Accepting the Challenge

There are times when we wake up and just do not want to face to world. Where our dreams would be a better reality. This whole outlook is something I know I am not a lone on.

It is time to WAKE UP! lets face the world. Life is such a journey, but it is not an easy one. Trials come, broken hearts happen, dreams fade, and we fall, some days harder than others.

When the end comes though all of these challenges we face will be just a blimp on the map. Our good memories will outshine those bad ones just as the sun outshines the moon.

Life is like an obstical course, and there are two ways you can look at it.You can see it an think "I will never get through all of that!" or you can look at it and think "That looks like fun, I accept the Challenge LETS GO!".  Personally I have been a part of the first way, but then I started thinking about how there is no adventure, no passion and no scar stories or growth in that.  Going through life should be a little challenging. We should come out with a few scratches, bumps, and bruises. Because when we finish all of those trials will show how much I went through, and how I finished with a smile. Not because I sat there and felt that I could not do it, but because I accepted the challenges and conquered the obstacle course.

This life is hard, but we have an advantage over the trials we face. In a way we have a cheat sheet to this obstacle course of life. We have a Heavenly father who loves us. We have Jesus Christ who lead a perfect life.  A life we can read and study a bout in the Scriptures. We have the Bible, and the Book of Mormon. Two records of Jesus Christ that show us how we can be more like him. We have commandments, that if we follow we are promised blessings.  This life is not meant to be easy,  but it can be done with comfort as we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.   Let him lift you up!












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Come Follow Me

"Come Follow Me"

When I read the scriptures, and I hear those words. "Come Follow me", I think to my self if that is something I would be willing to do. The world we live in today is obsessed with many materialistic things. Some people must have the latest fashion, the nicest cars, and the perfect face. Others may be satisfied with the things that they have, but would they be willing to give it up?

Something I have noticed as I have grown up is that people love their things. I am just as guilty as the next. I would have a very hard time giving up some of the things I hold dear to my heart. However, I think of how much I love the savior Jesus Christ and if he asked me to follow Him, I know now that I could do that. I had a really good friend who taught me a very good lesson on things.

A large group of us decided we wanted to go on a night hike. I was told that it would just be more like a nature walk so I wouldn't need a good pair of shoes. So I wore flipflops. Some of the other girls did not have the proper shoes either. When we got to the mountain, we could tell that this was not going to be an easy task. But, we were their and hiking is one of the best things to do in the night. So we went forth. About a mile in, my feet were starting to get cut on the rocks and I was not sure I could make it to the saddle where we were going to have a campfire. I about gave up and wanted to leave. One of my good friends took off her shoes and gave them to me and took my flip-flops.  I was worried and told her that I did not want to ruin her shoes. She looked at me and said "One day you will learn that things are just things, and that is all they are." I am not sure she realized the impact that had on me. I see now that no matter the value of a possession it is just a thing. The only important possesions we have are those that no one can take away from us.

One of my most prized posetions is my testimony. IT is something that I treasure. Something I will never have to give up, and something that will bless me far more than any material on this earth or beyond. I know that God lives and his son Jesus Christ. I know they love us, and are there whenever we need them. I know that The Holy Bible, and The Book of Mormon go hand in hand to build up the faith of the people around the world. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is Gods church on this earth, and that I have been baptized by someone holding proper authority. I know that I love this world, and I will do my best to follow my savior even if that means leaving everything else behind.

WHERE ARE THE MIRACLES?

Each day I get up, I hit my knees and I say a prayer. I speak with my heavenly Father, and ask him for the strength to get through the day, and for the guidance I need to serve Him. However; my life has not always been one of prayer.  I have not always known that I can receive help for my day.

There have been times in my life when I was not sure what tomorrow would bring, but it was not something I wanted to face.  Looking back, they were not all big trials, but there were quite a few that I would not want to experiance again. I remember that there would be times when I had to question the divinity of God because life was just too hard. What was my problem? I could not see the miracles.

There were so many times when I felt like I had just "woke up on the wrong side of the bed." I could not be happy with the day because there was no reason to. It was not until I came on a mission to serve my Heavenly Father when I realized how to get through those trials.

Something I have grown a strong testimony of is Christs love for the people in this world. One of my favorite scriptures is in Alma Chapter 7: 11-13 which states:  
     And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and 
     this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the
      sicknesses of his people.

      And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people;

      and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, 

      according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people 

      according to their infirmities.

      Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh 

      that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions 

      according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

When I read this scripture, I can see how much Christ truly knows us. I can see that he understands our trials because he has suffered them for us individually. I also understand that Christ has given us this because he sees that sometimes we just have a bad day, a bad week, or a bad year. He is there to help us and guide us. 

