This life seems so finite, we begin by being born, then end by dying.  Have you ever thought of life before and after life?  Our lives are not so finite as they seem, but very eternal and significant.  It really is about perspective, seeing the bigger picture gives meaning to his life on earth, and hope for the hereafter.  Recently I attended my Grandfather’s funeral, a truly great man who lived an extraordinary life.  At first it was hard to come to grips that he was actually gone.  Right before the funeral service we gathered as a family for a prayer, and to see my grandfather one last time.  As they closed the casket I remember having an intense feeling that he was still very much alive in spirit.  He no longer was bound by his diseased body, but free and intelligent as ever in the world of spirits.  I know that there is a place where the spirit goes after it leaves the body and lives on until it is reunited with the body.  It was a very comforting thought to know where my grandpa is and that he is happy, and that I will see him again.

In an article given by Russell M. Nelson, an Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he states, “Death separates ‘the spirit and the body which are the soul of man’ (D&C 88:15).  That separation evokes pangs of sorrow and shock among those left behind. The hurt is real.  The only length of life that seems to satisfy the longings of the human heart is life everlasting.”  The sorrow is lessened at death because of this principle.  Brother Nelson said so perfectly:

“Life does not begin with birth, nor does it end with death. Prior to our birth, we dwelled as spirit children with our Father in Heaven. There we eagerly anticipated the possibility of coming to earth and obtaining a physical body. Knowingly we wanted the risks of mortality, which would allow the exercise of agency and accountability. “This life [was to become] a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God.” (Alma 12:24.) But we regarded the returning home as the best part of that long-awaited trip, just as we do now. Before embarking on any journey, we like to have some assurance of a round-trip ticket. Returning from earth to life in our heavenly home requires passage through—and not around—the doors of death. We were born to die, and we die to live. (See2 Cor. 6:9.) As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven.”

This past semester while I was in school I not only learned how vital it is to take a step out of the bounds of my “thinking box”, but how liberating it is!  I took a lot of time studying the creative process and how it works.  Part of the creative process is being able form ideas that  take an unexpected spin on an average thing.  It involves pushing yourself to see things in a different perspective.  In doing this I realized how much I stay within my box, when I thought myself to be a highly creative person.  But I learned that creativity is not just making things look cool or beautiful, but depicting something in a whole new light.  It truly takes a creative person to take what they already know, combine it what they learn in research and discovery, and make something completely different.  It’s a challenge, but trying to develop my creativity  has been enlightening.  Sometimes I was at the point where I understood the infinite amount of possibilities, but couldn’t yet visualize them…if that makes sense.  I think everyone is born with an innate sense of creativity, and that it is a God-given gift to desire to create something new and different.  But our creativity tends to get “beat” out of us and we become trained to see things in a certain way.  I challenge you to do things a little differently, and try to see the world from a different perspective.

New blog post this week….stay tuned!

“Thoughtful planning and preparation are key to a rewarding future, but we do not live in the future-we live in the present.  It is day by day that we work out our plans for the future; it is day by day that we achieve our goals…It is the accumulation of many days well lived that adds up to a full life and a saintly person.”

He gives several points on how to live well from day to day:

1. We should look to God each day for the “bread” or help or sustenance we need for that day.  God is anxious to help us, but we must seek Him out.

2. I builds our faith when we rely on the Lord each day.  By living each day with humility-recognition of our dependence on God-we nurture our faith taking one step closer to Christ.

3. Trust in God that the solutions will come over time.  Elder Christofferson related about a time in his life when he faced serious economic challenges, he said,

“Though I suffered then, as I look back now, I am grateful that there was not a quick solution to my problem. The fact that I was forced to turn to God for help almost daily over an extended period of years taught me truly how to pray and get answers to prayer and taught me in a very practical way to have faith in God. I came to know my Savior and my Heavenly Father in a way and to a degree that might not have happened otherwise or that might have taken me much longer to achieve. I learned that daily bread is a precious commodity. I learned that manna today can be as real as the physical manna of biblical history. I learned to trust in the Lord with all my heart. I learned to walk with Him day by day.”

4.  Work through small problems in daily bites. “Take it one day at a time. … Don’t look ahead to the pain. Just get through the day. To worry about what is or may be coming can be debilitating. It can paralyze us and make us quit.”

5. We can overcome challenges and obstacles that are inhibiting our progression by appealing to God daily.  Changing is a process, don’t get frustrated when you don’t see dramatic changes.   “As Paul expressed it, is a step-by-step process. Incorporating new and wholesome habits into our character or overcoming bad habits or addictions most often means an effort today followed by another tomorrow, and then another, perhaps for many days, even months and years, until victory is achieved. But we can do it because we can appeal to God for our daily bread, for the help we need each day.” Basically don’t give up! President Ezra Taft Benson encourages, “We must not lose hope. Hope is an anchor to the souls of men. Satan would have us cast away that anchor. In this way he can bring discouragement and surrender. But we must not lose hope. The Lord is pleased with every effort, even the tiny, daily ones in which we strive to be more like Him.”

6. Pray and seek for opportunities to serve others.

7. Big changes are made up of lots of small choices.  THINK ABOUT THIS before you think that your days are becoming useless,

“In reality, there aren’t very many things in a day that are totally without significance. Even the mundane and repetitious can be tiny but significant building blocks that in time establish the discipline and character and order needed to realize our plans and dreams. Therefore, as you ask in prayer for your daily bread, consider thoughtfully your needs—both what you may lack and what you must protect against. As you retire to bed, think about the successes and failures of the day and what will make the next day a little better. And thank your Heavenly Father for the manna He has placed along your path that sustained you through the day. Your reflections will increase your faith in Him as you see His hand helping you to endure some things and to change others. You will be able to rejoice in one more day, one more step toward eternal life.”

