On This Day In History

I feel like a broken record player, talking about this as much as I do. But I think my enthusiasm will someday take me somewhere! So that's why I don't bother to change my ways. But on this day in history, one year to be exact; I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! My love for our Lord and Savior has never been as strong as it has been in this last year. I honestly think it's even safe to say that I don't think that love ever even existed before this year. Which is definitely a huge step for me, since I've changed so much throughout the last year, I'm still me. But, just a better, more positive version of me.

This week doesn't only mark my one year anniversary of being a member of this wonderful church. But this week, I will also be attending the April 2012 General Conference up in Salt Lake Utah City with Savannah and her family. Along with going out to dinner with Elder Saager and his new companion, Elder Lloyd! There is just a ton that will be filling this week up and honestly, I really can't wait. It's been six months since he has been transferred out of the Del Cerro ward, and I've progressed a lot since both him and Elder Malietoa have moved on in their life's journey. Which to say, is really good and I'm looking forward to getting the opportunity to catch up with him and to get to know his new companion. Who I got to meet a few weeks ago at the latest Mission President Fireside.

My testimony is strengthened every day. Every time I kneel down and pray, every time I meet with my home teachers, every time I step foot into institute and church, every time I read the scriptures and every time I get the chance to meet with the missionaries. Beauty is all around us, because Heavenly Father has allowed it to. Jesus Christ formed the atonement so we could be happy, so we could live to serve Him and so we could prove ourselves ready and worthy to come back to our Father in Heaven and I intend on taking advantage of that as much as I positively and possibly can. I know that He live, I know that my redeemer lives and I know that they both love us dearly.

My mission in life is to testify of Christ and of all the many blessings that He will allow to be in our lives if we decide to follow His commandments, be baptized in Christ's name and do whatever we can to Serve Him. I must be doing something right, because Heavenly Father has worked some really extreme miracles into my life. Meeting my missionaries, Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa was definitely a life changing experience, and I hope that they know that I'll always love them for everything that they've done for me and I hope to always have them in my life. I know that everything that they did was done by Heavenly Father. I know that through them He was able to work great joy into my life, but like I've expressed before; even though we have agency, everything still happens for a reason. I was in that church building that first time for a reason. I met Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa for a reason, I became friends with Savannah for a reason. And I just have to say, I love that. I feel, incredible. I feel the hand of the Lord in my life and I know He listens to me. He listens to all of us and he is incredibly mindful of us, whether we realize it or not.

Which is why I'm really looking forward to going to G.C and hearing what the Lord has in store for us to hear this time around. I'm excited to be able to experience that journey and to visit Temple square. Which means that I'll be able to cross off another Temple that I've visited.

I hope that the year to come will bring as many great opportunities as this year has, and I hope that I will receive the opportunity to help others and serve like I have this year. I love this church, I love our Father in Heaven, our Savior Jesus Christ, and everybody that I've come close to through the church. This path, will someday take me home!

I Feel The Spirit! No Seriously, My Face Is Tingling!

So as we are nearing the end of March, which means we are approaching the first General Conference of the year and I am really really excited! It's also less then a week until I've reached the year mark of my baptism into the church, and I have to say WOW. Seriously, what an AMAZING journey this has become. I've never experienced something so wonderful in my entire life and I just have to say, I am extremely blessed. I am beyond blessed, I seriously wish that I knew of another word that could describe how loved and lucky I feel. But alas, my vocabulary isn't as great as I wish it could be, also I don't think that there is a word out there that could even begin to explain how I feel.

But seriously, I've loved every minute of the way, even during the sad times. My relationship with Heavenly Father, Christ our Savior, the friends I've made in this church and the missionaries that I've become friends with along the way are what have built me up from being just this rifraf hoodelum to a productive young women and I have a lot to be thankful for. I've come to notice that some of the most important people in my life are people who are currently serving missions, which is what leads to the title of this post. I just couldn't help myself. Elder Geier, who has come to be one of the goofier elders I've gotten to know, said that in a lesson that I had with them last week and I just HAD to have it be the title of this post. As funny as it is, it's true what he said. The spirit affects us in different ways, whether we start to cry, we feel a little hazy, there is a burning within us, or we start to tingle. Every one of those is an affect that I've felt while feeling the spirit, and I just loved how he came right out with it!

But in all seriousness, life is good. I'm excited to say that I an 95% sure that I will be going to General Conference with Savannah and her family. I've asked my Bishop for tickets and all that we have to work out is the ride situation with Savannah's family and how things are going to work. Along the trip they wanted to go camping and I wouldn't mind going with, but there are still some kinks in the plan that need to be worked out, but I have faith that things will work out right, or at least the way that they are suppose to. Going to General conference is definitely going to be another huge step in my life. Especially since just recently, I've grown to understand just how serious and important G.C really is! Along this trip, I'll not only be experiencing the wonders that is conference, I'll be able to cross another temple off of my list of temples I've visited. Temple square is one that I wanted to visit before I went on my road trip last November and got to visit both the Mesa Arizona Temple and the St. George Utah Temple, so you can bet that I am super excited to get to see Temple Square now.

Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita from the Quorum of the Seventy, spoke in the October 2011 Conference on the Sunday afternoon session and it really meant a lot to me when he spoke of his conversion story and how he gained such a strong love for the missionaries, the church and everything they taught him. Even if it did take him a while to really fully understand what they were sharing with him, I was able to really feel the spirit as he spoke and how I was able to relate with him. Which also came into my realization of the true importance with General Conference and it helped grow my testimony of the Prophets and General Authorities of today. Elder Yamashita went on to say
"When I was 17, I didn't really have a good understanding of the messages that the missionaries had been teaching me. However, I had a very special feeling about the missionaries and wanted to become like them. And I felt their deep and abiding love."

I've felt the same way as elder Yamashita, I was also 17 when I was baptized. So for someone as fresh and new to the gospel to hear a talk like the one that he gave really helped lift my spirits and I loved it. Especially since while I was taking the lessons with my missionaries, Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa, there were a lot of things that needed to be covered before my baptism and I didn't have all the time in the world to gain a full testimony in everything that they taught me. All I knew was that I needed to be baptized as soon as possible and as long as I believed this church was true, and wanted to proceed, I would be able to continue my learning and growth after my baptism. Which is exactly what I did and I am so excited to have a great understanding of things now.

I'm so excited for this new journey. I can't wait to go to Conference and go to Temple square. I'm always looking for new adventures to go on, whether physical or spiritual OR BOTH! And this definitely will be something to remember forever!

Nearer My God To Thee

This month on the 26th, it will be an entire year since I've joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This time last year, I was taking the steps towards the path that would someday take me home to be with our Father in Heaven and Christ our Savior. But looking back at this time, I would have never guessed where I would have made it to and how much I would grow during the year to come. So looking back and reflecting on how much I've been able to grow and how much I've accomplished is simply astounding. I've met my best friends, my family and my brothers and sisters during my time in the church and I've also formed the most important relationship of all. A true, deep and loving relationship with my Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ. Which is above everything else I've established during this year, every bit of my life now is exactly how it's suppose to be and I am extremely pleased with the outcome.

In March of 2011 I was being taught the lessons by my missionaries, Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa. Two of the most inspiring men I've ever met in my entire life. Through them, I was brought the one true restored Gospel that is on this earth today. Through them, Heavenly Father answered my prayers and lead me to Him, his only Begotten Son Jesus Christ and the opportunity for true, eternal happiness in His Kingdom. A favor such as what Elder Saager and Elder Malietoa did for me will never go unrecognized, so I have a lot to be thankful to them for. Especially during this year, I've remained very close friends to them even though Malietoa has finished his mission and is now in College. And Elder Saager was transferred up to the Penasquitos 3rd Ward, our friendship and respect for each other continues to grow. They are two of my absolute best friends in the world, which leads to the main point in which I am trying to make in this post. Heavenly Father works in very mysterious ways, in which he works in our lives miracles that we never even imagined possible. But it takes a lot of work on our part to make sure that we are spiritually prepared and well feasted upon the scriptures and pray every day so we are prepared to receive whatever blessings Heavenly Father has in store for us. These blessings come in all shapes, sizes and forms, and we have to be spiritually prepared to see what God is trying to tell us. I've learned that I receive a lot of my answers to what I pray for through the people I associate myself with and who I learn to love and become close to.

It's different for everybody though, since everything is learned line upon line and precept upon precept. Nothing is ever the same and what would work for one person, may not work for me. Revelation comes in tricky ways and at times, we allow ourselves to become so absorbed into what the world is bringing us and the noise from the world tends to cover all of what comes from the Spirit if we allow it to. And I've learned this lesson through Elder Jones, another missionary that I became really close friends with while he was in my current ward. He told me about a man that would put whatever spare change he had in his pocket from the end of the day in a jar. He did this every day for many years, until one day he decided to exchange the change in and when he did, he had a HUGE amount of money. I can't quite remember the amount the Elder Jones told me, but it was a couple thousand, maybe even more. He compared that to our daily scripture reading and prayers. If we continue to build ourselves up every day with the knowledge and strength we get from the scriptures then by the time our mortality is up, we will be significantly and eternally blessed. Which sounds great if you ask me!

Anyways, I hope that all made sense, i'm rambling and this post is getting really long. I'm just extremely happy that I got to see all my amazing Missionary buddies last night at the Mission President Fireside and I am just so excited for everything that is coming this month. Elder Saager and I talked a bit last night and decided that we want to get together on my year mark, which is the 26th, and we are going to have lunch and catch up. So this year has just been perfect. I am so happy and thankful for all the blessings that have been placed in my life, simply because of my decision to follow the Lord's commandments, pray, read my scriptures and form the relationships that I have formed. And I cant wait to see how the year to come will treat me!