Believe

I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure & wearing lipstick. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything else seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe tomorrow is another day. I believe in Miracles.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

What does it mean to be a mormon?

I BELONG TO THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
I've been given numerous church callings over the years, and participated in many functions. I've been a primary teacher, sunday school teacher, Temple worker, chorister, pianist, I made the sunday Bulletin, teaching in relief society, visiting teacher etc. etc.
In my childhood I loved Primary parties and achievement days. In my youth, I enjoyed wednesday night activities, seminary, dances on saturdays, completing my personal progress book, firesides or bishop's youth discussions on sundays, and girls camp. In my Young Adulthood I enjoyed going to Dances, firesides, Institute, service projects, relief society activities and practicing the piano to play in church. Now I enjoy my calling in Young Women which includes monthly meetings, wednesday night activities and teaching lessons on sundays- this is over and above my church attendance, visiting teaching assignments and other ward activities. 
All of the above = blessings, blessings, blessings.
 To be a part of the LDS church, you need to be 100% in and devoted...Why be a member of this church and do everything you're "supposed to do" but go shopping on sundays, or drink coffee, or wear immodest clothing, or have more than 1 piercing in your ears??? GIVE IT UP- Devote yourself to the right thing and you will be blessed. It's pretty simple. I'm not saying I'm perfect at any of this and trust me I have made my own mistakes... The Tattoo on my bum is a great example of that. But I truly believe that it doesn't matter which step of the ladder you are on, it just matters that you are facing up. So while you participate in seminary, relief society birthday dinners, presidency meetings, ward parties, visiting teaching, feeding the missionaries, paying tithing, mutual activities, church recreation activities, going to the 3 hours of church on sundays, missionary work, having home teachers over, going to the Temple, visiting people, service projects, firesides, girls camp/scout stuff, preparing sunday lessons etc. etc. etc. Why not take out those piercings and buy a few T-shirts? 
BE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF PUTTING BOTH FEET INTO ONE DOOR (not one in and one out)
 There is a horrible website about how much money and time people save when they become less-active, but here is a chart that is pretty true: (this is per month and not all apply, but most)
NumberMilesHours
4 trips to church for Sunday service. Many times we would drive two vehicles because of one of us would have to stay for meetings either after or before.2412
4 PEC/WC/Welfare meetingsCounted in #1 - 1010
1 BYC meeting42
1 Fireside42
1 Stake youth function-at the stake center153
1 Elder's presidency meeting42
1 YM Youth presidency meeting42
YW Youth presidency meeting42
1 Stake YW Adult presidency meeting152
4 Wednesday night youth activities (both cars used each time)328
4 Tuesday night basketball to reactivate/con non-members168
1 Home teaching to 2-5 members for the men154
1 Visiting teaching to 2-5 members for the women154
1 Monthly service project102
1 Scout committee meeting42
1 Ward social function43
1 Scout off-night function42
1 Scout campout10012 (if you just say 'working' hours)
1 Clean the church42
1 Splits with missionaries152
1 Adult temple trip1808
20 EARLY MORNING seminary16020
1 Being home taught for our familyin home1
1 Wife being visit taught by assigned sistersin home1
Magnifying our callings (doing all the support work with lessons, activities, supplies, scouting, planning, counseling YW/YM, etc.)20
Month683136
Year8,1961,632
8,196 miles @ 13mpg = 630gal @ $4 gallon = $2,5201,632 hours @ $9.10 (Oregon min wage)... = $14,851Annual real expenses plus free service.. = $17,371
There are approximately 720 hours in a week, so out of that and according to this chart (which is pretty general and has excluded any monthly temple trips, Family Home evenings, time spent for personal prayer and scripture study, reading the ensign, extra conferences or devotionals etc.)- there are 136 hours spent on doing church stuff. That's (136/720=) about 18.9% of our month.
I don't look at it like a waste of time at all... in fact I wish I could do MORE-more visits, more time studying the scriptures, more baking bread and giving it to others!
 If my Heavenly Father has given me everything that I have on this Earth right now, and plans to give me exaltation and eternal life in my future, you are damn straight I'm going to be dedicating my life to His Gospel, and be doing all I can to help His cause. He sent His Only Begotten Son to Atone for my sins, and all He asked is for me to be a good girl, devote my life to His church and be an instrument in His Hands....
This is 100% doable, and besides... why wouldn't you want to stay busy and committed to service and charity- what have you got to loose???
Forget yourself and go to work
What else would I spend 136 hours a month on (great for social skills anyway)? Probably something to do with watching TV and being LAZY!
Anyways my testimony of this Gospel is small compared to the greatness of God, but it is enough light to keep me moving forward in this dark world and I have seen it grow throughout my life. My testimony of the Book of Mormon grew after I read it. I thought I would have a big pillar of light above my head as my answer to it's truthfulness, but really, i knew it was true throughout the entire book, each word, each chapter-and this continues each time I read it. I have witnessed that the Book of Mormon has the power to change lives. My favorite scripture is D&C 123:17- we can do all things, and cheerfully if we are on the Lord's side. My testimony of Joseph Smith Grew when I went to visit the sacred grove. There, a simple farm boy offered a simple prayer that made him the man and prophet He was. I felt for myself the peace that is there. When I moved away from home to go to school, I knew that Heavenly Father was indeed there for me, and mindful of me. I love that through prayer, I can talk to my Heavenly Father ALL the time, and He ALWAYS listens. My tour through Europe that I went on was a Religious History Tour of the reformation and restoration. I started the tour with 50 strangers and came home with 51 best friends..That extra 1 was my Heavenly Father. We visited Many other churches and learned of their beliefs. There are some things that they got right, but none of them were perfect like this gospel. We ended our trip in Denmark, in front of the original sculpture of the Christus by Thorvaldsen in a Lutheran church. I stood beneath this magnificent statue of christ, and there He was; great and powerful, looking down at me with his arms outstretched. My Savior, and my big brother loves a sinner like me- this is a brilliant feeling. We sang some songs while we were there; How great thou art, I stand all amazed, I know that my redeemer lives-The Spirit is there when we sing.
When I think of Christ's atonement, I not only thank Him for what He did for me, but I also thank my Heavenly Father for not failing us by answering His Only Begotten Son's request to 'remove the bitter cup'. Heavenly Father is omnipotent, He had the power to do this, but He has us in mind- He knew that through Christ, was the only way that we, His children, could be saved and able to return to live with Him again. He did not fail us. He stuck to the plan and watched as His Beloved Son sacrificed and atoned for the sins of the world. Two divine beings suffered for my sins that day and I am so grateful for that and the knowledge I have of how to use my Saviors atonement in my life every day. As I struggle with Infertility, I feel as though my prayers aren't being answered. Each day I pray for a child, each month, I fast for a child- I have had 20 months of side effects and unanswered prayers. My faith flame at times get's burned out. I am so lucky that I have an amazing and supportive husband to lean on and other angels who have been put in my path, to help relight that flame. I know Heavenly Father gives us tests and trials to help us grow while we are on earth. I also know that when my human nature gets the best of me, He is forgiving and so patient...He already knows who I will become, it's just up to me to get there.This Gospel is about eternal Families. I understood that more as I got married to my love in the temple. I know that if I live worthy, and do all I can to qualify for the grace of God, I will meet my Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus christ again, and be crowned with glory, immortality, and eternal life.
Isn't it simple!!??







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