Sunday, April 5, 2015

:: Living the Gospel Joyfully ::

"It is good to remember that you are always a child of God. This knowledge will carry you through the most difficult times in your life and will inspire you to accomplish remarkable things. However, it is also important to remember that being a daughter of eternal parents is not a distinction you earned or you will ever lose. You will always and forever remain a daughter of God. Your Heavenly Father has high aspirations for you, but your divine origin alone does not guarantee you a divine inheritance. God sent you here to prepare for a future greater than anything you can imagine."

While you are here in earth do ALL you can to make Heavenly Father proud and to be in his presence again. Yes, we all make mistakes. We are all human. That is why our Heavenly Father brought his only begotten son down to earth and he performed something so GREAT that no one will EVER endure what he did. Use the Atonement not just when you make a mistake but every day of your life. It's there for us.

"And yet for some of us, obedience to God’s commandments doesn’t always feel very joyful. Let’s face it: there may be some that seem harder or less appealing—commandments that we approach with the enthusiasm of a child sitting before a plate of healthy but hated vegetables. We grit our teeth and force ourselves to comply so that we can move on to more desirable activities.
Perhaps during times such as these, we might find ourselves asking, “Do we really need to obey all of God’s commandments?”
My response to this question is simple:
I think God knows something we don’t—things that are beyond our capacity to comprehend! Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours.4 Not only that, but He is also eternally loving, compassionate, and focused on one blessed goal: to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life.
In other words, He not only knows what is best for you; He also anxiously wants you to choose what is best for you."
 
Some people here on earth struggle with obeying certain commandments. I will be honest and say that is me as well. This one commandment I have struggled with for a long time. But as long as you try as hard as you can and take upon yourself the Atonement, Heavenly Father will help you from being weak to being strong. Heavenly Father has blessed us with a Prophet, apostles, parents, leaders, The book of Mormon, missionaries and much, much more! Sometimes I wish I could see beyond the Vail to know what is waiting for me so that I can be more motivated in this life. But because I can't see beyond the Vail I need to have faith, and trust in the Lord he will guide me. He knows you better than you know yourself, just trust Him. (easier said than done right?)
 
"So we have a choice. On the one hand, there is the opinion of the world with its ever-changing theories and questionable motives. On the other hand, there is God’s word to His children—His eternal wisdom, His certain promises, and His loving instructions for returning to His presence in glory, love, and majesty.
The choice is yours!
The Creator of the seas, sands, and endless stars is reaching out to you this very day! He is offering the grand recipe for happiness, peace, and eternal life!"
 
My opinion of the world is it's the most horrible, horrifying, sad, careless, dead place. I think we have ever lived.  This world is so confusing and influences the worst of us. But we have so many helpers that we cannot see. Angels. Long ago I believe when we were in Heaven we helped those who came before us, now they are helping us. I know this to be true. Be who you were destined to be. It is so  hard! Sometimes we fall. But you can get back up with His out stretched hand. When you follow Him you will have happiness and peace. TRUE HAPPINESS. The happiness you can see through someone's eyes.
 
"To qualify for these glorious blessings, you must humble yourself, exercise faith, take upon you the name of Christ, seek Him in word and deed, and resolutely “stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places."
 
Since letting go of the old and bad in my life and letting in the new it truly humbles you. When I left the person I truly loved, I had to exercise faith knowing everything would be okay. Satan wanted to tell me I made the wrong choice and that a temple marriage isn't what I need and isn't what heavenly father would want me to do. But that amazing gift we have of the Holy Ghost taught me more than I will ever learn somewhere else other than the House of the Lord. Stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things, and in all places. (also easier said then done) But doing so Heavenly Father will bless you SO much!!
 
This next quote please read carefully. I hope it will bring peace to you!
 
"My dear sisters in the gospel, whether you are 8 or 108, there is one thing that I hope you truly understand and know:
You are loved.
You are dear to your heavenly parents.
The infinite and eternal Creator of light and life knows you! He is mindful of you.
Yes, God loves you this very day and always.
He is not waiting to love you until you have overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. He loves you today with a full understanding of your struggles. He is aware that you reach up to Him in heartfelt and hopeful prayer. He knows of the times you have held onto the fading light and believed—even in the midst of growing darkness. He knows of your sufferings. He knows of your remorse for the times you have fallen short or failed. And still He loves you.
And God knows of your successes; though they may seem small to you, He acknowledges and cherishes each one of them. He loves you for extending yourself to others. He loves you for reaching out and helping others bear their heavy burdens—even when you are struggling with your own.
He knows everything about you. He sees you clearly—He knows you as you really are. And He loves you—today and always!
Do you suppose it matters to our Heavenly Father whether your makeup, clothes, hair, and nails are perfect? Do you think your value to Him changes based on how many followers you have on Instagram or Pinterest? Do you think He wants you to worry or get depressed if some un-friend or un-follow you on Facebook or Twitter? Do you think outward attractiveness, your dress size, or popularity make the slightest difference in your worth to the One who created the universe?
He loves you not only for who you are this very day but also for the person of glory and light you have the potential and the desire to become.
More than you could ever imagine, He wants you to achieve your destiny—to return to your heavenly home in honor.
I testify that the way to accomplish this is to place selfish desires and unworthy ambitions on the altar of sacrifice and service. Sisters, trust in the saving power of Jesus Christ; keep His laws and commandments. In other words—live the gospel joyful.
It is my prayer that you will experience a renewed and an expanded measure of the beautiful love of God in your lives; that you will find the faith, determination, and commitment to learn God’s commandments, treasure them in your hearts, and live the gospel joyful.
I promise that as you do so, you will discover your best self—your real self. You will discover what it truly means to be a daughter of the everlasting God, the Lord of all righteousness. Of this I testify and leave you my blessing as an Apostle of the Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."