Transfers: I Hate/Love Them

One of the things that I really hated as a missionary were transfers. Every six weeks in the mission field I would spend an entire Saturday morning waiting for a call to see what was going to happen during the next six weeks of my mission. Would I get a call telling me that I was staying in an area that was struggling? Was my good companion going to be leaving? Was I going to have to get used to a new guy with all kinds of weird habits? Was I going to find out that I was leaving a good area and a good companion to head off to some far off area? Would I need to spend time packing up my suitcases that Saturday night and prepare to hop on a van to my next destination on Monday?

As these questions rushed through my head I would stress out. I just wanted to find out what was going to be happening with my life and whether I would like this change or not. Every time the cellphone rang or we received a text I would ask my companion whether it was the Zone Leaders letting us know what was going on with the upcoming transfer. Most of the time it was only other missionaries in the mission asking us if we knew where we were going yet.

A nervous transfer day in Eugene.

Finally the call would arrive from the Zone Leaders. At times the call came very early in the morning, but usually the call didn't come until sometime in the afternoon. The hours waiting for the call were way too long for me. When the call would finally come my stress didn't usually end, most of the time the stress was made worse as I listened to the news of my future. If I was leaving the area I usually stressed out about having to go learn how to work in a new area. If I was staying and getting a new companion then I started stressing about how I was going to get along with the new guy. The only time I ever felt really happy about a transfer call was when I found out that I was staying with my companion in my area, but that wasn't always so great either.

The next few days after the call were always stressful. Saying good bye to people that I had come to love, packing up my few possessions, and not getting much sleep as I stressed too much. Finally the transfer would come. Nervous and sweaty I would get in the van the mission used for transfers and head off to my next destination. Once in my new home I would spent the next two weeks getting used to all the new things. Finally at the end of the second week my fears would be assuaged and the stress would be mostly gone.

Now transfers did have some perks to them. Sometimes I wanted to get a new companion or head to a new area and a transfer would give me that. If I was getting transferred then I figured that I had completed the job that I had been called to do in the area that I was currently serving in. But the best thing that a transfer could bring was the chance to learn more. Every time I was transferred to a new area or received a new companion I learned something new from my new area or my new companion. From my companion Elder Bradley I learned the value of working hard, from Elder Michelsen I learned how to plan effectively. In Lakeview I learned how to work with people from small towns and in Junction City I learned to treat everyone that I worked with as a Child of God. Even though transfers were hard I learned to appreciate them as times to learn and to grow. 

Saying good bye to some of our friends.

Now at this time in my life I am going through another change, another transfer. As I prepare to go back to school there is the same nervousness that accompanied every transfer on my mission. How will I get along with my roommates? Will things be any better at college than they were at home? Will I make new friends? How will I be able to do all of this? I know that the answers are out there somewhere along with a couple of important lessons to learn about myself. 

Transfers and changes come into all of our lives. Some will be welcomed and others will be downright miserable. But no matter what the change might be we can always learn something. For we cannot learn something new without experiencing something new.

Small Growth

Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

Alma 37:6

My favorite place in the world is the Grand Canyon. It is a place that I love to visit and hike. I have vivid memories of the many trips I have made to the canyon. From the rims I have seen miles of side canyons and the mighty Colorado. Within the walls of the canyon I have dipped my feet into the water of falls and creeks that run through the desert environment. But the most impressive thing to me was standing on the edge of the Colorado River and staring up at the South Rim and realizing how far down I was, the entire thing was amazing.

On that day when I stood and stared up at the horizon I remembered a principle that I had been taught in every geology class that I had ever taken, that principle was erosion. Erosion is the process of wearing away the landscape by forces of nature such as wind or water. It was through the process of erosion that the Grand Canyon was formed. For millions and millions and millions of years the Colorado River made its course through Northern Arizona and cut through the landscape. As the years passed the river had carried away bits and pieces of the rocks that it flowed through. At first the sediment that was carried away wasn't all that impressive, but as the years went by the Canyon was slowly formed, until it became the most impressive canyon on the planet.

In my life I have had experiences that have changed me dramatically, but those changes have sometimes taken months and even years before I have seen the end result. A lot of those changes have taken place here on my mission. But the interesting thing about most of those changes is that it has taken me a long time to even notice that they have happened. But looking back on where I've come from to where I am now I am better able to put into perspective the changes that have been made in my life. All of those changes have resulted in me being a better person than when I left on my mission.

Me at the beginning of my mission.

For instance when I left on my mission I felt pretty confident about the challenges that laid ahead of me. I had just finished a year of college and felt as if I could handle anything that came at me. Within one week of being at the Missionary Training Center I realized just how wrong I was. I found myself incompetent at studying. Not very observant of those around me. And most importantly I shrunk from social interactions. I honestly felt that there was no way that I could survive a mission at all at that point in my life. If I didn't know the Gospel very well, couldn't listen to people very well, and couldn't even get the courage to talk to people how was I expected to go and be a missionary?

When I got into the mission field none of those things were resolved. I still felt like I was a bad missionary, but I decided to trek onward. So for eight months I trudged through my mission just trying to make it from one day to the next. At the end of each day I would comeback to my apartment and review what had happened that day. Most days felt about the same and at the end of most days I really didn't feel all that different from the way I had felt before.  

The interesting thing to me was that the longer I stayed out on my mission the more I was able to get a better perspective of myself. Though at the end of each day I still felt like the same person and still felt like nothing had changed there was a large change happening inside of me. By the time that I had been out for eight months I wasn't as depressed about my prospects of the mission, I felt confident and I felt like I was finally able to listen to people and help them. Then by the time I hit my yearmark I felt a lot more confident in my knowledge of the Gospel and I felt as if every time I studied something from the Scriptures that I was learning something new and uplifting. Then at around eighteen months I thought back on my mission and realized that I now wasn't too afraid to talk to people anymore. 

All of these changes that have happened to me have been amazing to me. But the most amazing thing about these changes is how they came about. I didn't become a good listener during one lesson, it took many lessons and many times of talking to people. Being confident in my Gospel knowledge didn't come from one major study session in the MTC or one morning on my mission, it came from constant study of the scriptures. Being able to talk to people didn't come from just one conversation, but from many awkward conversations, that eventually weren't as awkward as they had been before. All of these changes had come through time lots of time and lots of practice.

When it comes to seeing changes in our lives the principle is the same as it was for me. Oftentimes we get discouraged when it seems that we are not changing, if we don't have the testimony we want, or aren't the person we want to be. All of those things are understandable, but they shouldn't get us down. Building a testimony and changing into a better person takes time. So let us press forward, let us study the scriptures, let us try every day to be a little bit better and let us all rely on our Savior. Eventually we will be able to look back on our lives and see changes that are just as visible as the Grand Canyon.

