We Are Children Of The Covenant

This month I have really sat back and thought about what I am really thankful for. Which turned out to be a successful task that I took on. There are many things in my life that I am thankful for and I always will be. I'm thankful for this mortal life that Heavenly Father has blessed us with. Without this life, we would never be able to experience love, heartbreak, joy, depression, happiness, hugs, laughter, pain and fear. With all of these emotions and experiences, we'd never learn and grow. I'm also thankful for opportunities, like how I was given to opportunity to meet the missionaries, get baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. That is what I am most thankful for, especially since lately I have really been thinking about my baptism day. Which is what this post is mostly going to be about, baptism in general that is. I also sat back and realized that it's already coming up on the end of November and I couldn't help but sit there with my jaw on the ground for about five or ten minutes when that realization finally came through. Even I think it's sad that it took me that long to realize that this year is already practically over. But hey, apparently time really does fly when you're having fun; which is exactly what I've been doing this year. 

As happy as I am that I've made it nine months so far with only four months left to go until it's a year, I'm also sad that this year is almost over. Which is often normal for me since I am usually slightly depressed at the end of the year, but this year it's different. This year was the best year of my entire life, and I'll always cherish it, but what makes it all the better is this. When I look back on this time last year and I look at how my life was and remember how I was and how I acted... Back then I'd have never thought in a million years that I could say "This time next year, I'm going to be happy. I'm going to be a Latter-day Saint!" That was just not in the cards at the time, or at least I didn't think so. This time last year I was a nobody, a nobody with more potential then I could ever even imagine. Then to think of where I am today, and compare the two to each other, it's really rather amazing to see how quickly such drastic change can come along, and it gives me hope and reassures me that nothing is ever impossible. Just at times it seems improbable. But I am thankful for every bit of heartbreak, change, and relationships broken and made that were apart of this wonderful journey that lead to my baptism and confirmation. 

2 Nephi 31:12 says:

And also, the voice of the son came unto me, saying; He that is baptized in my name, to him will the Father give the Holy Ghost, like unto me; wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye have seen me do. 

Right now, in this time of my life my baptismal covenant is the most important thing in my life. Of course more great covenants will come into my life, but since this one came first and is the main foundation of my relationship with Heavenly Father; I plan on honoring and keeping it. 

Elder Robert D. Hales addressed the topic of Baptismal Covenants in his October 2000 General Conference talk and said: 

"At baptism we make a covenant with our Heavenly Father that we are willing to come unto His kingdome and keep His commandment s from that time forward, even though we still live in the world."

What really got me thinking about baptism was just this last Saturday when I attended my friend Cynthia's friend Syrena's baptism. As I was sitting there, watching the baptism happen I remembered the day of my baptism. Elder Saager and his new companion were there and I was glad that he got to make it since he originally started teaching Syrena the lessons but had to stop do to some issues that came up then he eventually was transferred from Del Cerro. But while watching her get baptized, I remembered my day. I looked over at Elder Saager who was sitting two seats away from me and I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with nostalgia. It was intense and I felt the spirit while watching her go under the water. Two people were called to stand up front as her witnesses, and I couldn't help but look over at Elder Saager again. Since he and Elder Malietoa were my witnesses and the last thing I saw before I went under the water was Elder Saager. At the very last second he and I made eye contact. He looked so peaceful but before I could make record of anything else, I closed my eyes and came back up. A brand new person with a whole new life right ahead of me. 

Like I said, that was the best day of my life. My dad and brother was there, and that day was the day I first met several people that have become very important in my life. Such as Jun Madrid and McKenna Michels. 

Very often I wish that I could go back and relive that day. I also often wish that I could go back and relive the days that I received the missionary lessons. But I'm glad that I am able to live with the wonderful memories and to have the relationship with our Heavenly Father that I have. I can easily say it's what I'm most thankful for. 

Cast Your Mind Upon The Night

In my short time since becoming a member of this amazing church, I have been blessed with having some of the most amazing people I've ever met being placed in my life. It really is true that Heavenly Father works miracles in our lives through the people that he places in them. Now, out of all the missionaries that are in my life and that I am close to, I have managed to speak of all of them in this blog but one. One Elder who I owe a great thanks to and have great appreciation for. Elder Kirchhoefer was Elder Saager's second companion after Elder Malietoa finished his mission and went home. Elder Kirchhoefer came into my life during a very scary time and managed to really help me out and see the brighter side of a lot of things, which is something that is very admirable of him. What makes me want to bring him up and share with you his awesomeness is this. He is the reason why I have stayed so strongly dedicated to this blog of mine, that has already brought forth so many blessings.

