The Family

I looked in the mirror after my shower this morning, and I thought about myself.
And I realized that one day, it won't just be me, alone, staring at myself.

From the very beginning of joining this church, I was taught about Adam and Eve, and how their choices really affected our plan here on earth.

I remember one day, after searching the scriptures for hours and trying to find out all I could about all the 'appendages' to the gospel. I made a chart and a list and I went back and forth from reference to reference, and then I stopped. I stopped, and I wrote down...
"Adam and Eve are key"

That's it. Right now, in my journal, you would find a huge mess of notes, and then a simple statement that says "Adam and Eve are key".

It was complete revelation. I wrote it down, not even knowing what I was doing. But I wrote it down because it felt right.

It wasn't until looking back on my journal that I wrote last year, that I saw that, and I pondered, and really took time to think about it.

Because one day, it won't be just me, alone, staring at myself in the mirror. One day, I will have a husband beside me, staring at me, smiling at me, telling me that I'm beautiful.

Adam and Eve are essential to the gospel, because Adam and Eve's choice made it possible for us to have family.

Everyone always speaks about the sins of Adam and Eve, and their transgressions. And yes, it's true, they partook of the fruit, that God commanded them not to partake of. But Eve took it anyways.

I have come to find out, that neither Adam nor Eve wanted to partake of the fruit. But Eve, when tempted by Satan, she saw beyond.

Lucifer in the garden, did indeed beguile her, but what Lucifer didn't realize, is that it was all a part of God's plan anyways.

If you realize in Genesis 4 is when Adam and Eve conceive a child, AFTER they were cast out of the garden of Eden.

Eve saw beyond, she saw that it was important for them to have children. She saw that it was important for them to leave the Garden so that they wouldn't be in a state of innocence. She saw that is was better for them to experience sorrow and pain, so that they could experience joy.

And one of the most important joys in life is family. And having children.
That's why Adam and Eve are key to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Because Adam and Eve taught the importance of family.

I sometimes think how hard it must have been, to go from living in a beautiful wonderful garden, to the treacherous world, where they were no longer in God's presence.

But I then think about how it was worth it, worth it so that they could have a family, and through our Savior Christ and God's plan, we can all return to Heavenly Father someday.

It's so beautiful. I have never gained such an appreciation for the Old Testament than I have today, in realizing the essence of Family in God's plan, and how Adam and Eve has showed us the way and example to eternal happiness.

These things I say,
In Jesus Name,
Amen

 (Picture from Thefamily.com) 

I took the long way home Tonight

I took the long way home tonight.
Past my first cigarette, past my first drink, past the place where I first snuck out.
I drove slowly past the canal where I had my first kiss behind an old house.
I drove past the place where I snuck through a cut fence to run away from the cops that were chasing us. I went past the place where I hiked with my past boyfriends.

 And in a neighborhood nearby,
 where I had my first love.
The street that I look towards
every time I drive by.

I took the long way home tonight. I watched and saw as my childhood flew by.

A friend asked me today why I became Mormon so fast. How I knew, How I changed "just like that".
I could say it was the immediate comfort, the overwhelming Spirit that testified of truth. That God's confirming spirit, showed me that this was His way.

But the truth is, it wasn't that moment that changed everything.
It was everything else, everything before, that prepared me for that exact moment.

It was my first communion in my second grade.
 It was my first real job, at McDonald's.
 It was the first time the cops caught me, outside some motel,
 where they called my parents for them to take me home.

That first time that I ran away, that I hitch-hiked,
in hopes that I may.
just get away from all that troubled me,
I thought it would be my solution, you see.

I took the long way home tonight. I reflected on all that has all gone past.
I realized that through hurts through pain,
through feelings of mine that felt so slain.
I realized that through tears and joy,
with friends, families, girls, and boy,

That I've done it,
I've made it 19 years and more,
and I've got so much more of this world
to explore.

I'll have this year, for my 19,
then next year for 20,
then 21, 22, 23, 24,
The years will just increase to more.

It wasn't just in that moment of Prayer,
that God showed me his plan,
that He showed me He was there.

It was all the moments combined before,
And all the coming moments more.

I took the long way home tonight.
And to me, it felt quite Alright.

What's Under Your Umbrella?

Bendiciones, benedictions, segen- In other words : BLESSINGS! 

I have never quite understood the concept of blessings.

The missionaries promised me that if I read the scriptures, I will receive blessings, if I pay my tithing,  if I obey the commandments, if I am kind to others, if I serve people, if I go on a mission, I will receive blessings, and so will my family.

So what are blessings? They come from God, they come from our obedience and efforts, they are a gift from Heavenly Father, and they bring us joy.

But if they are a gift, why do we have to work for them?

One of the most different things of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is that we, as members, pay tithing. Tithing is 10% given to the church of our income. They did it in the old testament and the new testament, and it's what God has commanded us to do. It's one of the things that I have found most difficult explaining to other people, for why we give money. 

And it comes along with the explanation, that we will be blessed. Which is completely true. 

But what does that mean? Does it mean we will be blessed with a good job, more money later on, more happiness, or help to avoid temptations from the adversary (Satan). 

Yes it means all those things, but how? 

I used to think of Blessings like a box, that was sent down from Heavenly Father. It was my gift. I would open it, and then I would get my blessings. But then I started thinking of it more like little things, like a little box here and there in my house, where I open it, and I feel a little joy, or a get a call from someone for a job interview that I've been wanting.

