Spending My Days With My Big Brother Jesus

It’s not without reason that when there’s nothing left in a human’s power, believers and nonbelievers alike seem to instinctively look for the intercession of a greater Being. 

I forget that the gift of the Holy Ghost is the gift of having a god with you. How neat is that?!

When we’re born into a family, we take upon ourselves the name of our family to represent and honor. When we’re born again into the baptismal convenant, we take upon ourselves the name of our Savior to represent and honor. I like that :)

Even if something doesn’t turn out to be a reality, I’d much prefer a life of hope and optimism than that of apathy and disbelief. 

I loved being a worker in a temple session. Then over the weekend, I read all the church’s standard works for kids with illustrations. Everybody should read those, haha. It was cool to connect it all.

We’ve had a lot of opposing conversations in the MTC concerning Joseph Smith’s teaching that we can become gods one day, refuting that there are no other gods. If there are no other gods, then Jesus would have been incapable of performing the Atonement. If there are no other gods, then we would not have the companionship of the Spirit. As children of God, we have the divine potential to become like Him. Psalms 82:6 says, “Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High.” We believe that God is the most High God, the only One we should worship, and that there are no other Gods besides Him. Nevertheless, as it says in the King Follett Sermon, we have got to learn how to become gods — kings and priests to God. Right now we are imperfect beings, but that does not mean we can’t become perfect beings. I believe we can become gods. I believe that Joseph Smith is a prophet who received revelation from the Lord. God cannot lie, so if He says we are His children and desires, as a Father, that we enjoy all He has, life is to experience, to get a body, and to become like Him. Basically, gain a testimony from God through prayer and study. Once I did, I knew that all other things in the church are true. 

One night I went to a Brad Wilcox devotional and his son walked up to bear his testimony. In March, he fell 70 ft off a cliff while hiking in Moab. Miraculously, he crashed through a tree. There were no other trees on either side. After a priesthood blessing and a life flight to Colorado, he only had a broken elbow and one broken vertebrae (besides the scratches). Then Brad Wilcox spoke on grace: “The goal isn’t just to get to heaven but to be heavenly. The goal isn't just to be with God but to become like God. Salvation is not to be saved by grace but to be transformed by it.... God’s grace can change things instantaneously but more often He does not do that. He uses time as the medium to have it not just memorized, but rather written upon our hearts. The Grand Canyon took a little bit of wind and a little bit of water and a long time. It’s a miracle and that is how He may work a miracle in you.”

Oh yes He does.

Love, Hermana Jerman

We're all just walking each other home

I never wish to hurt anyone in any way. I know I'll make mistakes, but at one point this week, I felt like putting my arm around everyone as if they were my own brothers and sisters, which hey, they actually are :) 

One of our temple sealers said, "Sometimes we come to the temple without questions or searching, but thoughts will come that should be recognized as answers."

In the novel Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor R. Frankl remarked, "Suffering in and of itself is meaningless; we give our suffering meaning by the way in which we respond to it... Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality. No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being unless he loves him." P.S. ya'll should read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, too :)

Thoughts of Christ [my favorite kind] :

– Just think of it! He knows your name. More than that, He knows your goodness, pains, capabilities, fears, and weaknesses. Most of all, because He knows you for all that, He loves you.

– When everything is out of control, know that He is in control.

– Your joy should not come from your circumstances but from your efforts to be more Christ-like regardless.

– When a storm approaches, the eagle sets its wings so that the winds will lift him above the storm. Do we choose to take advantage of the winds in our storms by growing closer to the Lord and using the wings He gives us, or do we choose to get cold and let our testimonies dampen?

– When you're touched by an animal, embraced in a hug, nuzzled by a breeze, or kissed by a flower petal, you're touched by God.   

Love, Hermana Jerman

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Don't look on the person. Look upon the soul: it's eternal, it's delicate, it's godly, it's homesick for heaven, it's love and needing of love. In this we are alike. All connected, all longing for home, not belonging in this one. We all live different lives, yet we live them together – serving and inspiring and reassuring and rescuing each other while we're away from our Father.

Had FHE with our investigator Gabe. At the MTC, we got an online chat from someone stating that religions are meant to keep us separated. While there is much diversity among mankind, including religion, it helps us learn how to love and accept all of God's children. Nevertheless, God also desires that we're unified – not stagnate in confusion and disagreements. Therefore, He has give us the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as taught by His Son and as restored by His prophet.

Another messaged us claiming the Book of Mormon was full of lies and deceit. When we asked her if she had read it before, she had not but had read articles. Wanting to know where proof of the golden plates were, our Father in Heaven has provided 11 witnesses to testify of its reality. These golden plates can be read, pondered, and handled by everyone as tangible evidence of God's love in a book called the Book of Mormon. Read words written by God, not by man, to search for truth.

Holy smokies! The Mount Timpanogos Temple has adjusted to opening the baptistry at 4:30 am to accommodate all the youth that come before school. In one day, 364 baptisms were performed before 6 am! 

I thought I'd try an idea I'd heard to hold a small picture of Jesus for a day. Sometimes it felt awkward, and sometimes it felt inconvenient. Three times I set Him down. I was sad when I let go of Him, forgetting to keep Him in my hand. How many times throughout the day do we forget to keep Christ in our hearts? Every time I saw Him, I felt peace. Yet, even when we don't see Him, He's still there. When others saw me, they saw Christ. Is Christ engraven upon our countenances? Am I loving Christ more than anything else in my life?

"Our deepest fear is not that we're inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we're powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that others won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to manifest the glory of God within us. It's not just in some of us, but in everyone. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." «« Marianne Williamson

Happiness is Homemade

We taught a young family the Restoration, and it was awesome to see belief light their eyes as we told them the First Vision. One of their little kiddos has already finished the Book of Mormon! We visited a new referral who loves talking about his Savior (and who also loves to be jolly :)), so we had a good time. 

"Faith is not a feeling, but rather a decision; it's something we choose, something we act on."

"An entire sea of water can't sink a ship unless it gets inside. Similarly, the negativity of the world can't put you down unless you allow it to get inside of you."

"The future of this world has long been declared; the final outcome between good and evil is already known. There is absolutely no question to who wins because the victory has already been posted on the scoreboard. The only really strange thing in all of this is that we are still down here on the field trying to decide which team's jersey we want to wear." Jeffrey R. Holland

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." Martin Luther King Jr.

Feliz Pasqua !

My 1st day as an ordinance worker in the temple was swell! I loved talking to all my new old lady friends :) There is such an unique spirit being able to help the patrons. Started doing Facebook messaging for the Mormon.org page at the MTC! We talked with someone curious about what we do on Easter Sunday in our church. I realized we don't really do a lot different. Our meetings this day are centered on Christ's life and His resurrection, and they are, all year round. I love that! Celebrate Christ daily, not just on holidays. Dyed Easter eggs with an investigator after we had a lesson with him. Jorge, another investigator, watched 2 sessions of General Conference. Yay! I love and live for Conference. These men are truly inspired by God.

"Life can be full of real joy and peace when we exercise the smallest amount of faith in Jesus Christ." M. Russel Ballard

"Have [Christ's] heart." Gary E. Stevenson

"Success isn't the absence of failure; its going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm... Repentance isn't a back-up plan; it is His plan." Lynn G. Robbins

"If you struggle to forgive, don't think of what others have done to you but what the Lord has done for you." Massimo de Feo

"Keep His commandments, and we'll be alright." Pres. Nelson

"Let your only motivation be the pure love of Christ." Jeffrey R. Holland