Me now.

Online Missionary Work

Even though I have only been a missionary for a little over a year and several months I have seen a lot change in missionary work in that short span. During the first few months of my mission my companion and I would come in every night and spend thirty minutes pouring through the contact information of people willing to meet with the missionaries. When we had filled our day with actives we would then take up to another thirty minutes writing down the contact information of the people we had met with that day. Keeping this information up to date was always important in case new missionaries came in and needed to know who to visit. I can remember having to get really good at writing really small to be able fit in the needed information.

At the beginning of my mission I can remember spending a lot of time talking to people on the street and going from door-to-door looking for people to share the Gospel with. A lot of times it seemed as if our results didn't end in much and it could be very frustrating. I had been told right before I entered the mission field that soon missionaries were going to be able to use Facebook and iPads. I really wanted to use an iPad and a couple of times shared with my first companion that I couldn't wait until it would be announced that missionaries would get these devices. My companion was amused by my wish and told me not to worry too much about getting iPads and that we probably we're going to be using one.

For awhile my companion was right. For six months we went along using our old paper records and our old methods of spreading the Gospel. But at six months into my mission it was announced that we were going to be allowed to use Facebook for proselyting purposes. Then after Facebook was announced the missionaries were all given iPads. The iPads helped to take a lot of stress out of the stressful life a missionary. I can remember how much easier it was to keep records updated on the iPads as we could update it anywhere. We were able to make our bags lighter as we carried our scriptures around on the iPads and could now share videos with people. Most importantly the iPads allowed missionaries to be able to access Facebook so we could share the Gospel to an even wider crowd than before.

At the beginning of my mission we were pretty limited with who we could share the Gospel with. We were left talking to people on the street and on their front porches. Like I've said before it was very frustrating trying to share the Gospel that way. With Facebook we could now share our testimonies of the Gospel with people thousands of miles away. This has helped with missionary work considerably as people who might not answer their doors can now have the Spirit testify to them of the truth of the Gospel in their own homes as they scroll through their newsfeed. It's amazing to see the effect that iPads and Facebook have had on missionary work and it's amazing to think about how many more tools are out there to share the Gospel.

The best part about all of these tools that are coming forth to help spread the Gospel is that they aren't just tools to be used by full-time missionaries. Every person who has access to the internet now has the ability to share the Gospel with their friends around the world. Sharing the Gospel can be as easy as sharing a Mormon Message, a simple testimony of a restored truth, or a scripture. On top of that members can like and share others' statuses, or share their own testimony through blogs. The possibilities for sharing the Gospel are endless with a little bit of creativity and a free Facebook account.

Now people may wonder what good does it really do to share their testimony online or to invite others to learn more about the Gospel? The thing is sharing our testimonies online does more than any of us can imagine. The simple truths of the Gospel are more important to the world that "like my statuses for a truth" or random comments from our days. The simple truths of the Gospel are eternal and when read by those online give those people a chance to feel the Spirit in their own lives. Out of the 300 or more friends that most of us have on Facebook at least one of those people will feel something different from posts made about the Gospel and will want to learn more.

Sharing the Gospel is so much easier than it used to be. The Lord Himself said:

Behold I will hasten my work in its time.

D&C 88:73

Truly that time is now as the Gospel begins to sweep across the world into places that it has never been to before. The work will continue to hasten and to pick up speed and the Lord is giving us a chance to take part and to share the Gospel. Blessings will follow in our lives and we will experience great joy from laboring in the Lord's vineyard.

Far Reaching Effects

When I was preparing to leave on my mission I had many people who told me that there were going to be a lot of changes in my life. Obviously I could see a couple of them such as I would have to wait a few extra years before I could start my career and I would have friends who would be moving on with their lives while I was out. Plus I heard things about gaining a better testimony of the Gospel and that I would probably gain some weight while I was out. So far each one of those things have come true. Some of them have been happy things to hear about such as the fact that I've gained a few pounds. But some of things have been sad too. It's a little sad not to be home to watch my friends grow up. But all of the things that I'm sad about have been outweighed by the positives from my mission. Because while I have been out many more positive things have happened because of my mission.

One of the things that has happened while I've been out is to see how much the Gospel can bless people in their lives. Growing up I had heard plenty of stories from my Dad telling me about his mission. He had some good experiences and I knew that his mission had changed him for the better. But on his mission he didn't ever have the chance to really share the Gospel with people. Most of the people he ever talked with weren't interested in the Gospel. So the entire time he was out he didn't get much of a chance to teach people.

I can remember coming out on my mission and thinking that I wasn't probably ever going to be able to share the Gospel with someone. I figured I would probably spend two years trying to declare what I knew and that I would just hear people say, "Not interested." Now this isn't the typical thinking of new missionaries. Most new missionaries are ready to conquer the world and aren't jaded by the cynicism that I had already. But when I got out I found that people actually were willing to listen the Gospel and that as they listened they began to change. Many of the people I worked with I could see them grow happier as they started to live the ordinances and principles of the Gospel. In many of them I saw a physical change in their countenances as they found the peace and happiness that they had been looking for.

I was pretty happy to see the changes that were happening in people's lives and was glad that I was able to be present to see these changes take place. As I saw these experiences I wanted to share them with my family back at home. Every week I was able to write my family and let them know how I was doing and about the amazing people I was meeting. My Dad loved hearing the stories especially since he was finally starting to see the fruits of his own missionary labors in his son's mission. Fruits that he probably wondered if they would ever be harvested.

But the greatest effect that my mission has had on my life is how it has helped my brother. My brother had heard all my Dad's stories and didn't think that a mission sounded as exciting as some people made it out to be. Now my brother has always wanted t go, but there has always been doubts about serving a mission just like there have always been with me. As I've served though my brother has heard my stories and the things that are happening with me. Because of that he wants to serve a mission. Unlike me he now has little concern about putting his life on two years to serve the Lord.

Now I know that there are many more blessings that will come from my mission that will affect me my friends and my family. I know that my missionary service will affect my future marriage, the kids that I will have, and will be the base of my testimony for many years to come. So I'm excited to continue serving and hope that I can continue to be a good example.

Now the reason that I share all of this isn't to brag about the things I've done, but to illustrate how our small decisions can affect the lives of others. I never knew what serving a mission would do for my life and none of us can imagine what our choices will do to affect our children and our neighbors. For it is "...by small and simple things are great things brought to pass..." (Alma 37:6). Our small decisions have consequences that can help bring about the purposes of the Lord or hinder them. Making good decisions will bless our lives and the lives of everyone else for the better.

