The Blanco Family's Special Day

 this week the rest of Blanca's children that were eligible for baptism got baptized. Jennifer the 13 year old prayed about it and knew that is what she needed to do. That strengthened my testimony because i know that, when someone truly wants to know what to do about any hard decision, heavenly Father will help you if you trust him. Jose the 8 year old told us he wanted to, but when we went ot go teach them about the word of wisdom and tithing he had a bad day and didn't even want to look at us and said he did want to anymore, we were sad.  That night we helped make the programs for the baptisms and assigning people their jobs, we told the branch presidency that was there that jose changed his mind and Hermano Curay was surprised as we told him that he seemed like he hated us. he said that jose loved him and was super nice to him, because the Curay family is really involved in their fellow shipping so this family really loves them. he offered to come to a lesson with us with him tomorrow so that he can teach him. The next day he toook a break from worka nd came to teach the son with us, but when we got there he told my companion and i that he wants to get baptized, we were all jumping for joy.

the next little angel that got baptized is Luz Elena she is 9 years old :)

after her interview the district leader said " these adorable little angels are so ready for baptism." she felt the spirit as she was praying with him in the interview testifying to her that the church is true. I felt so happy as she told is that!

We went to Deseret Industries to go shopping for the Blanco family so they can have church clothes , the bishop filled out an order for them. we got permission to go and it was so fun. Choosing clothes for a family of 8 is no easy task, especially when each one gets 4 different outfits, it was fun tho i was like super women, the best part is that each piece of clothing is only 3-4 dollars! JEnny the oldest did not like the idea of wearing skirts and said that she never will, so my companion and I prayed a lot so that she will change her mind and.......MIRACLES..... happen, she loved the clothes we chose out for her and we committed her to wear it to her baptism that night, they all wore their new clothes and don't they look amazing!!!

Last night we had a great miracle happen, we were working with this eternigator that has been coming to church faithfully for 4 years and didn't to let some things go, so we dropped him and even though he called us every night so we can come teach him and go out to eat with him ( he is our Grandpa) and as much as we wanted to because he is so fun and funny , we couldn't because we knew he will never get baptized if we did, tough love i know. 

last night we talked about baptism again.. and he said he want to and so he finally be following the example of Jesus Christ. He is the best!

yesterday during fast and testimony meeting , we were all sitting together and when it was open for people to come up , iwas encouraging the girls to go up there, they really wanted to but hesitated to becaue they were too shy, they asked me what a testimony was and i told them it is telling someone how you know the gospel is true how it helps your life. you can also share how you feel after you got baptized , so they followed me up and so did my companion, we both went first and then the girls her mother had been out in hte foyer with her baby and when she heard my voice she came inside, ans when her daughters bore their testimony she started to cry, she was touched by those simple yet powerfull testimonies. They are such great examples, and it proves that they were so happy and wanted to share it with others! I had to thank all the members for helping us in this work, for if it wasn't for them we wouldn't be having any success.

today we woke up early to go help her family make tamales so she can save some money for her rent this month,  it was fun! as we were all making them, their grandma who lives there sometimes told us that janet the 11 year old said " when i grow up i am going to be a missionary" she empahzized that she didn't say i want to be a missionary, she had already made up her mind that she will be one. you could not belive the joy we felt!!! what a blessing! 

Happy January!!!

Ranadi is a good friend of mine, serving her mission in Los Angelos, and she gave me permission to blog her letters as Hermana Salas has me blog hers.

Hi Everyone!

How are you all doing?

This week has been great:) I love being a Missionary although I'm tired almost all the time! It's so great!!! Its a good kind of tired:)

