Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!


Halloween was a blast this year! Nick and Charelle hosted their annual Halloween party! Don't they make just the most adorable cheetas? I'm always so impressed with their costumes! Dustin and I were pretty tough contenders though with my "Disco Diva" and his "Penguin" costume! Good food, great games, and awesome company!









Friday, October 28, 2011

How to Withstand Temptation

-First—Be patient. Don’t be too anxious to grow up. Bask in the pleasure of anticipating what it will be like to be an adult. Remember, you are only young once, and you are going to be old for a long time.


“Many of these beautiful human butterflies winged for heavenly flight have fallen with wings singed and badly seared because of their curiosity about the forbidden. The more I see of life, the more I am convinced that we must impress you young people with the awfulness of sin rather than to content ourselves with merely teaching the way of repentance. I wish that someone could warn you of the night of hell that follows the committing of a moral sin … , as one who has sinned has described it in these words: ‘No one knew anything about it. You told no one, and no one found out, no one condemned. But your face flushed, your heart beat against your ribs. Perspiration broke out upon your brow. You went to bed that night, you tied a bandage around the eyes of your soul, you built a little shelter in which to hide, you tried to sleep, but no sleep came. You said to yourself, “Other people do it,” or “I had to do it,” or “No one else can ever find it out.” But there were hands from the unseen world that came through the darkness and tore the bandage from the eyes of the soul, and smashed down the little shelter you had made for your cowering spirit.’ ” (Youth and the Church, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1970, pp. 87–88.)


-Second—Focus on Your Eternal Destiny. The Lord has promised the faithful, “All that my Father hath shall be given unto him.” (D&C 84:38.) Think what that means to you as a son of God.


"As I was out alone, milking the cows, or putting up the hay, I had time to think. I mulled it over in my mind and made this decision: ‘I, Spencer Kimball, will never taste any form of liquor. I, Spencer Kimball, will never touch tobacco. I will never drink coffee, nor will I ever touch tea—not because I can explain why I shouldn’t, except that the Lord said not to.’ He said those things were an abomination. There are many other things that are, too, that are not in the Word of Wisdom. But I made up my mind."
“That’s the point I am trying to make. I made up my mind then, as a little boy: ‘I will never touch those things.’ And so, having made up my mind, it was easy to follow it, and I did not yield. There were many temptations that came along, but I did not even analyze it; I did not stop and measure it and say, ‘Well, shall I or shall I not?’ I always said to myself: ‘But I made up my mind I would not. Therefore, I do not"


-Third—Stand by Your Convictions. Take control of your life. It is your body—the clothing of your spirit—you are dealing with. Don’t become a slave to your appetites or passions. Be mature enough to have the spirit control your body. Self-control is vital when you are resisting what you know is wrong, especially when a friend insists. This self-control comes with practice, so it’s important to build your inner strength. Constantly remind yourself that you are a son(daughter) of God with great things to do.


“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.” - Winston Churchill


-Fourth—Repent. Some of us are held back in our development by mistakes we have made, sins we have committed, regrets that we let weigh on our consciences until they burden us down to the breaking point.


Our loving Father in Heaven is only interested in what you are going to do with your future, conditioned on your repentance from your past sins. Coming back to the questions posed by my distraught young friend and to those of you who may have transgressed as he did, I assure you that you are still dearly loved by your Father in Heaven and by the Lord’s church. The second principle of the gospel is repentance, that beautiful saving principle without which all of us imperfect people would be lost. The Lord has made the promise: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” (Isa. 1:18.)
Isn’t that a glorious promise? And it is conditioned only on your repentance. Though the roadway may be long and difficult, though the pain and sorrow may be acute, though the Church may have to take loving action to balance justice and mercy, the repentance process can cleanse your soul, and you can walk in the light of the Holy Spirit again—the transgression forgiven, the soul purified and sanctified

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Fullness!

"One must live, not only exist; he must do, not merely be; he must grow, not just vegetate." - spencer w kimball

Gratitude List #1

I recently moved to a new singles ward and the bishop of the ward (in one of his talks) mentioned that he does weekly "Gratitude" lists. Or anytime he is feeling down he does a "Gratitude" list in order to put into perspective all of his many blessings. So I have decided to incorporate weekly "Gratitude" lists into my own life.