Me and my younger brother as kids.

My Eternal Family

Since being on my mission I have had several family members pass away. The ends of my family members' mortal existences were all tough on me and my family and for a time left us feeling sad. As I have learned from personal experience losing a loved one is a hard experience. I can still remember the day I received a phone call from my mother informing me of the passing of my Grandma. I can remember how upset I was that I hadn't been able to see her one last time and about much I was going to miss her. I had really hoped that I would see her again when I returned home from my mission.

I remember how I had wanted to go home and be a part of my Grandma's funeral. But at the same time I decided that I needed to be in Oregon serving the Lord. I also knew that on a mission was right where my Grandma would want me to be. As I've mentioned in another blog post my Grandma was a convert to the Church in Finland. The Church helped to change her life and helped to bring her peace and comfort. Because of my Grandma's faith in the Gospel she encouraged her sons and her grandsons to all serve missions. My Grandma wanted people to know about the Gospel and to receive the hope that she had found in her life.

Part of the comfort that my Grandma had found because of the Restored Gospel was that of eternal families. My Grandma had lived most of her life never really knowing her father. Her father had been a sailor in the Finnish navy and had lost his life during the Winter War. Because of the truths of the Gospel my Grandma learned that her family could live together forever, that she would be able to see her father again. I can only imagine how much joy this must have brought to my Grandma. To know that families don't end in this life, but continue on into the next and that she would never be separated from her parents, her brother, her husband or her children. My Grandma truly cared for her family and never wanted to let them go.

One of the simple truths that the missionaries, who introduced my Grandma to the Gospel, taught her was about the power of the priesthood. The power from God given to His representatives here on the earth today. The priesthood gives man the power to do the things that God would do if He were here on the earth. This priesthood power allows for a husband and a wife to be sealed together for eternity. Meaning that their marriage will always exist. My Grandma wanted this blessing for herself and so when she was married to my Grandpa she was married to him in the Temple for time and all eternity. Because she knew only in the Temple could she be sealed to her loved ones.

My Grandma knew that it wasn't just the Temple sealing that allowed her to live with her family forever, but also making sure that she lived worthily so she could have the promise of an eternal family. For my Grandma's entire life she tried her best to make sure that she and her family lived according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She taught of Christ in her home, she participated in her church callings, she kept the commandments, and she always tried her best to love others. Now she wasn't always perfect, but she always tried her best and always tried to help her kids be the best so that they could receive the blessings of an eternal family.

My Grandma was one of the people who inspired me to serve a mission. To go and to teach the simple truths of the Gospel to people. To help people find the light in the darkness. To know that their families can be eternal. And to know that the authority from God to seal our families together forever is once again found on the earth. I know that this is true and I cannot wait for when I get to see my Grandma and all my other loved ones again. The time we spend apart is brief when compared to eternity.

My Eternal Family.

To learn more about the family see The Family: A Proclamation To the World

Remember the Good

I can remember well my first few days in Junction City, Oregon. My companion and I were both new to the area and knew nothing about Junction City. So on or second day the two of us went to find the our local church building. We had been given some basic instructions on how to get to the church and we followed them the best that we could. As we turned onto the road that we had been told to take we found that it dead ended at an elementary school. Frustrated by this building that sat directly in our path my companion tried to see how we could now get to the church that lay somewhere ahead of us.

As our car moved along the street I turned to my left to see a large brick building that I thought could be an LDS meetinghouse. I exclaimed to my companion that we needed to go see if that was the church. Having already passed the street where the building lay my companion tried to flip a U-turn. While doing so our car hit a curb and our front right tire burst. We now had a flat to fix. But the two of us knew how to change a tires, so all would be back to normal quickly. We pulled out all of our equipment only to find that our jack was all out of shape and could not be used to lift the car.

We were in trouble at that point. Looking through the contacts on our phone my companion and I realized that we didn't know anyone that we could call. We also had no idea where any members from the ward lived. The only option that we had was to knock on doors and see if anyone had a jack that we could borrow. I think it was a surprise to most of the people talked to to have two Mormon missionaries knocking on the door to ask for a jack. I also think it was a little bit of a relief for a lot of these people that we weren't there to talk religion.

After knocking on several doors a man lent us a jack that fit under our car. Sadly the jack hadn't been used in years and was pretty badly rusted. it took thirty minutes of hard cranking before the car was lifted off the ground and we could finally get the bolts off of the tire. In the end it had took two hours to change the tire. At that point my companion and I were finally able to go find the church, but it took a lot more time out of our day than we had planned on.

This was just my second day in Junction City and the next eighteen weeks were filled with weird car breakdowns, a battle with heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and much more. Yet during all that time there were some very bright spots. I met plenty of amazing people who have touched my life. Many of those people have become dear friends to me. So when I look back on at my times in Junction City it's not the difficulties I think about, but the small triumphs, like the baptism of a good friend or the time that I spent with my companion. Those are the things I think of because they are the times that helped me the most.

I know from personal experience that in life there are many negative moments. Times where we question our faith and our resolve to move forward. These times suck, but they're a part of life. Luckily these times end and won't always be a part of our lives. And when we look back on the times we have passed through we will be able to see more good than bad. Always remember that Christ passed through all of our trials and much more. Yet when He had finished the work he was called to do He still loved and He still cared. If He can find the good then surely we can too.

BElieve

THEre is

GOOD

A Mission Blesses

Two years ago an announcement was made by the Lord's Prophet and Apostles here on earth. That announcement was that young men could leave on missions at the age of eighteen and young women at the age of nineteen. Previously a boy had to be nineteen and a girl had to be twenty-one. This was a huge change and has since let over eighty-thousand young Latter-Day Saints leave their homes to serve God. This force of missionaries is here to help spread the Gospel to all the world and to hasten the Lord's work.

Missions have a further purpose than just helping spread the Gospel though. They help to turn missionaries from kids into confident mature adults. This world is a world set on satisfying the needs of the individual. In this world all concerns for others are ignored as people focus only on themselves. For two years though a missionary forgets his own needs and looks outward. A missionary seeks to share the Gospel with random people he has never met. In return there is no monetary gifts or a leadership position in the Church. There is only the reward of knowing that he has tried to help someone return to live with their Heavenly Father.