A week or so before this last general conference, Elder Kirchhoefer challenged me to write down some questions that I had that I needed answering. Then during the conference, I was to sit and listen to the spirit and see what I could hear. Taking on this challenge seemed absolutely perfect, considering the fact that it was only my second conference ever and I felt like I really needed to connect with our Heavenly Father. So during this General Conference was when I received the prompting to start this blog. I truly do believe that if it weren't for Elder Kirchhoefer placing this challenge before me, I would not have been listening well enough to hear His guidance and receive revelation. Thank you Elder Kirchhoefer for being such an important person in my life.

Now the second part of this post is not as relevant to the first part of this but it is just as important and worth sharing. Just last month, I realized something. This something turned out to be the initial key of my membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To give a bit of a background that has actually been mentioned in the very first post on here. Now I was fortunate to set myself a firm foundation of my membership and dedication. Several nights before I went to this church for the first time, I prayed. I literally was crying out to Heavenly Father, asking him to help me find a way. I no longer wanted to feel as if I was dirt and that I was below rock bottom. Then that's when the journey officially began. I went to church, met my missionaries, received my first Book of Mormon then got baptized. I was hooked and in love, all in the form of a very strong and very spiritual high. That is where my all time favorite verse comes to play.
Doctrine & Covenants 6:22-23:
22 Verily Verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.
23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?

The first time I ever heard this verse was when Elder Jones felt prompted to share it with me. It was during a meeting that we had, where the spirit was just so strong in, it was like we were in the very presence of our Heavenly Father Himself. Elder Jones asked me to read it out loud ans as I did, I felt as if I were not even in this world anymore. Moments like this, well I live for them and that's when a realization began. Several weeks passed and I kept thinking about that verse. It rang within my head and I could remember how strong the spirit was that day. It was good. Then October 17, 2011 I was invited to sit through an institute class that a very wonderful return missionary that is in my institute named Sean. He would be substituting and he invited both me and the Elders since I was with them when he went to ask them to come. Here is where what I said earlier in this post becomes important again, Heavenly Father works such great miracles in our lives just by the actions of people that have been placed in your life. Sean pointed out many great things that really got me thinking, and helped me and the class as a whole to set a spiritual goal for ourselves. It helped a lot to be honest.

Now during that class, Sean brought up Doctrine and Covenants 6:22-23 and in that very moment that it was being read out loud for the class to hear, Elder Jones looked over at me and I looked at him. We both had smiles on and our memories both went back to that day. At that point, I knew that that special night, as sad and as torn as I was, that it was the initial key. Lets call it the back bone to me being a member of this church and I never even realized it until this last month.

Now I can testify that this church is true. I can say all these wonderful things about our prophets, the scriptures and missionaries. But what makes what I include in my testimony and makes it as honest, true and sincere as it is, the fact that I have lived my testimony. I've felt the love of our most kind and gracious Heavenly Father, I've felt the peace and joy that comes with reading the Book of Mormon and all those are what make this church true and worth living for. If it weren't for that night, that night that I cried out to our Father in Heaven back when I didn't even know that he loved me as much as he really does, I would not be here where I am today.

Don't Be Afraid Of Death, Be Afraid Of An Unlived Life

I'm still really young. I've not had the opportunity to get out there, spread my wings and really experience what life could really be like. Granted, I've experienced and had to deal with a lot of things, people my age and in my ward have never had to deal with before. In my life, I've had to give things up, had things taken away from me and have had to sacrifice things normal children growing up never have to experience. But I never let that stop me from moving on, I never let that keep me from growing and smiling every single day. My past can really go to show that the heart truly is the strongest thing in the world. Mine has been ripped in half, stitched back together, lied to, stepped on, and over worked with unnecessary stress. But it still finds the power to beat every day, to love people unconditionally and never give up. Now, I don't want this to seem like a pity me message, I'm not complaining at all, I am very happy with my life and I think that if it weren't for everything that I've experienced, I wouldn't be as thankful for what I have and how capable of making changes I am right now.

