Lifting us from the Depths

There are times in all of our lives that we feel like we are too far in a ditch and we can't get out. Too deep for the light to reach. The darkness overcomes us completely, and no hope of succeeding is left to soothe the soul. There seems to be no light to give us any sort of hope that we can overcome the trials we are faced with. No refuge from the storms that beat against us. No way to escape the lashings of the blinding rain and wind encircling our minds. We seem to get lost in the abyss of gloom and haze; unable to rise above the darkness and step into the light-the light that we know will instantly bring comfort and hope.

Many hours, days, weeks, and even months of my life have been spent in a place similar to this. It's not a place that anyone enjoys to be in, but it's a place I think too many of us get stuck in at times. Each one of us is faced with hard things....physical, emotional, spiritual problems. We all have them and live each day with the burdens that come from carrying them in our lives.

One night in particular I was burdened down with never-ending knee problems, feeling useless, and a whole slough of other insecurities. I'm pretty sure I was laying on the floor in a crumpled, broken pile when my best friend and companion came over to me and reached down her hand and helped me up.

I wasn't expecting it, but in that instant a huge wave of gratitude came over me and I was so grateful for her love for me. She didn't say a single word, she just simply picked me up from the heap I was in on the floor.

This experience was life changing. Not only did I come to understand the love my friend has for me, but I was able to understand the love that my Father in Heaven and Savior, Jesus Christ have for me.

"God LOVED us so He sent His Son. Christ, Jesus the Atoning One."

Something I have learned on my mission is that I matter. I'm good enough. I am good enough to have Jesus Christ, the Son of God atone for my sorrows. For my sins and my sadness. And because I am good enough for that, I am good enough for my Heavenly Father. I'm good enough for Him with my messed up knees, and my allergies, and all the other things I struggle with....He still loves me even though I am very imperfect.

I have also come to understand that because He has this love for me, He also has this kind of love for every single other person on the earth. He loves us all! And what a blessing that is to know that. I love it.

Coming to understand this truth in my life has helped me understand that others need to feel this same love. There is so much sorrow and sin that everyone needs to know that they have Savior who can make us whole, and a Father who loves us no matter what. Knowing this has changed my life. And even though there are times that I want to give up and quit, I am grateful for the trials I have in my life. They have helped me understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and I want to help others.

I love the simple truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love my Savior.

I love my Father in Heaven.

I love my companion.


These are my thoughts today....

i know my sheep

The events of the past two days have made me VERY aware of how much 

God loves His children.

 How much His hand is in everything. 

He loves each and every one of His children. 

He wants all of us to be happy. 

"...for behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered." 

-3 Nephi 18:31

When we are at the end of our rope and we feel like we can't continue forward,

God is there. 

Jesus Christ has been there.

He will come down into the pit we have dug ourselves into

and carry us out again.

and again...

 "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin;

  And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these.

  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, even so will he clothe you, if ye are not of little faith.

 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

  For your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

 But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.

 Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient is the day unto the evil thereof." -3 Nephi 13:28-34

I KNOW. 

i didn't know before, but i know now. 

I KNOW that God loves me.

I KNOW that The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. 

It helps me get through each day. 

To CONTINUE forward when the future seems uninviting and bleak at times.

To see the hope and the brightness in the world and to LOVE every minute of it.

Trials come for reasons.

Hope springs forth from the darkest of places when you CHOOSE to follow Jesus Christ.

Even the STARS can't shine without darkness. 

Today I am happy. 

For 8 year old boys and best friends.

For tastes of eternity and spiritual moments.

For complete strangers acting on the Spirit.

For hugs. 

For peaches and pictures.

For unexplained, complete love.

For MY companion, prayers, and Puffs Plus.

I'm grateful today. 

I know Christ LIVES.

I felt His Spirit today. 

"For in His strength I can do all things"

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." Alma 26:37.