The happiness that this missionary feels helps him to see that truthfulness of when Christ says:

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

Mark 8:35

No Greater happiness can be found in life than when we serve those around us. Because when we serve others we only serve God. (Mosiah 2:17)

Another way that missionaries grow during their eighteen months to two years of service is that they learn the importance of work. Missionary life isn't easy at all. From six-thirty in the morning to ten-thirty at night a missionary is working to spread the Gospel. A missionary has to make sure that during all that time he is working. As a missionary works hard he sees blessings come into his life. He finds peace that He is doing God's will. He will see miracles happen in his life and in the lives of those around him. Most importantly he will learn to love those he comes in contact with.

The work that a missionary does on his mission helps him to develop an attitude of hard work. An attitude that he will take home with him. This attitude will help a missionary to thrive at work. To earn the respect of his coworkers. It will also help him to work hard for his family and to love his family even more.

The blessings of a mission are incredible. I have seen myself become a hard worker throughout my mission. I have also gained confidence in what I do and what I say. I have also come to love those around me no matter who they are or what they do. But the greatest blessing I've received out here is a stronger testimony. When I came out I had a very weak testimony. I believed in God, but not much else. As I've served I've gained a testimony of the divine mission of Jesus Christ. I've come to know that God's is on the earth today and it is only in this Church that the priesthood authority of God rests, and that through this priesthood I can live with my family for forever.

My mission has been the greatest experience that I have had so far in my life and I know that it is one of the greatest experiences I or anyone can have. A mission can be hard at times, it can even be boring, but the growth that comes from a mission shouldn't be traded for anything. Jobs can wait, school can wait, and even girlfriends can too. I know this because I've those things up for two years.

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

3 Nephi 13:33

Growing Pains In Lakeview

It has now been a very long since I served as a missionary in the small town of Lakeview. It seems though as if it was only a few weeks ago that me and my companion were walking the streets of the "tallest town" in Oregon. Those were fun times. Times at which I exuded confidence every pore, times when I wasn't too sure of myself, and times where I knew serving a mission was the greatest thing for my life. There was a lot of growing that I did in Lakeview.

When I arrived in Lakeview I was fresh out of Utah. A kid who was only nineteen years old, who was so shy that I had been known in college to drop classes just to avoid people. I was not too sure of myself. Plus on top of that I was in a town of 2,500 people that was two hours away from the closest city. As absurd as it seems this little town in the middle of nowhere intimidated me to no end.

I can remember those first few weeks in Lakeview being tough. I tried my hardest to figure out just what I was doing as a missionary.Talking to people did not come easily for me. To make things worse people were polite, but "not interested". I often wondered why was I out on a mission? Why hadn't I waited until I was more mature and sure of myself to come out and tackle such a great work? I wanted to go back to my home in Utah so bad. But I decided to push on trusting that things would get better for me.

As it turned out things did start to get better. Everyday I prayed for help to overcome my weaknesses as a missionary, I studied my scriptures, and then I went out and worked. At first I noticed no improvement and so I was frustrated with what seemed to be my ineptitude to get better. I was still lousy at everything that I was doing. But the more the weeks progressed the more I began to see changes. Now these changes I was experiencing were really small. So small that I didn't see them come. So small that if I hadn't looked back on the first few days of my mission I would not have able to see any difference.

Some of these small changes that I saw were that I didn't fumble around with my words as much. I had the courage to knock on a door even if I was afraid to do so. I had just a little more confidence in everything I did. All of this happened within the first few weeks of my mission.These changes were an absolute miracle for me. For nineteen years I had been trying to grow up. To see some kind of change in my life that would let me know that I was finally maturing and becoming a new person. Finally in Lakeview I was starting to see real growth.

The secret to this growth as I found out was the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Because of Christ's suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and upon the cross I am able to change. He suffered all things, He felt all things. My sorrows and my griefs are included in everything that He felt. Because He felt all of those things He has perfect empathy and knows how to help and strengthen me. In return all He asks me to do is believe in Him, to go to church, to read my scriptures, be baptized, and continue to be a good person. It isn't much that He asks for and in return I have received strength and maturity.

Ever since I took my first few steps in Lakeview towards growing I have continued to grow and I've grown a lot. That growth has been in small steps, but I wouldn't have been able to make those steps if it wasn't for my Savior Jesus Christ and the time I spent in Lakeview. I know that anyone can change through Christ that through His Atonement people can grow and become better. Come unto Christ by keeping the commandments and being baptized. Be strengthened by Him. " For [His] yoke is easy and [His] burden is light." (Matthew 11:30)

Lakeview from above.

God's Love Conquers all Distance

On my mission I have met a lot of fantastic people. I've met people who own cars worth over a quarter of a million dollars, people who own restaurants, people who live in small trailers, and people who barely make it by. In this huge range of of people I've met I have made many friends, friends that I've come to love dearly. Friends who in the end have changed my life and shaped me into who I am now.

Unfortunately as a missionary my time with all the people I meet isn't very long. Sometimes I may be able to spend as long as six or seven months working in an area or I might spend only six weeks. As a missionary though you come to learn that the time spent with these people is always pretty short and ends pretty unexpectedly. I know from personal experience that it can be hard leaving, but every time I'm moved I promise my new friends that I will be back.

Even though all of these good byes are hard for me to say I know it has to be done. I know that I have work to do in a new area. An area where I will make new friends and come to love even more people. But before I leave I always promise those I've come in contact with that  I will be back to see them again someday. I don't know when this reuniting will happen, but I know that someday at the conclusion of my mission I will come back to Oregon and visit it with all the people that I have come to know so well.

And this promise that I make to those I meet applies to more than just them. It also applies to all of my loved ones who have passed on to the other side. One of the things that being on a mission has helped me to see is that separation is not an end, but merely a short time away from loved ones. Because during my life I have lost family members and friends. In fact out here on my mission I lost my Grandma and that loss hit me pretty hard and I still miss my Grandma.

Yet I know that I will see my Grandma again. I know that I have a loving Heavenly Father who has created a plan for all of His children. This plan called the Plan of Salvation shows God's love to each and everyone of us.Central to this plan is the family. God has taught us that families are important in this life and that they will continue on in the next life. There is no way to hear that families are forever and not know how valid this is because love does not end and Christ Himself said, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." (Mark 10:9)

So just like I know that I'll be able to return and visit all the special people I've met in Oregon I also know I will see all of my family members again and all of my loved ones. I know this is true for everyone. I know that if anyone is to take the time and learn more about God's plan for us that they will come know that families our forever, that God loves us, and that He has provided hope for us through His Son Jesus Christ. I know this all in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Weekly Refresher

There are many blessings that our Heavenly Father wants to give us. As His children He wants us to be happy. So he want to bless us with peace and comfort. He wants to bless us with eternal families. Most importantly He wants to bless us with Eternal life. He wants us to live forever in His presence. The best part is that God has provided a way for us to get all of these blessings and it comes through His Son, Jesus Christ.