1. I am grateful for my brother Seth serving a mission in Brazil

2. I am grateful for my new room mates (Bron and Ams) who lift and inspire me each day

3. I am grateful for my parents who love and support me

4. I am grateful for my family that lives close to me so we can get together

5. I am grateful for my new ward

6. I am grateful for my new calling

7. I am grateful for all of my dear and true friends and the deep meaningful relationships that I have made and maintained

8. I am grateful for the atonement

9. I am grateful for my job, car, house

10. I am grateful for the wonderful girls I work with (and gents)

11. I am grateful for the lessons I have learned

12. I am grateful for my education...and especially grateful that I have graduated

13. I am grateful for the amazing October weather we have had

14. I am grateful for my ability to run and exercise

15. I am grateful for my workout buddies

16. I am grateful for cell phones so we can keep in contact with others

17. I am grateful for my ancestors and the opportunity to do their work

18. I am grateful that we just had stake conference and for the awesome talks

19. I am grateful for the kind patient who told me that "I would one day make a wonderful wife"

20. I am grateful for the priesthood in my life

21. I am grateful for my grandparents

22. I am grateful for my uncle Nathan

23. I am grateful for my two adorable nephews Jax and Kai...they always make me smile

24. I am grateful for the holidays that are coming up

25. I am grateful my family is coming to Utah for Thanksgiving

26. I am grateful for my health

27. I am grateful for having a knowledge of the gospel

28. I am grateful I live in America

29. I am grateful for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

30. I am thankful for fall

31. I am thankful for the changing leaves and how pretty the canyons look during this time of year

32. I am thankful for the opportunity to be in Utah

33. I am thankful for a living prophet

The Opportunity of a Lifetime - W, Christopher Waddell

Arrive on your mission with your own testimony of the Book of Mormon, obtained through study and prayer. “The Book of Mormon is powerful evidence of the divinity of Christ. It is also proof of the Restoration through the Prophet Joseph Smith. … As a missionary, you must first have a personal testimony that the Book of Mormon is true. … This witness of the Holy Ghost [will become] a central focus of your teaching”


Arrive on your mission worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. In the words of President Ezra Taft Benson: “The Spirit is the most important single element in this work. With the Spirit magnifying your call, you can do miracles for the Lord in the mission field. Without the Spirit, you will never succeed regardless of your talent and ability”


Arrive on your mission ready to work. “Your success as a missionary [will be] measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm.” You will be expected to “work effectively every day, [doing] your … best to bring souls to Christ”


President Thomas S. Monson, are true: “The missionary opportunity of a lifetime is yours. The blessings of eternity await you. Yours is the privilege to be not spectators but participants on the stage of priesthood service”

Friday, October 21, 2011

We are all enlisted- Jeffrey R Holland

Whoever you are and whatever you have done, you can be forgiven.

Every one of you young men can leave behind any transgression with which you may struggle. It is the miracle of forgiveness; it is the miracle of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. But you cannot do it without an active commitment to the gospel, and you cannot do it without repentance where it is needed. I am asking you young men to be active and be clean. If required, I am asking you to get active and get clean.

Missionary work isn’t the only thing we need to do in this big, wide, wonderful Church. But almost everything else we need to do depends on people first hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ and coming into the faith.

From every man, young and old, who bears the priesthood, I ask for a stronger and more devoted voice, a voice not only against evil and him who is the personification of it, but a voice for good, a voice for the gospel, a voice for God. Brethren of all ages, unbind your tongues and watch your words work wonders in the lives of those “who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it.”

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

The importance of Gratitude

"Our society is afflicted by a spirit of thoughtless arrogance unbecoming those who have been so magnificently blessed. How grateful we should be for the bounties we enjoy. Absence of gratitude is the mark of the narrow, uneducated mind. It bespeaks a lack of knowledge and the ignorance of self-sufficiency. It expresses itself in ugly egotism and frequently in wanton mischief." - Gordon B. Hinckley

The Power of Scripture - Richard G. Scott

"Great power can come from memorizing scriptures. To memorize a scripture is to forge a new friendship. It is like discovering a new individual who can help in time of need, give inspiration and comfort, and be a source of motivation for needed change."

"Pondering a passage of scripture can be a key to unlock revelation and the guidance an inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Scriptures can calm an agitated soul, giving peace, hope, and a restoration of confidence in one's ability to overcome the challenges of life. They have potent power to heal emotional challenges when there is faith in the Savior. They can accelerate physical healing."

"I have found precious truths in the pages of the Old Testament that are key ingredients to the platform of truth that guides my life and acts as a resource when I try to share a gospel message with others."

"And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of the rams."(1 Samuel 15:22)

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct they paths."

"Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil..."

"My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:"

"Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding" (Proverbs 3:5-7, 11-13)

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that they faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strength thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and unto death."

"See not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men." (D&C 11:21)

"And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all thigns; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do recieve."

"And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works." (Alma 7:23-24)

"And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail...
"But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with his love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure." (Moroni 7: 45-48)

"Those who consistently read the Book of Mormon are blessed with an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a greater resoleve to obey His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the divinity of the Son of God."