We are currently teaching a 77 year old lady from Cuba her name is Luz she has been meeting with the Missionaries for about 5 years now and she can be feisty when she wants to! lol but mostly she's nice. With Luz one thing she has taught me is Patience. Sometimes I feel like she knows most of all the she needs to know about the Gospel her only concern is she doesn't want to be pushed into baptism because she doesn't want to make that decision and not follow through with it. Which we totally understand so her thing is she wants to get a clear definite answer from the Lord that this is what she needs to do then she'll do it. So our goal with her right now is to help her receive and recognize her answer. She's teaching me so much about waiting on the Lord's time. I admire my companion because she's always so patient with Luz. My companion and I are getting better now and this morning I left her a little note:) Last Sunday ( Yesterday ) we had a really great Sacrament Meeting! Luz came!!! :) it was great to see her again:) she's coming on her own now. Last weekend I've been praying that we might be led to those who are ready to receive the Gospel and be a blessing to those we meet. First Miracle that happened was we were able to meet this man named Tom he was a former investigtor and was really good. We're hopefully going to start teaching him again. Then on Saturday we visited with a Less Active named Cheree we knocked on her door and she let us right in and it was so great to share of Heavenly Father's love with her. I know that she felt it. She is now married to a jew and doesn't go to church for now. At the end our conversation she asked if we could help her with something. She then gave us two names of two little girls that have been a big part of her life and that are sick right now. They have a disease that Doctors haven't found a cure for and she wanted us to take it to the Temple. She started to get teary and she said she knew that Heavenly Father sent us to her that night because her heart was heavy and we helped her with that:) That night I pondered on the Great Faith that Cheree had even though she's been less active for years now she still believes. Oh It just makes my heart so happy to know that we were made instruments in the Lord's hands that night. I know that truly when we pray specifically Heavenly Father will answer us specifically according to his will.

 

I love this Gospel! and I love the joy it brings to our lives and our Families! It's so Great:)

 

I Love you Bunches

Nadi

Do We Really Know Who We Are?

Okay, this is my first time posting on this blog and I'm posting a link to the video and also the text of the video so that people can read it. Please be kind and comment! Do not steal my work!

The link to the video is here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4EXXX9lbrc

and the text is below.

Do We Really Know Who We Are?

Do we really know who we are?

The Book of Moses, which is located in the Pearl of Great Price (one of the standard works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) gives a wonderful explanation. Chapter 2, verses 26 and 27 states, "And I, God, said unto mine Only Begotten, which was with me from the beginning: Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and it was so...And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them."

We are children of God, made in His image, our Heavenly Mother's image, and in the image of Jesus Christ, our elder brother. They all have bodies of flesh and bone and thus, we were given them.

We are also holy temples of God; sanctuaries where the Lord's Spirit may dwell safely within our hearts and broaden our minds if we allow ourselves to be helped and refined. This picture is one of the many wonderful, very sacred temples of God and we can be like it if we so choose; this one is specifically in Cardston, Alberta, but there are temples all over the vast majority of the world

However...

we are also mortal...natural beings.

and...according to the book of Mosiah, chapter three, verse 19, which is found in the Book of Mormon, "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

Fear not, however, as we are not doomed to be damned for our imperfect natures and choices.

Do you think God would really be God if He left us to suffer without a way back Home?

While it is true that we came into a fallen state when Adam and Eve partook of the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden, it was for the better. As it says in the Book of Second Nephi, which is also found in the Book of Mormon, chapter two, verse 25, "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."

You see, Adam and Eve understood that it was essential for them to sacrifice their own comfort and sanctuary in the Garden that we might come to pass. However, they were still able to learn of God though they could not see him after the Fall had taken place; He still cared for them and taught them what they needed to know in order to survive and strive both temporally and spiritually; this included the law of sacrifice and it was one they were obedient to, though they did not fully understand it.

However, as it says in the Book of James, which is found in the Bible, chapter one, verse five, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

Naturally, Adam and Eve were curious, but were obedient and were eventually given the knowledge behind that which they were obedient to. That knowledge can be found in The Book of Moses, which is located in the Pearl of Great Price (one of the standard works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) chapter five, verses seven and eight, "And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore."

The Son of God would eventually come and his sacrifice of merciful love would satisfy the justice needed to redeem our souls from spiritual darkness. That sacrifice is known as the Atonement.

Why would all this be done for us?

In the book the Doctrine and Covenants, which is another of the standard works of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, chapter 18, verse 10, "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God."
We are of great, eternal, and infinite worth to God and Christ even if nobody else sees it.

As it says in the Book of Psalms, which can be found in the Bible, chapter 90, verse 17, "And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it." In other words, it is our divine right and honor as beloved children of Heavenly Father to see ourselves and others as eternally beautiful.

Furthermore, Psalms chapter 149, verse four says, "For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation." We are naturally meek and sometimes very nervous and anxious about the unknown because everything can be scary to us; it is part of our mortality. However, but by Christ and by God, we can be helped to see our true beauty and worth for both of our lives.

In conclusion, I quote Psalms 94:22, "But the Lord is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge," and I say with a firm conviction that we are all loved and beloved by God and Christ.

Who are we really? We are sinners trying to become saints and sinners trying to become better.