This last weekend, my aunt Cindy and I left for a five day road trip to Arizona, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Nevada. Along the way, I was able to convince her to let us make several stops at several Temples [St. George and Mesa Temples] throughout the trip. Our first destination was to be in the far east-north corner of Arizona by the end of the first day, along the free way to get up there was going through Phoenix and Mesa Arizona. So we stopped by the Mesa Temple and walked through the visitors center. My aunt Cindy is not a member of the church but she has really supported me with my decision to become a member and dedicate my life to the Lord and His church. So we went in, looked around and got to talk to some Sisters about the plan of salvation display that they had set out for visitors, members and non members alike. The display talked a lot about family, and how we really never die; we just simply move onto the next step of the plan our Heavenly Father has set up for us. It actually really touched the both of us since just a few years ago, my family suffered a loss. The loss of my uncle, her husband, John. I knew that while watching the short videos that were apart of it that showed a family and going through the loss of a grandparent, that Cindy was thinking of John, I knew because I was too.

This really made me realize something and reminded me of something one of my institute teachers mentioned a while back. This life has been put out to look so negative and so bad, when in reality yes there are negative and bad things in it. But that does not make it all bad all together. Life can be a beautiful thing, in this life we have a body, we have love, happiness and opportunities to learn things we've never had the chance to learn before our mortal lives. So live it up! When we die, it's not the end, it's the beginning of a new chapter. But why waist that time that we have until that new chapter begins when we could be happy and experiencing life. During this road trip, we visited the Four Corners Monument, Mesa Verde, the Zion National Park and Vegas. During each stop, I was absolutely amazed at each places beauty and unique virtues, it was at times overwhelming. But that never stopped me from wanting to have each adventure that was in store for us at each location. It actually did the exact opposite and made me want to take everything that it had to offer in. With all these experiences, I actually decided to start a bucket list, even if it may seem silly or ridiculous it's something that I would really like to start. Number one of that list will be to have a Temple Road Trip, where I will visit each Temple in the United States in an RV or whatever I have. It doesn't really matter how, I just know that someday it will happen.

Already I am able to scratch the San Diego Temple, Mesa Arizona Temple and the St. George Utah temple off the list. Visiting these was one of the best things I've done since joining the church. The way that I felt every time that I stepped foot onto the grounds of each Temple made me feel so at peace it was ridiculous. But I loved being there, and I loved seeing how much my aunt enjoyed it as well. It definitely is something that I will remember for the rest of my life and I am so thankful for the opportunity to go and for the opportunities waiting for me in the future.

I know that this post doesn't have as much in common with the last several posts, but this idea and experience I just had really meant a lot. But I have a lot more in store for this blog. I just have to organize my thoughts out. 

Meet You On The Other Side!

This post will be a bit longer then the rest. Just letting you know ahead of time.

In your life, what are some things that you are really, truly thankful for? Some people may say that they are thankful for their car, their job or their shoe collection. This day in age is so based on the materialistic things in life, that we are not really focused on what is really important and what really matters. Just this Sunday, this question was presented to my Sunday school class and some of the answers surprised me. Only several people answered the question including myself, but what was said really impressed me. The spirit filled the room so strongly and I could tell that everybody was thinking of things that they were thankful for, even if they weren't going to speak up about it. Somebody said that they were thankful for the Temple, and having it be so close to where we live. Then somebody else said that they were thankful for the scriptures that we have to fill ourselves with knowledge of the Lord. Immediately I knew what it was that I was most thankful for in that very moment, it actually occurred to me before class even started and that question was asked. In the closing hymn of Sacrament, one of the verses of the song was "Thankful for the love of humans" or something along the lines of that. Everyday I am beyond thankful for the love that we can form between one another and receive from people that we are close to and care about, especially since right now we can not physically receive the love from out Heavenly Father. Through the bonds that He has allowed us to make in this mortal form, we learn how to love as He does and feel that love in return.

Heavenly Father loves us all, and wants us to be as happy as possible throughout our time on earth. He allows us to be happy and feel as if blessings and miracles are being worked in our lives when we choose to follow His commandments and live by His word. Every time we make a good decision when the option to make a bad was presented He shows us His love through placing happiness and blessings in our lives, even when we think he isn't. He works with us through the people that he places in our lives, which is where what I stated I was thankful for in class takes place. What really got me thinking of the love of other human beings and the relationships that we can form is when I was speaking to my friend Janae about my missionaries just this last week. I was telling her about how Malietoa messaged me several weeks ago to tell me that he was going to come back to America from Samoa to attend BYU. Along with those messages we exchanged a bit of heart to heart with each other, telling one another how much we missed the other and that we are forever brother and sister. So I shared some of this with her and she said something to me that really hit my heart. She told me that he really meant all those nice things he said to me. She went on a mission and knew what it was like to have friendships with the people that she converted to the church. She explained that every missionary has a very special connection with their convert and they always end up loving them and having a place for them in their heart. With certain people, she explained to me that she even felt as if she knew them in the premortal existence from the way the spirit filled the room. She could just tell. 