Remember that it’s the small things that count.  Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t where you want to be, or who you want to be.  Changes like that take time.  As you rely on the Lord to make small righteous decisions on a daily basis, you will get you where you want to be.

This morning I was reading about Lehi’s vision of the Tree of Life.  His son Nephi re-tells his father’s vision, where he saw a glorious tree with pure white fruit.  The whole objective of the dream was to make it to the tree to obtain the fruit.  Lehi makes his way to the tree, and as he eats of this divine fruit he says, “it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.”  As he looks back for his family a peculiar scene is set before him.  There is a river of water running next to the tree, and along the bank of the river a rod of iron that led to the tree.  On the other side of the river was a “great and spacious” building with no foundation, with lots of people in it mocking those who were feeling their way to the tree of life via the iron rod.  But something interesting happens to those holding to the iron rod, Nephi says that there “arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.”  Unfortunately when this mist of darkness came many  let go of the rod because they could no longer see their destination (the tree of life), and they got lost.  But there were those who held to the rod, Lehi recalls, “I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.”  The ones that held to the iron rod made it to the tree of life.  Even though there were times when they couldn’t see anything they held tight to the rod, which is the word of God.  The “mists of darkness” WILL come in many forms, temptation, sin, trials, etc, but our faith in the word of God will keep us on the right path.  Although there were some who made it to the tree of life and felt ashamed because of those in the “great and spacious” building who were mocking them.  But those who do not heed them were able to enjoy the precious fruit of the tree of life which represents the love of God and eternal life.

There will always be those who point at us and make fun of us like the people in the great and spacious building.  But the thing to remember is that this building lacks a foundation, thus it will fall.  All their arguments, and taunting are empty.  The only power they have is the power we give them.  True power comes from God’s word, which in Lehi’s dream is represented by a literal rod of iron.  If we cling to the rod, we will make it, even though at times we may not see where we are going.

1. I’m beginning to understand the infinite worth of a soul.  I’ve gained a powerful conviction that God knows and loves each of His children.  As I began to comprehend the depth of God’s love for His children my motivation began to change.  Not only was I a missionary because it was what God wanted me to do, but to save souls and bring them to Christ.  To be apart of that process of saving souls has brought me true joy, like it says in D&C 18:16,

“And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!”

My last mission President put it this way, one soul is worth the blood of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.  He truly did suffer for every single soul so that we might have eternal life.

2.  There is a reason I write a lot about prayer.  I’ve seen the power that prayer has had throughout my whole mission.  I know that God hears my prayers, and He does answer them.  They rarely come in a way that I expect, but they do come.  Never stop praying.  Don’t give up on God, because He NEVER gives up on us.  My whole mission I have prayed to teach a family.  About a month ago that prayer was answered, it took about a year for that answer to come!  Prayer is real!

Now many months later I am about to do the same thing and get back on that plane.  The difference from the girl who arrived here 18 months ago, and the girl that I am now is that I KNOW WHO I AM.  I will leave with a sure knowledge that I am a daughter of God, and a disciple of Jesus Christ, determined to serve Him to the end.  The mission chapter of my life is over, but a whole new chapter is opening.  With my new set of eyes, I’m excited to really live the gospel of Jesus Christ in this new chapter of my life.

“…for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.”

Come unto Him, He is waiting.  God our Father wants to hear from ALL His children and most importantly He wants to help us.  But we must first ask for it.  To be completely honest, in times past I’ve gotten frustrated when people pray once in time of great need and receive no immediate answer so they give up.  The though has come to me before, “why would God come through for us when we don’t for Him?” I think often times He will grant us knowledge or answers  when He knows we will do something with it.  Or at least recognize who it’s from.  But I do know this,”Heavenly father hears your prayers.  He may not always answer as you expect, but He does answer, in His own time and according to His own will.  Because He knows what is best for you, He may sometimes answer no, even when your petitions.”

Also I have come to learn that prayer is a form of work.  It takes effort and consistency.  We are developing a relationship, that takes time.  To develop trust takes time.  We must be patient in receiving answers.  God is perfect, unfortunately we aren’t so the answer won’t always come when we think it should.

For many prayer is foreign or awkward, but “As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father, and we are his children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part (Matt. 7:7–11). Many of the so-called difficulties about prayer arise from forgetting this relationship.”

It is important to note that prayer is not meant to merely get what we want, but “to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.” I know that prayer is real and that when we do we are talking to a perfect loving Heavenly Father.  Prayer is so vital, I have found so much peace and reassurance through this line of communication.  Remember that all are alike unto God, He denies none of His love and blessings!

“Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend … when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”

Live in the “now”, because as our modern-day Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, has said, “One day each of us will run out of tomorrows…

Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days—as much as we can—with those things which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed…

I pray that all of us will reflect gratitude for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His glorious gospel provides answers to life’s greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where does my spirit go when I die?

He taught us how to pray. He taught us how to serve. He taught us how to live. His life is a legacy of love. The sick He healed; the downtrodden He lifted; the sinner He saved.”

I can’t say it any better than that, but how true it is!  The Savior of the World lives and loves thus he provided a way for us to experience true joy, and be at peace even amidst trials.

I’m grateful for the small beauties of this earth like this…

I’m grateful that I get to perform small acts of service like raking leaves….

I’m grateful for moments like this…

I’m grateful for my family…

I’m grateful for the restoration of the gospel Jesus Christ which began here…

Since Thanksgiving is coming up I thought I’d share SOME of the things I am grateful for.  My heart really holds an infinite list of things I am grateful for that I couldn’t possibly write down.  My challenge to you this week is to recognize the good things in your life and be GRATEFUL!   What are you grateful for?