Note: These are my words and my photos. Please DO NOT steal them.

My New Life...

Hello my name is Dina.I come from Indonesia.Indonesia is very beautiful country and also in Indonesia many members of The Church Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints.I just 2 years new member at this church.before I was moeslem.and I know this church from my friend who lives in bakersfield california.when I visit her and stayed at her house,she invited me to come to this church.after I know about this church,its not directly I follow to becoming this church member.I was also visit other churches in america.when I was in netherlands also I did the same like what I do in america..also when I move back to indonesia also I did the same and the worse thing I'm back becoming moeslem for a while..my dad moeslem and my mom catholic.this is the story of I came to be member of this church..was 3 years I ago,I have a big problem that makes me stress full.all started since my mom passed away.I was doing something wrong until I lost everything I had.and to get all back I have to prove something changes from my self.I was devasted frustrated so bad and I took holiday to Bali islands in indonesia.while I'm there I also confused I don't know what I should do.and after from Bali I was stopper at solo middle of java to visit my mother's grave.after back from my mom grave,my uncle said to me there's missionaries on next door.I mean at my neigbour homes.and I was curiouse want to know so I came visit them.and I missionary was there also.1 from california and 1 local missionary.they invited me to learn together..I was thingking maybe Holy Ghost was guiding me to fix my self in order to get better in life..the missionaries was came visit me 2 times a week.and I Elder giving me The Book Of Mormon in English version because I was not quiet good enough to understand indonesia language.after over 2 months I studied with missionaries,they finally asked if I'm ready or not to be baptized..
I did not answer immediately ready for baptist because I know when I got baptized is sign of promise beginning I have to obey all the commandments to Heavenly Father.and I think and think again and I read again The Book Of Mormon on Alma 31:31-35..
And finally after I read The Book Of Mormon,I was willing to be baptist.and I was interview by our mission president from america who was on indonesia mission.and I'm so glad that he was declared that I'm eligible to be baptist.when I'm going home he and his wife was took me home and drop me home.it does not always happend to all church members that president mission visit church members and I wasn't member yet on that moment.on the day I got baptist,I was baptized by my missionary from california name Elder Xiong.I was make a joke to him: Hei Elder don't forget to pull me up from the water oke ha ha ha ..church members awesome and so nice.they make a little party to welcome me as a new member..3 months after my baptism,I was had opportunity to involve on duty for youth conference event the whole middle of java.God has given me to have a better life and new life.and I have made the right decision to become a part of this church.I believe this church true and I love to read The Book Of Mormon.I believe Holy Ghost worked in my new life and I hope brother and sister keep praying and keep to read The Book Of Mormon.the love of God its no limits and I say all this in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ..Amen..

Isidiro Zapata

I had no idea that on this Wednesday in how much my life would change. The backdoor to the house led straight to the kitchen. I walked inn and my mom surprise me by being in the kitchen usually she would be in the living room or in her room in the back of the house sewing. This time it seemed as though she was waiting for me.

I went to hug my mom and gave her a kiss and said, “Hi mom how are you?” She did not say anything at all she just looked at me then told me she needed to talked to me about some thing. I said okay mom what do you want to talk about what came next change my life.

My mom got up from the table and told me to sit down. I went and sat down then all she said was “You have three day’s to find another place to live!” wait what? She did not say that much “You have three day’s to find another place to live and that’s it” then my mom turned her back to me and started to walk out of the kitchen. 

I was speechless. I had no idea what was going on. I went and caught my mom in the hallway and said “Mom what is going on you need to tell me?” Her reply “I do not need to tell you anything, three day’s or I do not know what you are going to do but you are no longer living here!” she then turned from me and walked down the hallway to her bedroom then she slam the door shut.

“Three day’s I kept repeating to myself” What did I do? That also ran through my mind. I was doing great in school, I had a part time job, I did not do drugs or drink or in a gang. I have three day’s three days! They were shock, at first and did not believe me, but I finally was able to have them believe me I never lied to them before. Kevin said to me to stay the night and then they would take me home and talk to my mom and get things straighten out. 


Kevin and Susan picked me up at work. We drove to my mom’s house and we almost passed it. The drive way was empty. My step dad’s truck was no, where and neither was the company van. I told Kevin to go back a few houses and I said I live there and I could not believe what I saw. Just two day’s ago this house was alive and now it was like a gravy yard dead. Kevin was like “You do not live here no one lives here”? I started to argue with him saying “I know where I live” 

Kevin then got out of the car and told me to wait. We can see him go up to the windows and try and look in, he tried to open the door but it was lock and the front windows I got out and checked to. We, both gave up and went back to the car, I walked slowly back to the car I did not speak to Kevin and he did not speak to me either. 

