a body and to prove that I can return to my Heavenly Father.  I knew before I came to earth what it would be like. I chose to come down and to follow Jesus Christ's plan of happiness.  I am blessed to have all this knowledge.  I can't imagine not having this knowledge.  This is what keeps me going, it gives me hope and purpose in life.  Having faith in Jesus Christ's Atonement gives us hope that we can be forgiven, and receive the gift of grace.

January 1st, 2014 Happy New Year

We had a very quiet New Years Eve.  I picked up my niece from her apartment and she came over for a couple of hours. She has been here in Orlando since August, working with the Disney College program, but she has been very busy and I have not been able to see her. She is done with the program so she leaves for Puerto Rico this Sunday. We dropped her off at Disney around 9:00 pm. She had plans with some friends to see the fireworks at Magic Kingdom.

Cristina and I on the way home

Then Brent, Conner and I just sat in bed watching the Studio C special on BYU TV. We love Studio C and Conner is obsessed with it!  Parker was across the street at the Marsel's house at their New Years party.

This morning was pretty relaxing and Conner had his favorite breakfast, pancakes and hot chocolate.  Parker just slept in.  Brent and I were going to go on a walk but it was raining.

We got Alison's email this morning.  She had some really good news.  About a year ago when she was in the Milano, Cimiano Ward, Alison and her companion helped re-activate a young woman and now she got her mission call!! She will be serving in Salt Lake City.  Alison sent us a video of this lady opening her mission call. It was awesome, but Alison asked us not to share it on the blog! 

I had given a spiritual thought a while back in presidency meeting and had made some copies of this picture of the Sacred Grove that I took this past summer. I had a couple of the prints left and had a thought that I should send them to Alison.  She answered back in her email that she already knew who to give them to!! She knows two ladies that will be getting baptized and she wants to give them the pictures! I love how she ended her email, "Just wanted to tell you one thing.  All of 2013 I was a missionary and it was the best year. I love you all."

I was reading on one of the missionaries blog in Alison's mission and she wrote to her family, "I don't miss you because I don 't feel far away from you.  With each passing day, you grow closer to me.  No, not because I 'm coming home sooner every day but because through my service, we're being knit together."

I love this, it is so beautiful! It made me think that as we are giving service to others, whether it is by going on a mission, serving in each of our callings, bringing a meal to someone in need, or just making someone feel welcome at church, and being Christ-like, it brings us closer to the Lord. When we come close to the Lord, our love and faith for Him grows which in turns "knits" our families together, our love for each other grows!

My hope for this year is to come closer to Christ and to strengthen my family, that through our service and obedience to the covenants we have made, we will be knit together as one eternal family!