"Hi! Hi! Hi!" by Sister Koroitamana

Hi! Hi! Hi! How was your week? Oh this week has just been so amazing!!! I love being here and being a Missionary!!!Guess what?!?! Kate got baptized yesterday!!! Oh It was such a beautiful day. She was feeling so happy and calm and not even nervous at all. After she was baptized she said she felt clean:) I am so grateful for Kate she has just been so amazing and it's been so wonderful to see and help her come closer to her Savior Jesus Christ. She has such great Faith and is such an amazing person. I feel that we've had to go through alot of hurdles with her. Hurdles that at time me and SIster Johnson would just be like ok what do we do now. I have really grown to love Kate and my Heavenly Father so much! Just seeing how Heavenly Father was able to help us to help Kate was a miracle in itself. Kate just loves Heavenly Father and she is so sincere and just wants to follow him. She will be getting confirmed and will receive the Holy Ghost in 2 weeks. We are so excited for that!!!! Another Great Miracle and Blessing has been seeing how our Members and our whole ward just came together to help and Support her. At first I was feeling a tiny bit overwhelmed with all the things we needed to do to prepare her Baptismal Programme but it has just been so wonderful to see how everyone was so willing to help and got the extra mile with filling the Font, preparing the progammes and preparing refreshments etc.

 

Another great Miracle that the Lord blessed us with this week was that Andy a man that we've been teaching for a while was able to come to Kate's Baptism. He comes to church and all but he hardly comes to any other activites outside of church. Yesterday as we were getting ready to start. There walks in Andy!!! OH Mama I was so so happy. I just wanted to hug him!!! hahaha lol he's about 74 sweet old man. He reminds me of my grand father:) lol he just walks in and so happy and smiling and says I'm here I'm here!!! I made it!!! I'm here. He is always in my mind. We're always thinking of how we can best help him and what needs madaga. He's been investigating the church for 4 years now and last week we just found out that he's agnostic so he says. Weleeii!!! now we got that figured out we'll do our best to help him. I just know that Heavenly Father wants Andy to be happy and to be able to live with him again. Everytime we share that with Andy he always says that he wants that as well. He loves "Iam a Child of God" . I have come to love andy so much!!!

 

I love you all so much!!!

adios!

Sister Koroitamana

My Little Christ Like Elements P. 3 (Kindness)

"Hey, does it smell funny in here to you? MMFFhrrg!" *thunk*
-Elder Lopez, on the subject of the odor of Chloroform

We meet again! I told you I'd be back! "Uh oh. Where's Elder Lopez? I'm I going to have to go climb a watertower?" Of course not! Do you really think I'd lock him in the same place twice? Although it surprises me to know that you'd go rescue him. "Well...I was just concerned for him, that's all..." Sure. Suuuuuuure. (imagine that in a sarcastic tone.) Don't worry, I just used chloroform this time, since it's his birthday week.

Warning: Do not view image if
you have a weak heart. Spontaneous
melting may occur. Use with caution.

So can you guess what we're going to talk about this time? "Ponies?" Eeyup! But which one? I'll give you a hint: She's been known to use weaponized adorableness to devastating effect. "Umm, the pink one?" No no no, that was the last one! We're talking about Fluttershy here! I mean look at that! Doesn't that just melt your heart??

"I see your point. Wait a minute, she is pink!" No, she's yellow. "She has pink hair!" Irrelevant. 

And do you know which Element of Harmony Fluttershy holds? "...friendship? Cuteness??" No, it's Kindness! Look at the blog title! "Alright, I'm done with these guessing games!" 

Okay, I'm sorry. I'm not demonstrating the element of Kindness very well. "Fluttershy would be very disappointed in you!" You're right! She would never act this way. The reason she possesses this particular element is because of her unconditional love toward everyone and everything! She never gets mad at anyone. She's kind, patient, selfless, and goes out of her way to help others. She once flew a cartload of frogs from one swamp to another just because they needed some space from their neighbors. "That's nice, I guess, even if it is a bit strange..." And because she's kind, she is happy, hopeful, and strong. That sounds like a scripture I know...

"I see where this is going. Jesus was kind to everyone he met. He helped and healed others without thinking of himself and he even died so others could live." Exactly! It all boils down to Love!

In fact, one might say that Love is the greatest of the Christlike Attributes. In Matthew 32, a lawyer questioned Jesus, asking which was the greatest commandment, to which Jesus responded:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Looks cool, but not a good role model.

Why is love the first and great commandment? If we truly love God, we will keep his commandments! And secondly, if we love others like we love ourselves, we will have no desire to sin against them either! If everyone really loved each other, there would be no theft, no murder, no jealousy, no pride, no nothing! "Isn't that a double negative?" Yes. But the point I'm trying to make is this: what the world needs now is love. It's cliche, but it's true! So do your part. Love your neighbor, serve your friend, pray for your enemy. Be kind! "Rewind?" Never seen it, sorry.