"Scriptures are like packets of light that illimunate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high."

Friday, October 7, 2011

Little Things Count

"We're all given the same number of hours each day. But the way we spend each minute of those hours makes a great difference."

"I believe that the little things are of great importance in our relationship with ourselves, in our relationship with others, and in our relationship with God."

"Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great" D&C 64:33

"The question is not one of managing the clock, but one of managing oursevles with respect to the time we have. Each minute is a little thing and yet, with respect to our personal productivity, to manage the minute is the secret to success."

THE EFFECT OF A THOUGHT

Whenever you cultivate a thought,
Remember it will trace
With certain touch in pictured form
A story on your face
Whenever you dwell upon a thought,
Remember it will roll
Into your being and become
A fiber of your soul.
Whenever you send out a thought,
Remember it will be
A force throughout the universe
For all eternity

"Our bodies are truly the result of what we eat and the exercise we receive."

"Do you take the time to remember some of the simple courtesies that are so important in relationships with oterhs? Do you remember the smile, the compliment, the positive note, and the word of encouragement? We should do these important little things withouit hesitiation."

"Patient and long suffering, considered by some to be little things in this life, are some of the crowning attributes in dealing with our fellowmen."

"Every man should have a good-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends" - Henry Ward Beecher

"I have learned that it is by serving that we learn how to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves...So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and form small but deliberate deeds!...God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdon." - Spencer W. Kimball

How careful are you in your dealiangs with your fellowmen?

"Are you completely honest in your schoolwork? Do you abide by the rules when you have a take-home exam or a closed-book assignment? Do you carelessly allow group work to be evaluated as your personal work when such is not allowed? Such temptations are common. Likewise, the infractions are too common. but any true Latter-day Saint knows the attitude of the Lord toward such behavior. No young man is worthy of his priesthood calling and not woman is without blame who conscioiusly cheats or deals in dishonest ways."

"As children of our Heavenly Father, we each have within us every potential of character, of compassion, joy, and of knowledge that we need in our quest for personal growth. The seeds for each godly character trait are in each of us. With that assurance, we are truly able to grow toward godhood as he has commanded us."

"The desire to acquire spiritual qualities will lead us to be cautious about the little lies that make us dishonest, or about the small infractions of the Word of Wisdon that turn our bodies and spirites away from that which is sacred."

"The same desire will cause us to pray more intently and to be a little more forgiving of our neighbor's faults. We will love more and criticiae less."

"So-called little transgressions are especially serious in our effort to live a life of moral purity. Satan would have us believe that the minor infractions do not need to concern us. Why worry if we do not control our thoughts, or if we allow porgnographic or immoral entertainment to be part of our lives?"

"Every ounce of pornography and immoral enteretainment will cause you to lose a pound of spirituality. And it will onlyi take a few ounces of immorality to cuase you to lose all your spiritual strength, for the Lord's Spirit will not dwell in an unclean temple."

"We counsel you...not to pollute your minds with such degrading matter, for the mind through which this filth passes is never the same afterwards. Don't see R-rated movies or vulgar videos or participate in any entertainment that is immoral, suggestive, or pornographic...Watch those shows and entertainment that lift the spirit and promote clean thoughts and actions. Read books and magazines that do the same." - President Ezra Taft Benson

"Lucifer is a master at step-by-step deception. He can make little thins seem so harmless when , in reality, they will quickly bind the soul and destroy the spirit. He can make immodest dress and suggestive behavior seem acceptable. He can cause us to think that a little indiscretion in speech and manner is sill quite wholesome. But soon those little steps repeat themselves in an ever-descending pattern until one is at a far-lower level than ever imagined."

"Every noble impulse, every unselfish expression of love, every brave suffering for the right; every surrender of self to something higher than self; every loyalty to an ideal; every unselfish devotion to principle; every helpfulness to humanity; every act of self-control; every find courage of the soul, undefeated by pretense or policy, but by being, doing, and living of good for the good's sake - that is spirituality." - David O. McKay

"I testify to you that these so-called little things that I have mentioned really do count in the eternal perspective of what it is all about, and that is to gain eternal life in the presence of our Heavenly Father."

Joseph B. Wirthlin

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Oreo Truffle Recipe!



















You will be amazed by how easy this recipe is! One package of Oreos....
-Mash them in a large bowl. Or use your food processor to grind them up quickly...
-Add one package of cream cheese (I use fat free...just to make myself feel better;))...
-Mix together....
-Roll mixture into 1" balls and place on greased cooking sheet...
-Place cooking sheet in fridge for about an hour (or longer)....
-Dip balls in melted chocolate of your choice...
-Use a fork to lightly drizzle contrasting chocolate over top of truffles...
-Place in fridge for one hour...
-Enjoy:)




Self-Possession - Sydney J. Harris

I walked with my friend to the newsstand the other night. He bought a paper and thanked the newsie politely. The newsie didn't even acknowledge him.

