Faith, Family, Facts and Fruits

Hello again!

For those of you who don't know, I've been blessed with the calling to teach the fourth Sunday of Relief Society. Better known as "Teachings of our times". It's generally pretty hard to extract a lesson from a ten minute conference talk, but I usually make it work.

Tomorrow I am teaching Relief Society, and my lesson is "Faith, Family, Facts and Fruits" by M. Russell Ballard. (If you would like to read my lesson, please click on the title of this post and it will redirect you to it.) Before I begin to tell you about my lesson, I need to tell you about my weekend.

I had a great Birthday (I'm 22!) on Wednesday, and took the last three days of the week off from work, so I had a pretty great week overall. My birthday was great, we had dinner at my parents, and had a lot of fun. I got lucky, because Jared had Wednesday and Thursday off of work too, so we had a lot of time to just play and be together. I will NEVER complain when we both have some time to just spend together. Dinner at my parents was a lot of fun, and the whole family was there. Thursday night, we went out to dinner with Grandma and Tyler, as well as Tyler's friend Haley and we had a ton of fun. There is never a lack of family with us, we are so greatful to have them, that we can't spend enough time with them. On Friday, Jared had to work which was a drag, but gave me some time to just be lazy and lay around. It was so nice! I've had a wonderful week, and am already looking forward to next weekend when I have a few more days off. :)

So tonight, as I settle in to study my lesson, I realized a few truly great things about my life. Not only my life, but how the church has impacted it. The talk discusses a few basic truths about our church that we should have on hand at a moments notice to share with people who are curious for the facts. Some of the truths that President Ballard suggests, really hit home to me. President Ballard says,

"• And there is also much focus on extended family, genealogy, and personal family history, providing young and old with a stronger sense of roots, identity, and belonging. The highest and most sacred ordinances of our faith relate to our families, both living and dead, and some of these ordinances take place in our temples. "

I love how he says that the focus provides young and old with a sense of roots, identity and belonging. There have been on very few occasions that I felt like I didn't belong. Most of which were a tendency to be frightened of a new situation or place... but very few times in my life have I felt like I don't belong. I am so incredibly greatful to the church for that. I have always had a great sense of self, and security. I've always known who I am and what my plan on this earth is. I am generally not insecure with myself, or confused as to which is the right path for me. And I really attribute that to this gosple.

Recently, our beloved Prophet President Gordon B. Hinckley passed away. I was extremely upset by his passing, without really understanding why it upset me so much. For as long as I can remember, President Hinckley has been watching out for ME. When he spoke, he spoke to ME. When he told me that I was wrong, he was telling ME. When he asked me to do something, or not to do something, he was talking to ME. It never even crossed my mind that he was talking to 11 million other people too. I just always knew that what he said was meant for me. There was a sense of security in his words, and I always felt his heart in his message. I never knew that someone I had never even met before could mean so much to me. Enough to make me change my ways, or alter my course in life. But he could, and did, teach me in the ways of the Lord. My life is stable and strong because of Heavenly Father's divine plan to have a prophet on the earth. How sad a world it would be if there were no one here to lead us and direct us to the everlasting tree of life. Oh how sad and full the great and spacious building would be. Thank goodness we have been blessed and enriched with God's love.

My point is, that Heavenly Father (with the help of many others, including my parents) has taught me who I am, and what I believe in. My life would never be the same without the security of the gosple. I could never thank him enough.

I also really enjoyed the part where President Ballard says,

"We should also remember that sometimes the best way to answer people’s interest can be by how we live, how we radiate the joy of the gospel in our lives, how we treat others, and how sincerely we follow the teachings of Christ. "

My heart swells with the intense truth of this statement. Countless times have I been exposed to someone who has learned a truth about our gosple by my actions, and the actions of other members around them. Andie was baptized because of the actions of the members she knew. And it's true, someone can not live off of the testimony and actions of another person, but it is a great way to begin a testimony of their own! How marvelous a work, that we don't even have to use our words to share our love of the Savior! How could we not be excited to do what is right if we know that our actions can dramatically effect somoeone elses life?! How blessed are we!

The saints who crossed the plains did it to avoid persecution. And yet today, in history classes across America, students are learning about the Mormons and how they crossed the plains. The example that they set all of those years ago, about defending their faith, has surpassed all time and persecution. If only they knew! And what about the first generation members who have 20 plus generations following in their footsteps? What if they knew? All it takes, is one simple action to change an entire planet. All we have to do is stand up and make a stand, a quiet, simple stand. The choice to be an example is almost harder than the example we set. Thank goodness for Heavenly Father's plan!

Someday I hope to be able to look back on my life and be happy with the things I have done. I'm so incredibly greatful for this gosple, and the light it brings to my life. I'm so greatful for my relationship with Heavenly Father, and for his guiding hand in my life. I can't express how much I love this gosple for what it brings to me on a daily basis. I am greatful for Jared and his unwavering faith in our eternal plan, and for the example he provides me to do what is right. I am especially thankful for my personal experiences, and the person that they are molding me to be. I will never be perfect, but I sure can try.

Please, read the lesson that I have attached. See what kind of personal meaning it will bring to you. I know the lesson is really about missionary work, but for some reason it meant something else to me. I hope you can find your personal mission in this life and that Heavenly Father guides you to the path of happiness.

Thank you all for all that you do in my life, and for the examples you set and the joy you bring me. I will be eternally greatful. Have a great Sunday!