Since I've joined the church, I've often wondered about what she had just shared with me. I've often wondered if there were people in my life that I knew before we were sent down to earth to serve our missions of life. That was something that I had even had discussions with several friends beforehand and I was still kind of curious about. But everything was cleared up to me the Sunday prior to that Tuesday that Janae and I had spoken. That Sunday, the new Elder to the institute, Elder Barney gave a talk to kind of introduce himself to the ward as a whole and explain why he went on a mission. Towards the end of the talk he gave, he mentioned something about a dream this one person had. I'm not 100% sure I remember what he said correctly but this is what I took out of it. He spoke of this man who had a dream and in that dream he and his best friend were in the premortal existence and were about to receive their calls to serve their earth lives. One friend was going to be sent to a family in the united states that would raise him as a member of the church and the other friend was to be sent to a family in a third world country where he wouldn't have the Gospel. But right before they were sent down to their families the friend who would have the Gospel made a promise to come find him someday and through his mission he would. 

This all had me thinking so much, everything that happens happens for a reason. In my opinion there is no real coincidences. Certain people are missionaries to people for a reason, there is a reason why my friend Savannah and I became such close friends in what almost seemed instantly out of nowhere. There is a reason why Elder Malietoa and Elder Saager were my missionaries. There is a reason why we are in the places that we are in the times that we are. When we are meant to find someone and have someone in our lives, it is for a real good reason. I truly, honestly do believe that Elder Saager, Malietoa, Savannah and I knew each other before this life. I truly do believe that we knew what our lives on earth would be like and we made a deal, no a promise to find each other again someday. That promise was kept, and because they kept that promise I now have three of thee most amazing people I've ever met in my entire life, back in my life now. They were once strangers, forgotten because of the veil. But now they are loved ones of mine, forever and eternity all through the works of our Heavenly Father.. Coincidence? I think not. 

"Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship." -President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor of the first presidency. 

To Write What You Are On Your Arm

When I started this blog I had no idea at the time that this would be as important to me as it is now, but I am thankful every day for the blessings that have been placed in my life because of it. What really inspired me to get this going was when Ian S. Ardern Of the Seventy spoke in General Conference on the Saturday afternoon session and brought up the topic of our generations obsession with technology. While listening to him, I realized that I agreed with him completely. It's sad how absorbed some of us are with our specific gadgets and to see how many people have lost control is devastating to me, based on certain situations. I've seen for myself how destructive obsessions with today's continuous trend of video games, texting, twittering and being on tumblr and facebook can be. So that's when I had the idea to start this blog and break that trend and use our forces of technology for good.

Basically what Elder Ardern was saying, was that the obsessions that have been formed have not only taken affect on our lives in a temporal way, but in a spiritual manner as well. We've allowed these obsessions to take over and become more important then the real important things in life should be. When it comes to members of the church, if you are involved with a gadget as strongly as most of the people of this generation are, not only is it blocking you from having real relationships with people face to face, but with our Father in Heaven as well. How are we going to be expected to read our scriptures, pray, be involved in our church and institute activities and keep a true relationship with the Lord if we are too worried about our phones, games etc. etc. The points that he was making really had me thinking, which was when I received the prompting to start this blog. Fortunately enough, the confidence I gained to actually start it and get it going was enforced several times before I decided to start it since I had heard of the potential use of technology and the internet being used for missionary work by missionaries themselves. 

What's making this blog of mine start to mean more and more to me, is actually seeing what other similar acts have resulted in with different people and their situations/issues. I have a very wide set family with many different interests and demographics mixed within. So to see how one family member that is involved with the LGBT [Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans] organization makes a stand for their beliefs then to see another dealing with Discrimination acts and organizations on the campus of their own college is actually very inspiring to me. This country that we live in, is the most amazing country to be in if you really do want to take a stand, make a change and really work on inspiring others, giving them hope, do this all through the freedom we deserve and have earned and sharing the works of your imagination. So take advantage of that with nothing but positive intent, which is what I plan on doing with this and is also why I named my blog, Revelation Revolution: Through the Eyes of a Convert. 