God has made a covenant with us that allows us to receive all of His blessings. But as part of that covenant we are required to do certain things. One of the most important covenants we make with God is that of being baptized. When we are baptized we promise God that we will keep His commandments, always remember Christ, and we promise to take upon ourselves the name of Christ. When we do this we are promised a remission of our sins and the Holy Ghost.

We are only asked to do these simple things and in return our Father in Heaven has promised us salvation through His Son. It isn't much that God asks of us for all of these things, but every week we mess up. We break a commandment, we forget about Christ, or we do something that just isn't very Christlike. At this point we have broken our covenant with God and are no longer clean from sin. It would seem at this point that we are lost and that there is no hope for us as humans to live with God. But there is a way that we can remain worthy of the blessings of God.

That way is the Sacrament. Every week as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we have the importunity to partake bread and water in remembrance of Christ's Atoning sacrifice. When we do this we renew the covenant we make at baptism and become clean from sin.

It took me a long time to see how the Sacrament did this and why it was important to partake of it every week. It wasn't until I was a Priest in the Aaronic Priesthood that I first came to see what the Sacrament really is. When I became a Priest I was given the opportunity to bless the Sacrament on Sundays. Because of years of acting I made sure as I gave the Sacrament Prayer to take my time and to enunciate. People were always telling me thank you for the way I gave the Sacrament Prayers. They were thankful for the time they had to ponder on the words and let them sink in.

I didn't understand what these people meant and so I took a look at the Sacrament Prayer to see why it was so important. It said:

O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.

Moroni 4:3

As I pondered over the prayers I picked out several promises that we make to God when he partake of the Sacrament. First we remember Christ and His sacrifice. Second we promise to take upon ourselves the name of Christ. Third we promise to keep the commandments. It began to take form in my mind that this was the same promise that I had made when I was baptized and the cool thing was I was receiving the same promise in return from God. I was promised to be cleansed from sin and to receive the Holy Ghost. As I thought about this I thought about how it cool it was and how I could be baptized every week. Ever since then the Sacrament has been very important to me.

Our Heavenly Father wants to give us everything and He is willing to give us everything if we keep his commandments and the covenants that we make with Him. But because we mess up He has provided us with the Sacrament so we can seek to be perfect every week. It is one of the greatest blessings we can have. So I invite everyone to attend a Sacrament Meeting this week at their nearest LDS Chapel and partake of the Sacrament. Feel of the Spirit and learn for yourself and always remember God always keeps His promises.

The Blessings of a Modern Day Prophet

In the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon we read the writings of men called prophets. These were men who were mighty in faith and received revelation from God. These men were also given power from God. This power was called the priesthood. Because of this power prophets were able to heal, they could talk to God, and they were able to five counsel to God's children.

Stories about some of these prophets such as Noah, Moses, and Elijah are well known. Noah and Elijah boldly declared the words of God while Moses and Elijah performed great miracles. For a period of time though there were no prophets on the earth and many believed that there was no need for a prophet. But that is not so because it is said:

Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets
-Amos 3:7

Thus a prophet was needed and in the 1800s another prophet was called and his name was Joseph Smith. Joseph was given priesthood power from God and received revelation. Ever since that time there has been a prophet on the earth who has held the priesthood and received revelation. Today the prophet is Thomas S. Monson. Thomas S. Monson is a man dear to my heart and I would like to share an experience that helped me to know that President Monson was a prophet.

First off this experience I am about to share is one near and dear to my heart. Because it was only two years ago that I really didn't want to go on a mission. I had grown up hearing about how a mission was the most important thing that I could do. I had also heard that it was the greatest thing I could do for my life. I knew deep down inside that going on a mission would bring many blessings and that I would be able to help people to come unto Christ. But I didn't want to go. For one thing my testimony wasn't that strong and I realized that two years was a long time to be away from home.

So I pretty much decided that I wasn't going on a mission. I kept telling my friends that I was going to go to a year of college and then I would leave on a mission. But that was never in my plans. I was going to go off to college and never even think of going.

At first everything went according to plan. It seemed as if I was going to be able to enjoy a life without a mission. But that year something happened that would change my life for forever. An announcement was made that young men and young women could now serve as missionaries at younger ages. Most of my friends were ecstatic because of this change. I was not however. I just remembered feeling angry and I even called my mom up and told her that there was no way I was ever going to serve a mission.

Thomas S. Monson

It was a bad time for me as I felt alone. I can remember the next day watching what is called General Conference. I listened to tons of talks given by church leaders and I hardened my heart during the majority of the talks. I just kept wishing that they would stop talking about missionary work.

Near the end of the Conference President Monson got up to speak. For the first time that day I decided to straighten up and pay attention. Mostly because Monson always told stories and I love listening to stories. As he began to talk President Monson shared this story:

On one extremely cold Saturday night during the winter of 1983–84, Sister Monson and I drove several miles to the mountain valley of Midway, Utah, where we have a home. The temperature that night was minus 24 degrees Fahrenheit (–31°C), and we wanted to make certain all was well at our home there. We checked and found that it was fine, so we left to return to Salt Lake City. We barely made it the few miles to the highway before our car stopped working. We were completely stranded. I have seldom, if ever, been as cold as we were that night.

Reluctantly we began walking toward the nearest town, the cars whizzing past us. Finally one car stopped, and a young man offered to help. We eventually found that the diesel fuel in our gas tank had thickened because of the cold, making it impossible for us to drive the car. This kind young man drove us back to our Midway home. I attempted to reimburse him for his services, but he graciously declined. He indicated that he was a Boy Scout and wanted to do a good turn. I identified myself to him, and he expressed his appreciation for the privilege to be of help. Assuming that he was about missionary age, I asked him if he had plans to serve a mission. He indicated he was not certain just what he wanted to do.

On the following Monday morning, I wrote a letter to this young man and thanked him for his kindness. In the letter I encouraged him to serve a full-time mission. I enclosed a copy of one of my books and underscored the chapters on missionary service.