In conclusion, be nice like Fluttershy, not like Nightmare Moon over there. She's pretty much the exact opposite of Fluttershy. "Are you sure those two pictures are from the same show?" Eeyup, believe it!

Well reader, it's been fun! But once again, Elder Lopez is stirring, and my time is up! Perhaps next time I'll be able to post on here through diplomatic means. But that wouldn't be as fun, would it? 'Till we meet again! Excelsior!

Principles of Faith

This is an email I received from a friend of mine who is now serving his mission in Atlanta. As I read it I knew immediately these words were true as I have been seeing this same pattern in my life. This is what Elder Johnson said.:

 

My faith has increased dramatically this week because of the inspired summit that our mission president has asked us to achieve this week and this is what i have learnt about faith.

First Principle Be Believing; 1 Nephi 2:16, I know that as I trust in him more, I will receive an answer and source of truth to comfort my fears.

Second Principle Be committed; 1 Nephi 3:15, Being committed to my mission will ensure that my Faith will remain strong and will that God will help me bring about the righteous desires of my heart.

 

Third Principle Do my part; James 2:22,  I know that if I want blessings that I will have to work at it, it is by works will my faith be made perfect to perform the miracles that I need to.

Fourth Principle Pray; D&C 9:7/D&C 4:7, If i don't pray for my faith to be made strong or pray for an increase of faith  it will falter, if I ask for it in prayer i through my faith will receive, thus increasing my faith.

Fifth Principle Expect Trials; Ether 12:6/D&C 58:4, Even though I have prayed for doesn't mean it will come easy, or when I want it to.I  know if I endure well with patience I will receive it when God knows it time for me to receive such.

Last Principle Exercise My Faith Mark 11:23-24, The Lord doesn't give us things so we can waste them ,He gives us them to use them. I will have to exercise my faith if I want to see the miracles that I desire.

We can apply these same principles in our lives no matter what it is that we are doing-work or school or just living from day to day.. AS long as we are doing the Lord's will and exercise these principles of faith we will be successful, we will be blessed. I know I have been.

March 28, 2014

Wednesday is the day that Trevor and I go serve in the Oakland Temple, and I had a profound experience in the last one. Before I write about a learning moment in my communion in a house of God. I want to say that as I was driving to Oakland, I was on Highway 17, and it was raining, when a car spun out in front of us. There was only one car between us and the spinning car. Gratitude enveloped my heart for I was in the slow lane, and both of cars, my car and the one before me, were able to stop. I did not slide and I slowed down quickly enough that we just drove around the spun car, which was facing traffic with the driver side wheel hanging off the highway. There were no crashes, and we arrived safely at the temple only with a little adrenaline rush.  

My first assignment was to serve in the endowment, and I prayed that I may be a representative of God as I served in his house especially in the moments of this ordinance. As I helped in the conclusion of an endowment, a man asked, if he should do it over again. When he said that, I knew that I did something wrong. My heart sunk in lowliness, wondering how this could be. When I saw him face to face, I recognized him as president Packard, an Area Authority. I thought to myself that he must be testing me. I tried not to justify my mistake, believing that God was teaching me how to represent him. I didn't know what to make of it as I pondered. My next assignment was to serve in the initiatory. I seem to be an expert because I am usually asked to serve there more than once in my shift. During one part I was told that I missed one word, and I made a connection between this new mistake and the one in the endowment. I learned to feel led by the Spirit in each moment. This does not mean that you need to feel the spirit in each moment. When I performed the ordinances incorrectly, I felt like I was missing something or I spaced out. I connected this feeling with being distracted, thinking off topic, or indulging in mediums that is not in the present like social media or talking about subjects that doesn't follow the spirit of the occasion. I also was prompted by the Spirit that the quality of Christ that he was teaching me about is being meek and lowly in heart. Meek people live in the moment by the Holy Ghost with compassion and passion. If you are feeling that you are missing something, seek to understand how to be led by the Spirit individually. I feel that I should be sensitive to people with attention deficiency. I expect that they feel that they are missing something often, but I encourage you to understand how the Holy Spirit works through you, since my situation is not universal. When an ordinance is performed, the spirit should confirm the completeness thereof. I realize that I felt the "stupor of thought" revealed that we will feel when our inquiry is false in Doctrine and Covenants 9:8. An ordinance worker definitely should not feel a stupor of thought after performing an ordinance, for the power of Godliness is manifest therein. Compassion and passion seem to be key parts of meekness and lowliness of heart, for a personal understanding of compassion is to feel after an individual. This may be the Holy Ghost, the person that you are serving, and the people all around you.  