Although the two examples I stated above are considered to be very important situations, I have to say that sharing the restoration of the one true gospel with the rest of the world is definitely in my eyes the most important. It's above all the others, because through the gospel and its teachings all these other problems can be solved. If we all had faith, lived our lives like how Jesus taught us to and prayed to our loving Heavenly Father above, we'd all see things so differently. There would be peace and perfection throughout the land and riots and acts such as the ones that are being reported through the news everyday would never be an issue. But since not everybody knows of the love that we can receive through the church, nothing is how it should be. In a way though, that's how it's suppose to be because if there were no troubles then how would we learn and how would we prove to be worthy enough to be reunited with our Heavenly Father someday? That gives us the chance, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to take things into our hands and bring His Children Home. Write what you are on your arm, never be afraid to take a stand. Make these changes, follow His commandments and blessings will be added unto you. 

With faith, anything is possible. 

Alma 32:21: And now as I said concerning faith-faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things, therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not see, which are true. 

Well Done Thy Good and Faithful Servant

In the time that I have spent in my local Institute of Religion through my church, I have learned more then I ever even anticipated. Since entering the appropriate age to start going to Institute, nothing but blessings have been placed in my life. Even if at the time the blessings didn't seem like they were, eventually everything came to be something worth experiencing, learning and enduring to the end from. As previously stated in the last several posts of my blog, by now hopefully I have gotten the point across that I love missionaries and I love missionary work. I honestly can not wait til the day that I can send in my papers to go on a mission myself, let alone wait for the day that I actually leave for it. So until that day comes, my goal is to learn more and more everyday, expand my love for the church, fellow members of the church, help bring people to the church and keep adding onto my testimony every single day.

The goal that I have set in my life is not only just to keep until the day I leave for my mission, but for the rest of my life. That should be the goal of every active and true member of the church, and I pray that someday it becomes the most common known goal around. That is where the scriptures Matthew 25:21 becomes relevant with this post. Matthew 25:21 says "His Lord said unto him, well done thy 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."
The first time I heard that verse being recited to me was from one of the Institute missionaries that I have grown really close to. Several weeks ago Elder Jones and another Elder who was replacing the normal Elder Barney for the morning and I met for the weekly meetings we just recently set up. We were talking about how  the good work we do in this church and in this life will benefit us and bring us closer to our Heavenly Father until the day that we go back home and are back in His kingdom. Elder Jones has inspired me greatly since I started going to Institute and we even have our own secret handshake. No joke! But as the meeting went on, I shared with them this blog that I have started up and the way the spirit was filling the room, I could see tears start to form in his eyes which was when he turned to me and said something along the lines of "Mary-Kate, I can not wait til the day that I can stand before our Heavenly Father, and I can remember my mission and everything that I have done in this life and He will say to me, Well done thy good and faithful servant. It's going to be good. It'll be awesome."

That spirit affected me in such a way it felt like it lasted all day. Hearing such amazing scriptures being recited by a great missionary and feeling as if our Father in Heaven was sitting right there with us. These are the reasons why I love Institute. Moments in time like that are what keep me going. There is never going to be a time in our lives where we can spread the spirit and let His true Gospel be known to the world then the time of our youth and the Institutes around the world are what help make that possible.  So go out, live your lives for our Heavenly Father, be beacons of light and show the world what our church makes us out to be. Be beautiful, be strong, be handsome, be loving. Make friends and share your favorite scriptures with people wherever you go. Don't hide the fact that you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because if you hide it, you'll never know how many lives you may save and people you may change. Help bring His children home. Trust me, you won't regret it.

From The Very First Moment

Heavenly Father works in very mysterious ways. It's actually very fascinating to me how easily receptive we are the his promptings through the Holy Spirit at one moment then the next we are pulling our hair out because we feel like he is no longer communicating to us and we become frustrated like no other. But I've learned the more difficult way, that He never forgets about us and that's a promise that I can make you myself.
The first time I ever felt like Heavenly Father was listening to me and answering my questions and needs was when I was given my very first ever Book of Mormon. From the very first moment the Book of Mormon was placed in my hands I knew that it was true. It was like God was slapping me in the face with what I had been looking for for so long and he knew that I knew this was it.