"A sullen fellow, isn't he?" I commented.

"Oh, he's that way every night," shrugged my friend.

"Then why do you continue to be so polite to him?" I asked.

"Why not?" inquired my friend. "Why should I let him decide how I'm going to act?"

As I thought about his incident, it occurred to me that the important word my friend used was "act." My friend acts, while most of us react to people. He has a sense of inner balance most of us lack. He knows who he is, what he stands for, and how he should behave. He refuses to return incivility for incivility, because he controls his own conduct.

We must become masters of our own actions and attitudes. To let another person determine whether we will be rude or gracious, elated or depressed, is to give up control of ourselves. The only true possession is self-possession.

-Sydney J. Harris

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

The Virtues of Righteous Daughters of God

"My dear young sisters, I am overwhelmed to be in your presence because you have such a great potential for good. You are an indispensable part of what the Church and the world will be, just as your mothers, aunts, and grandmothers were in years past. You can have happiness beyond your fondest dreams and expectations."

"Virtue is the chiefest beauty of the mind, the noblest ornament of humankind. Virtue is our safeguard and our guiding star that stirs up reason when our senses err."

May I suggest 10 virtues that each of you can pursue in your quest for excellence and happiness:

1. Faith - I promise you sweet young ladies if you will strive to live the commandments, your faith will continue to grow. In exercising faith, we become cheerful and optimistic, charitable and courageous, because faith is the moving cause of all of these virtues.

2. Honesty - You cannot be honest with others unless you are honest with yourself.

3. Chastity - We become co-creators with God in having family and posterity. Chastitiy before marriage followed by fidelity after marriage is a sacred passport to self-respect and happiness for everyone. President N. Eldon Tanner "Always remember that you can go much further on respect than on popularity."

4. Humility - Humility is all about keeping one's balance. When you receive a compliment, receive it gracioiusly, but don't let it go to your head. "Learn to say, 'I don't know'. If used when appropriate, it will be often."

5. Self-Discipline - You must have the strength to discipline yourselves so that you can accomplish your goals and enhance your natural strengtsh. The character thus formed from self-discipline will rise with you in the Resurrection.

6. Fairness - If you will be fair to other people, they will more likely be fair to you.

7. Moderation - It is well to avoid extremems in dress, hairstyles, makeup, conduct, speech, and music. Safety comes from staying close to the center.

8. Cleanliness - "Be clean in dress and manner...The age in which we are living has become an age of sloppy dress and sloppy manners. But I am not so concerned about what you wear as I am that it be clean....Be sure of your personal cleanliness."

9. Courage - You precious young ladies will need a lot of courage - courage to stand up to peer pressure, to resist temptation, to withstand ridicule or ostracism, to stand up for the truth.

10. Grace - Grace is a God-given virtue. It is a disposition to be kind and to do good. It is a charming trait or accomplishment, "A pleasingly graceful appearance." Charm is attractiveness which comes from a feeling of personal dignity, an inner beauty that comes from a feeling of self-worth. It has been said that your expression is the most important thing you can wear.

"We frequently find that the influence of good women is underrated. It is an influence that is often subtle but yet has tremendous consequences. One woman can make a great difference for a whole nation."

"It may be that your most significant, everlasting achievements will be your righteous influence on others, that your divine feminine inner beauty and intution will find expression in your quiet strength, gentleness, dignity, charm, graciousness, creativity, sensitivity, radiance, and spirituality. Enhance these sublime feminine gifts. They will make you appealing and even irresistible as you serve others as the handmaidens of God."

- James E. Faust

Loyalty

"I think of loyalty in terms of being true to ourselves. I think of it in terms of being absolutely faithful to our chosen companions. I think of it in terms of being absolutely loyal to the Chruch and is many facets of actiity. I think of it in terms of being unequivocally true to the God of heaven, our Eternal Father, and His Beloved Son, our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ."

"The kingdom of our Lord needs you. Be worthy of it. Be loyal to your best selves. Never stoop to anything which would take from you the strength to abstain."

"Run from the tide of sleaze that would overcome you. Flee the evils of the world. Be loyal your better self. Be loyal to the best that is in you. Be faithful and true to the covenants that are associated with the priesthood of God. You cannot wallow about in lasciviousness, you cannot lie, you cannot cheat, you cannot take advantage of others in unrighteousness without denying that touch of divinity with which each of us came into this life. I would pray with all of my strength, brethren, that we would rise above it all by loyal to our best selves."

- Gordon B. Hinckley