In the temple we need to feel after the deceased person that we are serving as proxy. I realized that I only received the Endowment once; although, I have attended many of them. All the other endowments that I attended, serving as a proxy, should have compassion towards the deceased individual. We are not merely attending a session, but we are acting for and in behalf of the individual. We should act as though it is our first time receiving the Endowment, for it can be for the deceased individual. We only receive the Endowment once, and the other times that we attend an endowment is for another. We need to prepare for an endowment as though it is our first, for it is the first for the dead individual.  

These are the things that I learned in the temple. Meekness requires a worthiness of the presence of God in our hearts through faithfulness unto purity. When we obtain the gift of the Holy Ghost, we ought to understand how we are led by the Spirit in each moment, feeling reverence toward it dwelling within us as temples of God. Feel each moment, confirming the completeness of your actions sustained by the Holy Spirit. Feel after every individual present in our lives from the Godhead; his angels; our family dead, not born yet, and alive; and every child of God around us. I do love you; although, I may not be able to be in your presence. I act as though I live in your company.  

Amazing Faith

By Isidro Zapata

I never could have
image I would
be a part of
an amazing faith
that teaches Jesus love
and his glory
Our faith has touch so
many lives
but there are false
teachers and preachers
that say nothing
but twisted lies
every day
at are faith
for the simple
reason we spread
the whole truth and
have holy temples
throughout the land
So we send out Missionaries
for two years
to spread the good news
And they have the answers
to questions and
Joseph Smith never
made any of this up
The Book of Mormon is true
and comes from above
So don’t speak
twisted tales
of Joseph Smith
There is no time to be playing around
with those who
lead people astray
time to stand up for the truth
For we are Latter Day Saints
Forgiven and we have
the whole truth
of God’s books
one, two, three,
Old Testament and New Testament
Four, five, six,
Book of Mormon
Seven eight
Pearl of Great Price
Nine, ten
Doctrine and Covenants
and Word of Wisdom
We are on a
mission to
show the world
God’s everlasting
Love and truth
for
Jesus
Died for you

Truth Alert

By Isidro Zapata

Loud horn sounds
Go off with red
lights flashing
The missionaries
Take action because
the truth alert is going off.
Quick, jump into the truthmobile.
Whole world seems to be so easy
fooled with lies
It is time to get to business
and show people
the truth.
I have no time to be
playing around
with all these false teachings
so pray and let
the Holy Sprit speak
for it has already
open our hearts to
the truth
time to show you
hit them up
with verses
that, are from above
Second Nephi chapter two verse six
“Wherefore redemption cometh in
and through the Holy Messiah for he
is full of grace and truth.
So pray and do not
Be lead astray
Let me tell you
If your world is upside down
This book will set you free
And speak the truth to you
So hit them up
With verses
that are from above
D & C 50 verse nineteen

"And again, he that receiveth the
Word of truth, doth he receive it
By the Spirit of Truth or some
Other way"

Of course the other way
Is not of God so we have
To get to our Father’s
Business and have no time
To be playing around
With these false teachings
So spread the truth
For at the end
you want to
Hear these words

“Well done, thou good
and faithful servant enter
thou into the joy of thy lord”

The
Book of Mormon is true
Don’t be ice or be easy
Trick with lying lips
Just remember to
Turn on the
Truth alter
For it will expose
them

"Humanity and Imperfections" by Lesego Mholo

why is it tht wen it rains we do everything in our power not to get mudy but wen it comes to sinning we jump in without even thinking abt it??
Why is it tht wen we r looking for som1 to love we always think of how pretty or handsum they are nd never think of the beauty of their hearts??
Why do we tend to judge each other wen we know we are of the same sinfull path??
Fact is under all of this lies our humanity and imperfections

Baptism of The Onofre Newly Wedd Family :D

From this to this:)

they are so wonderful and fun!! they even bore their testimonies at the baptism, it brought a sweet spirit to the room :) and they were given the gift of the holy ghost on Sunday and it mentioned a lot of missionary work and sealings in the temple, which they are all working on already even before they got baptized!