But then I realized, that blessings are more like rain drops. Actually, they are more like hail, they are coming down all around us, everywhere. 

And we are the ones choosing which ones we WANT to receive. 

I think that I used to just stand outside with a cup, and catch all the blessings I could. 

But what if we used a bucket? And caught EVEN more blessings.

Or... a wheel barrow! Think of how many blessings we could catch then.

Or the back of a truck, or a house with an open roof! 

Everything could just be flooded with blessings! If we just allow ourselves to receive them.

And I just realized. When God talks to us in the scriptures, he is asking us to consecrate our whole lives towards him! That doesn't mean we go to church every day 24/7, but it means that in all that we do, we should be looking towards him. Always.

When we pray each morning, it's like opening the roof in our room, to receive blessings,

 if you pray as a family, it's like opening the whole house to receive blessings, 

when you pray before a test, it's opening your brain to receive the blessings,

 when we pray over the food, it's opening our bodies to blessings.

When you pay tithing, it's opening your finances to endless blessings,

when you try to do everything according to God's will, in everyday of your life,

it's opening up EVERY single day for God to give you blessings.

When you read, it's opening up the doors to give you blessings.

Sometimes we think God is picky and choosy about the blessings that he gives us.

But that's not true at all.

WE ARE the ones that are picking which blessings we actually want to get from God.

Sometimes, on bad days, we even stand with an umbrella trying not receive any of the blessings.

God is constantly pouring down blessings. I promise.

We are the ones who choose to receive them.  

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen! 

True Discipleship

Okay so two things you need to know about me.
I'm the most impatient person in the whole entire world.
And secondly, when I'm being impatient, I'm the most irritable person in the whole entire world.

I don't know what's been up with me lately, but I've been sluggish and tired, not feeling well, and just straight out exhausted.

I didn't want to go to church yesterday. But I did, because it's the right thing to do. And it was fast Sunday, and so it seemed to make my day even longer.

I woke up this morning, and I knew the way I was feeling. So I said my morning prayer. I included asking for the courage and energy to go to Family Home Evening (A youth group that our church does on Monday nights).

As the time grew closer, the temptation not to go, got even bigger. Home was sounding better and better as 7pm was rolling around.

But at 6:55pm, I got my stuff all ready, and decided to go. I showed up 10 minutes late, but it being "Mormon Standard Time", I arrived before the lesson even started.

And since the moment I stepped out of my car until the moment that I got back home, I was needed.
It started out with helping a friend open the doors of the car and wheel one of my very best friends in to get to FHE. (Family Home Evening). Then after I got in, a friend immediately stood to give me a hug and say hello. Then another friend who I haven't seen for a few months wanted to speak with me. The night moved on. A good friend needed a photo with me. Other people needed to talk to me.

Then one of the church leaders needed to have a meeting with me, right as I was trying to leave. And then after the meeting, another lovely girl in our branch (another word for church congregation), needed my opinion about classes. And then someone else just wanted to talk.

I was exhausted. I had only planned on staying 45 minutes. But I stayed for 2 hours.

So when I finally made it to my car, stomping the whole way there because I wanted to be home. I turned on the engine, and said "I'm sorry God, for being so mad" and naturally, as the healthiest way that I deal with my anger...
I blasted the music as loud as I could and I screamed almost all the way home until I couldn't scream anymore.

Finally, when my voice ran out, and the songs were over... I cried.

I didn't even want to go, but then I did, and it seemed I never even got a break, and it was wayyy longer than expected.

I don't really know the point of this story.
But I think some days, there are days where you feel like you just can't go anymore. It's like your a car, and your engine died. Or you're a bike, and the pedals are gone. Or you're a plane and both your wings got cut off, so you just spiral down, you just let go of the wheel and hope you make it to the next day.

I, then think of Christ, there isn't a moment in the bible where it says that Jesus just chilled, and watched a show. Or that he slept in, or that he took a nap.

No. In fact, it's just the opposite.
It seems as if every single moment of Jesus' short lived life (probably mid 20's when he died), Every single moment was spent on someone else.

He walked past the fisherman, and said "come follow me and be fishers of men" then he taught them. Even when he was like 12, he was teaching the Pharisee's in the temple. Then when Lazarus parents ran to Jesus and needed him to raise Lazarus, and when he needed to turn 2 loaves of bread and some fish to feed 500 people. And then when he needed to change the water to wine for the wedding, and then when he needed to have the last supper to give us remembrance of the sacrifice he made for us.

Jesus was a man that just "GO GO GO" He was like an energizer bunny. But probably not as hyper, probably more calm, mature, collected, and probably not like me, screaming at the top of his lungs because a few people asked him a few questions.

Jesus did it all, and he never once complained. He just took it, because he loves us all, and he wants to help all of us.

It really humbles me. It puts me in a place where I realize, I can't be thinking of myself. I can't be so angry and mad, when people show their love for me, or show their need of me. I should be grateful that people even noticed I was there.

Jesus did so much, and he never stopped to think of himself. Even at his last moments he said "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."

He wasn't thinking about himself  or his pain. He was thinking of his fellow brethren who were being crucified right beside him.

I think that's what I learned tonight. Jesus was never about himself. Jesus never is about himself. He is about everyone else, except himself, and that's why Jesus is happy. That's why Jesus has more glory than any other person who has ever lived. He has the glory because he helps everyone else experience joy and happiness and glory.

That's true discipleship, to someday, to learn to lose yourself in the service of others.
Then can you experience true joy.

In the name of Jesus Chirst,
-Amen