About a week later the young man’s mother telephoned and advised that her son was an outstanding young man but that because of certain influences in his life, his long-held desire to serve a mission had diminished. She indicated she and his father had fasted and prayed that his heart would be changed. They had placed his name on the prayer roll of the Provo Utah Temple. They hoped that somehow, in some way, his heart would be touched for good and he would return to his desire to fill a mission and to serve the Lord faithfully. The mother wanted me to know that she looked upon the events of that cold evening as an answer to their prayers in his behalf.
-Thomas S. Monson Consider the Blessings
As President Monson concluded his story I got the feeling that I needed to serve a mission. All my anger and all my fear about a mission melted away at that instant. I knew what I needed to do. When the talk was over I got up and I gave a call to my on to let her know of my decision.

Because of that talk my life has changed. I am now on a mission and I know that the counsel I received that morning from President Monson came from The Lord. I know it without a doubt. I know that President Monson is a prophet, that God inspired men in the past and that he continues to inspire men today.

I invite all to listen to Thomas S. Monson, to take note of how you feel and go ask God if he is a prophet. I know that if you try this that you can know that there is a prophet on the earth today.

A Pioneer Woman

I have a lot of pioneer heritage in my family. Many of my ancestors came across the plains and helped to settle the state of Utah. They made great efforts in helping to pave the way for future generations to receive the Gospel. Today though I would like to talk about a modern-day pioneer my Grandma McConkie.

My Grandma was born eighty years ago in Turku, Finland. Her father was killed in the Winter War when she was very young. So my Grandma grew up with only a mother. Times were sometimes tough for my Grandma's family. There were many times when my Grandma had to go out in the forest and search for mushrooms just so her family could eat.

Yet despite living through a World War, the loss of a father, and economic hardships my Grandma always remained positive no matter what her circumstances. She was quick to share silly stories, to crack a joke, or to use her throat as a bagpipe. She was always so happy. Most of that attitude came from her love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

As a fun loving teenager my Grandma met two young Mormon missionaries. After hearing the message of the Restored Gospel my Grandma wanted to be baptized.When my Grandma turned of age she was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She was the only person in her family who was a member at that time. She was blazing a path that no one in her family had ever been on and at that point she was doing it alone.

Luckily for my Grandma she soon had company on her journey. Not too long after joining the church my Grandma met my Grandpa who was serving as a missionary in Finland and when my Grandpa returned to Utah at the completion of his mission my Grandma followed. It wasn't too much longer that my grandparents were married. Since then they have had three children, nine grandchildren, and three great grandchildren all of whom have been raised with the Gospel.

My Grandma and Grandpa

My Grandma was truly a pioneer. Her example, her courage, and her choice to do what she knew was right has helped to change many lives and has helped her posterity to receive the Gospel. At this time there are at least twenty people who have the Gospel in their lives because of my Grandma's choice. That choice will continue to affect people for many years down the road and help to change the face of the earth.

I am very thankful for my Grandma and the choices she made in her life. Because if it wasn't for her  I wouldn't be out on a mission. Because if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have the fullness of the Gospel in my life. Because if it wasn't for her I wouldn't have even been born. Her small choice made sixty years ago in Finland has affected me in so many ways and I will always be grateful for her. I will always love my Grandma.

I am so thankful for all the pioneers that have affected me in my life. For their choice to live the Gospel even when it was hard, even when it meant losing family members, and even when it meant moving thousands of miles. If it wasn't for them no one would have the Gospel. Remember our pioneer heritage and if you don't have one try to start your one. Our choice to follow the Gospel will bless many lives.

My Grandma

A Family that Runs Together Stays Together

A couple of years ago on Thanksgiving my family started a tradition that I have come love. That Thanksgiving my family decided to go on a run before sitting down as a family to have some turkey and stuffing. It was an idea that may seem weird to a lot of people, but it does makes sense to try to workout on a day known for gluttony. Also I loved the idea because I love to run.

Altogether there were seven of us that day that went to run: my parents, my two sisters, me, my brother, and my sister's husband. The seven of us drove down to Woods Cross, Utah where we jumped on the bike path that ran along the Legacy Parkway. From that point all of us were off on a ten mile run to Farmington. All of us that is except my brother who was riding his bike.

The first couple of miles went really well as all of us stayed together in a pack. But the farther we went along the more spread out our family got. As we ran along my Dad fell to the back of the run and was far behind the rest of us. This was unfortunate because he was the only one who knew where we were going. So as me and the rest of my family blazed ahead on what turned out to be an abandoned railroad track our Dad followed behind trying to catch up and tell us that we had left the path.

The path that we were following slowly got harder and harder as we ran through the gravel that had once made up part of the railroad. I can remember thinking that the path had gotten a lot harder and seemed to be taking us a lot longer than anticipated. Eventually my Dad highjacked my brother's bike and rode up to where I was and told me that me that the entire family was now going the wrong way.

My family and I then were able to get back on the right path and make it to our destination in Farmington. From this first family run on Thanksgiving I was able to gain a lot. First I got a story that my family shares all the time. But most importantly I saw how important it is to follow leaders. If my family had waited for my Dad our trip that day would have been a lot shorter and a lot less tiring.

In our day and age we also have leaders that we have been given to follow. These leaders called Prophets are men called of God who have been given His authority to guide and direct His children here on this earth. These prophets have been given to us since ancient times when men like Moses, Noah, and Elijah guided the people and made sure that they stayed on the right path.

God has placed a prophet on the earth today and his name is President Thomas S. Monson. He has been given priesthood authority to lead and to guide Heavenly Father's children. As we follow the counsel of the prophet in this day and age we will be able to stay on the path that God has given us and not take detours. We will also find blessings as we follow God's chosen leaders.For:

Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

Amos 3:7  

Me and my siblings.

To learn more about how there is a prophet on the earth today check out this link.

http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/restoration

Wornout Shoes

While growing up I went through a lot of shoes. I would put a lot of wear and tear on shoes just because of how much I moved. Plus on top of that I grew a lot which meant I could never wear any pair of shoes for an extended period of time.

I can remember these times pretty well. Every month it seemed like I was getting another pair of shoes to wear. As a child I never thought too much about how many pairs I went through. It was unimportant to me because all I really cared about was running until I dropped.

To my parents the shoes were a pretty big deal. They knew how much good shoes cost. They also had a mortgage to pay, gas to buy, and had four mouths to feed off of the salary of a middle school English teacher. My mom and my dad were often under a lot of stress. How could they realistically afford to keep buying new shoes for me and my younger brother who were growing up so fast?

Yet during these times my parents were always able to get me new shoes to wear. My mom can remember taking me and my brother to a local thrift store to look for shoes. Every time we went there was always a pair of shoes that fit me or my brother and had been lightly worn.My mother always rejoiced over this miracle while I just figured that this store just always had a good selection of shoes.