People that should protect you and always be there for you had left me. Kevin did not know what to say neither did his wife. I asked to no one “Where did they go and why did they leave me why I was a good kid!” I kept asking to no one. 

I stayed with Kevin and his wife for a month and they did what they could. I left and became homeless at 15. Holidays, birthdays came and went for seven years. Then it happens I ran into my family but it was all accidental.

It was a Saturday and I was on the other side of town. I was on Second Street and Manuel. There was a Kmart so I thought I would check it out. I had not been in a Kmart since I was a little kid. I was just walking around minding my own business then as though I heard a shotgun go off I heard a scream. I can still hear the scream and the sobbing. It drew everyone’s attention a few employee’s came around to see what was going on.
It was a little girl who screamed and started sobbing it was my little sister Sarah. In a second she was on top of me sobbing uncontrollably. Sarah wrapped her arms around me and as she sobbed she said, “They told me you were Dead!!!” she kept on repeating it over and over again. I could not believe what she had just said. I looked up and saw my mom and step dad frozen in time. They went and tried to pull Sarah away from me. They could it she kept on saying, “They told me you were dead!” as she sobbed. Sarah even slapped my mom’s hand away from her.

I end up taking them out to lunch. My sister would not let me go. I had a hard time in forgiving my mom and step dad for what they did. Abandoning her son, I was homeless and worse of all telling their own daughter that her brother was dead!!! 

With the help of the Church I have learned to truly forgive my mom. I know the truth and understand forgiveness. I can now look at my mom and tell her I love her and truly mean it. It is because of the Grace of God. 
Remember, there is nothing you cannot forgive. I am so thankful for your Grace and Love and knowing the Truth. You can only grow in Grace when you are being taught the Truth and at the LDS Church they teach the TRUTH. 

THIS IS ALL TRUE AND I WISH IT WAS IT!!!!!!

"Growing Old with You" by Camille Ramos

I was walking near the medicine building and i was amazed and thrilled on what i saw! This couple walking hand in hand together. I was touched on how well they are taking good care of each other despite the hardships they are facing. I guess they are at the age of late 60's or early 70's.

A question came into my mind as i watched them pass by the building. First is, how long it has been when they get married? Second, are they members of the church?  Third, how did they manage to stay together despite of adversaries they are facing? Fourth, what did they do for their marriage to lasts this far? Questions! Questions! A lot of questions!

Well, what i'm trying to say is, even if they were a Mormon
or not, they surely treasure their marriage a lot, and that's what our Heavenly Father wants us to do when we all get married. Let's disregard the first two questions (cause those couple can only answer those questions).

Let's proceed to the third one instead, as what was written in Doctrine and Covenants section 42 verse 45 : Thou shalt live together in love. I can testify to you brothers and sisters that, LOVE is one of the fundamental things needed for marriage to last. Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Secondly, for men, though shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else. (D&C 42:22) and 25 Husbands, love your wives (Ephesians 5:25). Third, for women, We should, submit ourselves unto our own husbands, as unto the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22). These things can help build a strong and lasting marriage. But how can a marriage be eternal? A man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage] (D&C 131:2).

I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it. I know that God has a perfect timing for our love story to happen. All we need to do is to wait patiently and submit all things unto him. He knows exactly what we want, but he is the only one who knows exactly what is best for us. May we find happiness and contentment as we journey in this life and do our best to fulfill the best love story God is preparing for us. We take part to have the greatest love story of all and to have an everlasting marriage. May we be like unto this old couple, they can do all things cause of the love they have for each other and for the commitment they made a long years ago. Good luck for all of us single saints  may we find the man/woman whom God prepares for us and may we all Grow old together with whom we choose to be with...