One way I have noticed that has helped me be able to see the role Heavenly Father plays in my life is to cound the blessings. Cliche, maybe; but it works! Go through your day and come up with little miracles. Sometimes it takes a little time, but I can promise you that if you look hard enough you will find one. And when you find one, more will come.  

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When we let the world take over our emotions, we are no longer in control. We can give our sorrows and troubles to Christ. That is why he came. As we follow the Commandments and have the desire to follow the teachings of Christ, we will be happy. I know this will all of my heart! Jesus Christ Loves you!

Sister Renfro 

Jesus Calls His Apostles

Christ gave his apostles the authority to go out and act in the name of God. To heal and bless the people. That authority has been restored back to the earth from Christ himself to his prophet Joseph Smith. The scriptures can teach us all things and for that I am grateful.

Thank You!

   Around this time the word "Thank You" is probably used more, people are more giving, and for the most part more kind.  So in the spirit of Thanksgiving I would just like to share something that has lead me to a place of happiness. Something that I am very thankful for. I am thankful for scriptures. Growing up I loved to go to church. I tried to read my scriptures as much as possible. I knew that God loved me, and no one could take that away. When I would read the Bible, I wouls start in Matthew and just highlight everything I read. Being a small child I did not understand why people highlighted in their scriptures... just that they did it. I never really understood what I was reading. I knew who God was, who Christ was, and I was familiar with the child stories of the Prophets.

Skip a few years into high school and that knowledge of Gods love started to fail. I faced trials, and was in a deep confusion of what the purpose of life was. I did not understand why things were hard, and instead of coming closer to God when I needed him, I turned away.  I was not too happy and I was not sure why. When I got into college, I realized that I needed that relationship back with my Heavenly Father so I started to read a book that my grandma had gotten me in highschool. I think it was a pathway for youth. It would give me a daily scripture and share stories of how I can face the trials of the world. Soon after that, my Step-mom invited some missionaries over fromThe Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  This part of the story is long. The missionaries came to my house for the next year or so visiting with my family.  I started feeling answers to questions I had growing up. I began to feel happy, and  see that there was purpose in this life. However it is through the Scriptures that I gained a testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I was reading in revelations just scamming through and I came upon Revelation 3:20 which states "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come  in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Some reason this hit me. I knew that these missionaries in my home were sent to bring me back. I knew that  I could ask my Heavenly Father and he would answer me. I also knew that it would take faith. I would have to open the door to allow Him back into my life. I prayed and received an answer that The Church of Jesus Christ was Gods church. The same church that was on the Earth with Christ. I am grateful for the scriptures. I feel that they can answer our prayers as we study them. I am also grateful for my Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ. I feel that I was once a lost sheep, but Christ knew exactly how to find me.

Help!

Asking for help seems impossible. I suppose our human mind figures that we can just do everything on our own. Personally this is something that I have a hard time with. I feel that even when I am in the hardest of times, that I can just figure it out on my own. ]

There have been times though when my pride had to be humbled and I had to just ask for help. One of the more recent times, I was driving home and my breaks went strait to the floor. I had been procrastinating getting them fixed, and I was about to face the consequences. I only had about $300 in my bank account, and knew I was not going to be paid anytime soon. I went with out a car for a couple of days... I had to call off work a few times as well. That ment that on top of buying new breaks, I would be out of work. I decided that I would brave the drive,( because I knew that I could not afford a tow truck) to the nearest break place. I went in, and let them know what happend, and got lectured for driving my car without breaks. They originally said that it would cost me about $300 so I had just enough! But as time went on more and more problems with my breaks came up. I needed to replace a lot of things. The total cost by the end was $600 and I just did not have it. I prayed, and asked what I should do because my parents did not have the money to help, at least thats what I felt. But I knew that that was my only option. So as much as I wanted to do it on my own, I knew I had to make that call and ask for help.

I learned two lessons that day. One asking for help is something that we should not be ashamed to do. Sometimes we get ourselfs in situations where we just need someone to give us a hand. Second I learned not to procrastinate things that are important.

Just like needing help in life, we also need to be able to ask for help spiritually. God is there for us, and he  has given us the resources we need in order to survive and be helped spiritually. We can pray to Him, and he will hear our prayers. We also need to ask for forgiveness, and not procrastinate the day of our repentance. While we are here on earth, we are in a probationary state before we get to be judged. In Helamen 13:38 it speaks of this.

38 But behold, your ^adays of probation are past; ye have ^bprocrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for ^chappiness in doing iniquity, which thing is ^dcontrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.

When I stand before God and his Son Jesus Christ, I want to know that I have not procrastinated and that I have done all that I can to better follow my savior.