It wasn't until much later in my life that my mom told me why it was so amazing to find good shoes at the thrift store. That store had a very limited selection and the shoes that were there usually were in bad condition. So it was an absolute miracle that every time I needed a new pair of shoes that there was always a good new pair of shoes that just happened to fit me perfectly.

When my mom told this I could see that indeed it was a miracle about the shoes. But there was a reason why the miracle happened. Every month when my dad's paycheck came in my parents would take out ten percent for tithing to pay to the Lord. This ten percent could have easily covered the cost of new shoes and a few other things. But my parents always made sure that the tithing was paid.

My parents knew that if their tithing was given to the Lord every month that they would be taken care of. They had read in Malachi Chapter 3 verse 10:

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pout you out a blessings, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

So every month this sacrifice was made and my parents have never regretted paying tithing as they have truly received great blessings from the Lord.

Because of my parents' example I have come to know the value of sacrifice. Any sacrifice we are commanded to make to the Lord will lead to blessings and none of us can live without those blessings.

To learn more about the blessings of paying tithing checkout this talk by Elder Bednar.https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/10/the-windows-of-heaven?lang=eng

Rules

When it has come to rules I have always been one who has followed the rules, but there have been many times that I have done so grudgingly.In school there were many rules to follow and I often found myself thinking, "Why can't I do that?" or "That's a dumb rule." Despite these thoughts though I still followed the rules because that was what I had been taught to do by my parents.

When I came on my mission I found out that there were a lot of rules for missionaries. Simple things like when to get up, when to go to bed, and what to wear were all things that were decided for me. Plus on top of those things there was a rule book that is 82 pages long and does nothing but tell us what to do as missionaries. I remember looking at this rule book and thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?" Plus on top of that there were also tons of other rules that were given to us missionaries by our mission president. I personally thought that having this many rules was just insane.

There have been many days where I have rolled out of bed when the alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m. and I am just not happy. I will often grumble during these times and wish that I wasn't on a mission. Because if I weren't on a mission I could sleep as long as I wanted to.

The longer I've been out though the more my attitude towards the rules has started to change. I realized at one point that I'm was going to have to live by these rules for two years of my life which at the age of twenty is a really long time. I was to going to have to learn to appreciate the rules or else I was in for a very long two years.

So I started looking at the rules and instead of thinking "What are these stopping me from doing? I began to ask "How are these helping me?" As I did this I began to see that the rules weren't there to make my life miserable they were there to help keep me safe. Sure the rules could seem a little extreme at times, but  they always had my safety and my happiness at heart. Once I started looking at the rules in this way it became easier to live them.

God also gives us rules to follow. These rules are called commandments. These commandments include reading our scriptures, praying, loving our neighbor, and loving God. Sometimes these commandments can seem restrictive and hard to follow. Studying the scriptures can be a time consuming process, loving our neighbor can be hard especially when we don't like them. But these commandments are not give to restrict us, but to make us happier.

God loves us and He knows what is best for us. So He provides us with commandments that keep us away from harm and that strengthen us and bring us joy. As Christ said:

If ye love me, keep my commandments

John 14:15

Let us show our love to God by being obedient to His commandments.

One Year

It has been 365 days sine I left my home in Utah and came on my mission to Oregon. Some of those days have been very long. Others have passed quickly and I can hardly remember them. Some days contain great memories that I never want to lose and yet other days I wish could be forgotten.

A mission I have found is the greatest preparation for life that I have ever had. Up until the point I left on my mission I had not really experienced what the real world was like. Sure before I had left I had had a job, I had gone off to college for a year, and I had even had a small group of friends. But until I left I had no idea what real life was like.

I can remember being trained to be a missionary and realizing that I had to be working every hour of everyday for two years. There was no break from preaching the Gospel. There would be no naps or any rest from 6:30 in the morning until 10:30 at night. This realization was scary to me because I loved just doing nothing, but now that wasn't an option.

Then when I got to Oregon my first companion handed me the cellphone that we shared and told me to call a local church member. This made me super scared because I have always hated calling people. At home I did everything I could to avoid getting on the phone. I would pickup calls, I would text, or I would find some way to work around dialing that phone. And now here I was making a call to someone that I had never met before. It was terrifying.

The mission contained even more challenges than making phone calls and constantly working. Every single one of these challenges took me out of my comfort zone. I can remember how each time I talked to a person on a doorstep or on the street that I was nervous and how I was always drenched in sweat when we were done talking. At times I wondered if I could make it through.

But so far I have made it. The reason being that even though the work is hard and I always feel tired at the end of the day I have been able to witness miracles. I have met with people who have lived hard lives that have been plagued by all kinds of problems. People who have hit rock bottom and thought they couldn't change. But as these people learned about the Gospel they began to be happy and their lives began to be changed. They were filled with a light that could only come from Christ.

The fact that I have been able to see people change has been the greatest blessing, but the person that I have noticed change the most is me. Because when I came out here on my mission I didn't have the strongest testimony of the Gospel. Out here my testimony has taken a beating as I've been faced with problems that made me question whether any of this was real and whether there was really a God above who loved me. But every time it felt like my testimony was about to break and my faith lost I got the reassurance that can only come from God that the Gospel is true and I am loved. Every time this has happened my testimony has grown and I have become stronger.

As I start the second year of my mission I realize that I still have a long way to go. But I know that things will be for my best no matter what happens and there will be a day when I will be home. It's up to me to just make the best of the time I have and to enjoy the short time I have on my mission. It'll be a lesson I can take into the rest of my life because life is to be enjoyed not just endured. In the end we will return to our Heavenly Home where we will be stronger than we ever dreamed of and our Father will say welcome home. But until then enjoy the journey

.

Letters From Home

As a missionary I have come to love mail. Before I left home I had always that getting a paper letter wasn't very exciting. If I did receive a letter in the mail I always wondered why hadn't the sender just sent me a text message, a message on Facebook, or at least an email? I mean they had so many options and they chose the slowest way to get a message to me. A method that sometimes took days if not weeks to get to me.

Now though I have developed a deep appreciation for paper letters. Because as a missionary I don't have the option to text my friends or my family. I get the chance once a week to write them and to email and I don't really know on which day I might receive a response back from them. So now whenever I get anything from my family I am super excited.

Out here on my mission I have developed this ritual that whenever mail arrives at our apartment I rush to the mailbox, with my companion of course, to see if I have any mail. Some days there isn't anything, but whenever there is a letter or a package for me I am always super excited. These letters meant to me that someone at home did care about me and wanted to know how I am doing. These letters have become a treasure that I keep with me at all times and whenever I need advice or just kind words I turn to these letters.