Unconditional Love

Pushing through the doors, my eyes caught my pillows on opposite positions on my bed as well as the blankets almost touching the ground. Also, my shoes on different locations the same mess I made before I left to work. I fixed, put them on the right places and piled my pillows then folded the blanket. I changed my violet lacy blouse and skinny jeans with more comfortable clothes like short and shirt then lay to my bed. On my single-sized bed covered with a perfectly knitted dark purple quilt, all I could hear is the dazzling sound of the fan opposite to my head which is clipped on the wooden slats at the end of the bed frame and feeling my tired back on the softness of the quilt. I could feel the rush of air from the fan staring at me that reminds me of my exhausted day. I closed my eyes gradually and my family member’s faces flashed on me, especially my mother. I remembered the time when I was in Primary, my mother would choose the perfect Sunday’s best dress and I put them on. I would cling on her arms as we walk to the church which is a few blocks away from our home. In the sacrament hall, my eyes was nailed on our opposite row- a picture of a happy family who sang hymns. The father held the hymnbook and shares it to his family, encircled his arms to them as if protecting them from any sudden accident. I’ve never seen my father in such manner, but my mother did. Tears ran my cheeks. My parents were married for almost 20 years now; in those past years up until now I don’t have any idea with their love story. How and when they met, how and when things started were some basic questions but so hard to answer. I heard some theories and stories from one of my close Aunt but that doesn’t prove anything. The reason why I really wanted to know how things started to them because I want to know why my mother married my father that cause not only to her but to me and my siblings a lot of trouble and hatred to the world. I’ve heard that my mother is a youth leader and a teacher in Primary. She is an active, smart, and kind young woman in the church with a perfect circle of friends. My father, on the other side, had different beliefs. As far as I could tell today they were two completely different people. My mother is a gentle one but my father is the wild-track. She is an innocent, patient and loving woman while he is a proud, aggressive, selfish and an immature man. I don’t know how they find each other. Based on my aunt’s story, my mother married my father to run away from the past, to keep out from my grandfather who happens to have the same attitude as my father but too bad for her, the future is even worst. I remember once, my father would arrived home drunk, swaying while walking and involve in a lot of trouble. He’s getting into my nerves. We lived in that kind of life. All my life, I would scream, cry out loud and even treating him in the most disrespectful way I could have done. My mother and I stopped attending the church when I was, I thought, 10 years old. I don’t know what happen or how things went out but I know that there’s a deeper reason behind that. Until I was 13 years old, when two sister missionaries knocked on our door and smiled gracefully then invited us again to the church. When I went to Church again, this time all alone, I could see familiar faces from the Primary class then now to the Youth class. I was so shy that time that I would attend the Primary class instead the youth class. I could laugh as hard as I remember those things but everything changes when I met some friends in the youth class and began attending the church activity. I joined many youth conferences and I could say that my youth years were fulfilling. Even though, my classmates in high school would say that my life is boring and odd but still they’re not sure of it cause time will guarantee it. Through the gospel in my life, I fully understand why this was the life that was given to me. How things didn't turned out to be exactly what I want it to be. Also, the answer to why my mother chose to stay besides my father in his very crucial situation. I wiped my tears out. I understand why my mother keeps on understanding my father over and over again. I know why mother keeps on holding on to my father’s way of living. She wants us to teach how to love unconditionally in a virtues way. She wants us to help others not because we had pity on them but because we love them. My mother showed me how to be like the Savior when some Priest brought to Him the woman who committed adultery. The priests told Him that the woman should be slain because she disobeys the commandments. I love how the Savior responded in the situation. He draw something on the sand and pick up a stone then turned to the people and said, “If any of you is not sinned let her cast a stone first to her.” One by one they left. They left because they know that they were a sinner once. Leaving the Savior facing to the woman and said, “Woman, where are they persecutors?” The woman answered with teary eyes, “No man Lord.” The Lord then said,” Neither do I therefore go, repent and sin no more!” It’s very amazing how the Savior easily forgets and forgives those who repent sincerely. Through reading the scripture, I was able to learn how to love my father besides of his actions because I also make mistakes that’s offensive and loving to accept the flaws that he had. My mother means so much to me. She’s my life and I don’t know what my world would be without her and also without the gospel in my life that she imparts to me. My father is a great man as he is because through him I know how to say No! to liquors, cigarettes, and drugs firmly. I knew how to weigh things. And, because of him, I knew how to look out for the consequences in every choice that we made. He is an inspiration while tracking these roads. My family is my everything. Through writing this article, I am confident that we as an imperfect family can be made perfect through the Savior in our lives. I love them so much and also the Savior who has given me this knowledge and wisdom to live in this earth full of consciousness and doubts. I love the church who feed me with nourishing food to conquer the trials and temptations in life. I wiped my tears again that continually flowing to my pillow. I closed my eyes completely and fall fast asleep.