It happened during my first ever meeting with my missionaries Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa, I had no clue that the answer to my prayer just a week before hand would have been answered so quickly. But it happened for a reason and I am thankful every day that it did. While meeting with the Elders in Savannah's house, I could feel the spirit so strongly and at that time I didn't even know that it was the Spirit. I had that feeling several times before that day but I knew it was good and with time I realized what it was. Since Elder Saager was so new, Elder Malietoa was guiding him by telling him what to do and reminding him what to say to me, and eventually they both told me that they didn't give out books very frequently since they were afraid that people would just throw them away and not read them. But they could feel that I was ready and that I wanted/needed that book so they followed that prompting from Heavenly Father and gave it to me.

So after that first meeting I took on the challenge that they presented me by prayerfully reading the book and if I really wanted to know if it were true, then I should ask Him and he would give me an answer. I already knew that it was true, I could tell just by the Spirit that filled the room the moment it was placed in my hands but I wanted to make sure. I began reading early in the morning on Tuesday the day after our first meeting. I didn't even make it through the introduction before I felt the fullness of my answer. But for some reason I kept asking, I remember asking over and over and begging for Him to let me know with all my heart and all my soul that this was true. I wanted to know that this was where my heart belonged and with a loving response and loving vibe I heard these words in my mind softly being whispered "Why are you still asking if this is true? You already know."

From that point on I knew that things were going to be different and even though I had never been able to deal with things changing and being different I was willing to take this on like my life depended on it. My life still does depend on the Book of Mormon and my love and testimony continues to grow every single day. This is my life and I love it.

Sent Straight From Heaven

I've tried several times to start a blog, I've always felt like I had so much to say but never knew who to say it to and how. I have a good share of friends who blog and like I said I've tried before but now, I know that this one will make it.
The theme of my blog is only going to catch the minds and eyes of those sensitive to religion and of those who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If you do not like it, then by all means feel free to not read it.

It all started with a prayer. One prayer, one attempt of reaching out to God when I felt like there was nothing left to do other then die. Of course that second option wasn't as much as an option as I thought it was but fortunately enough to pray seemed more logical, even in my messed up state of mind. Thinking logically was just not in the cards at that time. But in my lost and spastic attempt of reaching out to the kind and loving Heavenly Father which at the time I had no idea loved me as much as he does, I managed to make myself noticed by Him. While reaching out with all my heart and mind, he gave me his hand and brought me into his arms.

By doing this he sent me my good friend Savannah, and her entire family. Through her and her family I was brought to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where my life's path took a turn onto the path that will someday take me home.

So there I was. February 27, 2011 in the Del Cerro Ward, it was the first time I had been to church for almost a year. Waiting for what is called Sacrament to start, I didn't know what to expect or think. I didn't know if this was it, if this was where my life would suddenly be better. I wondered if I would be able to make my life out of this and if I would be able to be happy and no longer feel as if I was below rock bottom. While wondering all these things, an angel came my way and introduced himself. This angel took the mortal form of a young samoan man known as Elder Malietoa. His brightly lit up face and enthusiasm caught my attention and as he offered me his hand in introduction I felt a vibe that I had never felt before.
Elder Malietoa introduced himself as one of the missionary and introduced me to his companion at that time. I had no clue what a missionary was and he kept stating he was the missionary and told me that if I ever needed anything then to let him know.. because he was the MISSIONARY.

Key word. I needed to know. So I kept that in mind.
The week went on normally, knowing that I wanted to go to church with Savannah again. I went to a Young Womens event with her during the week then attended church with her again on Sunday. That sunday was the official start of it all. Elder Malietoa came up to me again, with the same enlightened expression on his face, but this time with a different Elder. He introduced me to the fresh out of the M.T.C missionary who was assigned to be Malietoa's companion during that first week. I looked up to see this man with the similar to a child and a smile as bright as it would be if it were Christmas Morning. This Elder was Elder Saager and together they were my missionaries, angels in the mortal form of Elders. Following that Sunday, on Monday I met with them for the very first time to take the very first missionary lessons and within a month on March 26, 2011 I was baptized and March 27, 2011 I was confirmed into the church by Elder Saager himself. My life was forever changed for the better and a whole new journey began.

To get to the point of this first blog, I would like to share that in the short six months that I have been a member of the church and the seven months that I have been attending church, I have grown such a strong testimony in Missionary work, the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph Smith who started it all. I want to reach out to all members, converts and life time members to share my stories, trials, tribulations and blessings, learn from others who have more wisdom then I do and help anybody going through difficulities of being a convert or just troubles in every day life.
Let this be known that as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I intend to be the best that I can be and not just do what a Latter-day Saint does. But live the life and BE a Latter-day Saint.

And here is a picture of me, Savannah, Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa! I cherish this picture and memory so much.