Trials are a common thing to all who live upon this earth. Our Savior Jesus Christ has descended below us all with His trials, so that He could overcome the world...along with all it's trials...and provide us with the comfort we all desperately need. I can't imagine the feelings the Savior must have had as He bled from every pore in the Garden of Gethsemane, completely alone. And then again when He was hanging on the cross and He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Alone, humble, and completely perfect. He sacrificed everything and in turn, we don't have to.


For the majority of my life I have had knee problems. In attempt to fix these problems, I had surgery in June 2012 on both of my knees. It has been one roller coaster of a ride to get through the pain and limitations that have so easily accompanied this trial.

Today, my knees really hurt.

I have spent a good deal of my time pondering as to why some people face different trials in their lives. After all, if I want to be a professional runner or swimmer or dancer, shouldn't I be able to? The limitations of my physical body are a real struggle for me in my life. Why do I have to go through this? Why not something else?

This is why.

I have a Heavenly Father who loves me. He knows my potential and my capabilities and wants me to have success. He wants me now and forever. As a disciple. Not as a follower who comes and goes to see the miracles or follows when it is convenient, but a true disciple who will be faithful forever.

The way we respond to trials is a big indication of our true character. God needs us to develop the character necessary to live in His presence in the Celestial Kingdom. 


SO....

In order for us to overcome our trials and develop this character, we must be humble and turn to our Savior, Jesus Christ, in total humility. Trials humble us and "awaken [us] to a sense of [our] duty to God." Alma 7:22.

My knees provide me with the opportunity to be humble. To rely on God and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Even when it hurts, I know that Heavenly Father has allowed me to have this trial in my life so that I can become who He wants ME to become. 

Instead of looking at our trials as burdens, look at them as blessings and ways to "stir us up in remembrance of our duty to God." 


Be still, my soul: The Lord is on thy side;
With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.


As we follow our Father's plan and bear the pains of this world, we will find our own joyful end through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

This is my testimony, in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. 

Virtuous, Lovely, of Good Report

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies" -Proverbs 31:10

When we have VIRTUE, we are...

• TENDER
• KIND
• REFINED
• FAITHFUL
• GOOD
• PURE

God has promised us,

"...and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will PRESERVE thy life, and thou shalt receive an INHERITANCE in Zion"-D&C 25:2

What more can we ask for? 

As we have VIRTUE, we qualify for the Spirit to be in our lives. 

As we LIVE IN THE SPIRIT, we are able to receive the FRUITS of the spirit...VIRTUE.


It is MY TESTIMONY that God lives. That Jesus Christ is our Savior, and we can ONLY become as He is through His Atonement. It is our DUTY to try to be perfect. 

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect"-Matt. 5:48. 

PERFECTION comes as we are made WHOLE through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Perfect=whole or complete. 

-These things I know today.

Choose.Change.Consecrate

Each and every day is full of choices to be made.

"Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 Nephi 2:16).

CHOOSE to be enticed by the Spirit of the Lord.

As human beings, we have been blessed with the gift of agency. The freedom to choose. As we use this gift in a manner that is pleasing unto our Father in Heaven, we understand just WHO we are.

"We are DAUGHTERS of our Heavenly Father, who LOVES us, and we love Him"(Young Women theme).

Knowing we have a Father who loves us gives us FAITH. Faith leads us to action or REPENTANCE. As we repent, we CHANGE our will to align with God's will.

Change is essential to God's Plan for His children and leads us to become consecrated.

"Consecration is the only surrender which is also a victory" (Neil A Maxwell).


I have learned that it doesn't matter what OTHERS think, it only matters what God thinks of you.

Consecration is surrendering your will to the Father and LOVING every minute of it.
Consecration is changing not only our actions and behaviors, but our true CHARACTER.

Although this journey will take a lifetime, it IS possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

"Therefore I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect" (3 Nephi 12:48).

Perfect means complete or WHOLE. We can be made perfect through utilizing the Atonement of Jesus Christ daily and progressing.


We all make mistakes in this life, but we can be made WHOLE through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I know Heavenly Father loves me and YOU. That's why this whole plan is set forth with our Savior at the center.

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).

This is my testimony today.