The receiving of these letters every week or so has brought a blessing into my life that I had never considered before. The letters helped me to see how vitally important the scriptures are to me.

Before my mission when I would pray to God I always did it with the hope that I would receive an immediate answer. I would ask a question and just sit at the foot of my bed hoping for a heavenly messenger or at least some kind of feeling. No messengers ever showed up, but I did get a few impressions, but not usually. I often wondered why I wasn't getting a fast response like I might get when texting a friend.

It wasn't until I got on my mission and I would have to wait for days to get a letter that I realized one of the ways that our Heavenly Father answers our prayers is through the scriptures. I realized that the scriptures are like God's letters to us here on this earth. They weren't received all at once and they do take time to read and to ponder. But when we take time to look through them we are able to find answers to the questions we have or find that peace and comfort that we are looking for.

So now whenever I have a question that I need help with I ask God in humble prayer and then I go and read and see if I can find my answer. I have found multiple times as I have read from the Bible and the Book of Mormon that my answer is contained within the pages of these sacred writings. This searching has brought me to a new understanding of God's love for us.

I encourage all to read the scriptures and to find the answers that they are looking for. They can be found as you read these sacred texts and see what God has provided for us. I promise that no time spent reading the scriptures is wasted.

Service

The first area I served in on my mission was the tiny town of Lakeview, Oregon. When I arrived in Eugene and was told that I was going to Lakeview the first question I asked was if there was a lake near the town. The answer I found out was no.

The drive to Lakeview from Eugene was a two day affair. My companion and I spent the first night of my mission in Klamath Falls and then went on to Lakeview the next day. My first thoughts when I showed up in Lakeview was that it was super small and that it was super far away from everything.

My companion took no time to stop when we arrived and took me straight to a house where we started to build a playground. For the next few weeks the two of us would go back to this house and work on the playground. We toiled in the hot Sun and drank tons of water. Yet I didn't feel bad about working and I didn't feel bad about being in Lakeview either. It felt so good to work with my hands and to help someone out.

I spent about four moths in Lakeview and the entire time I was there I always tried to help out where I could. I stacked a lot of wood, cut a lot of grass, helped put on siding, and pruned a lot of trees.

Even if someone wasn't interested in hearing the message of the Restoration my companion and I tried to do what we could to help people out. I remember once being asked why were we so willing to help out without any thought of payment. When I was asked this a scripture from the Book of Mormon came to my mind.

And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of you fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

Mosiah 2:17

This scripture spoke a lot of truth to me. The reason I felt good about serving people was because that was what I needed to be doing to those around me. I needed to serve God by serving others.

And as my mission has gone I have found that the best way to serve people is to share the Restored Gospel with them. To let them know that God does love us and does care about our daily lives. Oftentimes He does that through other people. So I will do my best to serve those around me and share the Gospel with them.

So if there is anyone out there who wants to learn more about the Restored Gospel please message me on Facebook or visit mormon.org. I promise that you will never regret learning more.

Remember Mom!

With the approach of Mother's Day I've spent a lot of time thinking about how important my mom is to me. She is one of the greatest gifts that my Heavenly Father has given me She is a greater gift than my quick mind or my athleticism. The reason being that my mom saw the gifts that I was given and helped me to cultivate them. She saw that I was smart and helped me to realize that. She saw that I was a runner and so she took me running. She wanted me to be the best person that I could be.

But the most important thing that my mom helped me to learn was the Gospel. From an early age my mother told me about my loving Heavenly Father. She taught me that even though I was very far away from Him I could still talk to Him in prayer.

My mom also taught me that because my Heavenly Father loved me so much He sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth so I could live again. My mom also taught me about how I could follow Jesus by making the right choices. She taught me that I could be great as long as I made the right choices.

My mother taught me a lot and continues to teach me. She does all of this because she loves me and she wants what is best for me. Oftentimes I take my mom for granted though and forget everything she has done for me and how she has helped shape and mold who I am. I'm sorry for forgetting her and not appreciatin

g her as much as I should, but I'll keep trying to pay her back for everything she does for me.

And even though I will never be able to pay my mother back I am luck that I do have eternity to keep trying. Because another thing that my mother taught me is that I can live with her and the rest of my family for forever. This is all possible because of the Restoration of the Gospel in these Latter-Days. The same authority that was given to Peter to bind on earth and in heaven has been restored to the earth through a modern day prophet.

I know that because my family has been sealed in the Temple by the priesthood authority that we will be able to live together for eternity. I do not doubt that my family is forever for the same reason the Stripling Warrior did not fear death because "Our mothers knew it." 

Remember everything that our mothers have done for us and all that they teach us. They are a precious gift from our Heavenly Father and show how much He love us. Remember Mom!

My Dad

One of the most influential people in my life has been my Dad. He held me when I was a baby, taught me how to ride a bike, how to drive, and how to shop for apartments. He has always been there for me and to me he is the source of all truth and knowledge. Whenever I have a question or a concern I ask him to help me solve it.

When I was at home my Dad had never been too far away. If I needed to fix something on my bike or if I just needed life advice my Dad was only a shout or a phone call away. Out here in Oregon though he's several states away and I'm not allowed to call him.

Often times I miss my Dad. Because now when something goes wrong with my thirty year-old yellow bike I can't just call him up and ask him for help on how to fix it. Also when I feel down I can't just call him up and ask for advice.

The only way that I can communicate with my Dad now is via letter and email. It's a pretty slow process to receive an answer. But every letter that he sends me become an instant treasure. I store them away so that whenever I feel down I can read his advice to me. My Dad's advice to me always comes just when I need it. As I read my Dad's letters I can feel the love and concern that he has for me and how he really does care. The letters that he's sent me has helped me to appreciate my relationship with my father more.

Through the letters that my Dad has sent to me I have been able to see that even though we are far away from each other that he still loves me. Because of this I have been able to see how my Heavenly Father must feel about all of us. He like my Dad has sent his children away from home for a short amount of time. During this period of time each of us learns and grows and even though we are unable to see our Heavenly Father He is able to communicate with us and give us advice.

Our Heavenly Father knows that our time here on earth is short no matter how long it may seem to us. Eventually we will be able to go home and Live with Him forever. But for now we can rely on His advice and use this time to become the Men and Women that He knows we can be.

Just like our earthly parents love and care for us so does our Heavenly Father. So remember that whenever things are hard we can turn to Him and ask for advice just like we ask our parents and because He loves us He will answer. He loves each and everyone of us. Look to Him in prayer and you will receive comfort.