this week has been great I had a great growing experience, it was during an exchange that i did with another sister training leader, she was teaching me how to be a more effective S.T.L, since i am new at this. I took full advantage and told her all of my concerns and how much i want to improve, i needed to humble myself and rely on my savior Jesus Christ, to help me overcome my shortcomings and weaknesses, i knew that this would be a great learning opportunity so i gave heed to her advice, with a heart and mind willing to apply to what she counseled me to do. Everything that she said pierced me to my very core, all she has done for her growth were things i needed to do for my companionship and my own personal progress and salvation. She helped me see that i needed to put more trust in my new companion and how to  teach with more unity, using lesson plans and enhancing it with scripture and testimonies. Hence, trusting that my companion will back me up with teaching an idea within a point of a lesson, such as the gospel blesses families. Furthermore, how to apply trainings better, measure my success in acquiring Christ like attributes, and always asking Him for opportunities to practice those attributes, and always returning thanks to God for whatever learning opportunity I do receive. I learned a lot and I am not ashamed to say that I am not perfect, and that I am learning how to be a better instrument in the Lords hands to bring many to repentance. I truly felt, just  as I did before I was baptized, that desire to leave my old self behind and become a new me, a better me. As I pleaded with the Lord to help me that night, I felt that he wasn't going have me do it alone. I love my God, now i understand what Paul said to the Corinthians about Godly sorrow works repentance, for whom the Lord loves, he chasteneth. 

We just got a priesthood blessing and it was the best, i feel good and i am thankful for these servants of god to administer these messages of hope, love and inspiration directly form our heavenly Father through them. If any of you are going through a hard time, i invite you all to seek out a priesthood blessing :)

well i love you all and till we meet again!

The change after baptism Part: 3

     I hope everybody is doing well this blog will be about after my baptism. I had to change a whole lot, friends that I had for years, some family, and my job. I hope y'all enjoy my blogs. I hope it helps to encourage and inspire you with your life.
      So this is were we ended in the last blog.
     "So, I kept reading the bible and changing my life more and more.I wrote in my journal.  I had to let go of friends that were going down a bad path. I had to let go of facebook for a while actually, I didn't want any thing negative to be thrown my way.   Nobody from my baptist church called and it was what's called a mega church around here. So that said a lot to me.   The bad part was is my dad still went to our baptist church. He did go to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with me once. He told everybody " I have to tell those at my baptist church what a change this has made in my daughter's life all the way around."

     He did and it did not go well at our old baptist church. I still ended up being baptized in the church I felt the purest I have ever felt in my life. I felt clean, pure and amazing. I told my mom " I feel like a kid that's young and innocent." That confirmed everything for her as well."
     Well things got really crazy after my baptism.  My life really changed. I had continued to read the Book of Mormon, learning it's truth and having the Holy Spirit as my constant companion.  I worked every Saturday doing home health care. Things were going great. Well, on a September 10, 2013 I had my first team-up with the sister missionaries. I was so nervous. We were seeing a woman named Mrs. Rose in Greensboro. She had met with the missionaries once or twice before and today we were going to try and commit her to baptism.
     We went in and had our lesson and things went pretty good. She didn't however commit to baptism. I felt like I got to bear my testimony though to her and I knew she could feel the spirit. When we finally left the missionaries were really proud of me. They said " You did so wonderful listening to the holy spirit! You were amazing." I said " Sisters, I've never been one to speak up like I did I would just be quiet in the past." They then again stated " you really did do amazing." I felt so great. We then went home. Well the following Sunday on September 15,2013 I received my first calling!
     Apparently, my branch president was talking to the missionaries before the first visit with Mrs. Rose he told them to let them know how it went. That he think I had a calling as a branch missionary! Needless to say on September 15,2013 I was set apart and asked by my branch president "Katie did you enjoy the appointment with Mrs. Rose and the missionaries?" I said "I really did! I feel like now I can effect change in my community and help those around me especially divorced single moms." "Well, we have a calling for you if you like.. It's called a branch missionary meaning you can go out with the missionary whenever you have the time to." "I will love this calling!" He also had my mom in the room with us ,and she was totally amazed and told me "this confirms everything you have done to change your life Katie this is amazing." We were both crying by then and I felt so accomplished more than I had ever in my entire life.                 Part: 4 will be up soon I hope y'all are enjoy it! The picture below is me at my baptism with Sister Pabst and Sister Melott the first missionary's I ever met! -Katie   

   
                                                                                                                                  

buncha gibberish (Part 2)

By Isidro Zapata

You know who we are
For we have holy
Temples throughout the world
We give the world 
The whole truth
Not just half
The truth
People say
My faith is not Christian
Nowadays everybody wanna 
Talk like they got something 
to say but nothin comes
out when they 
move their lips
just a buncha gibberish
Who do you think that brought
You the whole truth
You better listen up very closely
For we speak the truth
And we have the
Priesthood and 
You are full of lies 
What happens when 
You pray and ask if 
All of this is true
And let the holy sprit speak to
you
Nowadays everyone wanna
Talk like they got something
To say
But nothin comes out when they
Move their lips
Just a buncha gibberish
Joseph Smith
Was the one
Who was picked
To tell the world the 
Truth
What do you tell someone who 
Thinks our faith is fake
Or full of lies
Tell them to go study
The book of Mormon
Nowadays everyone wanna talk 
Like they got something to say but
Nothin comes out when they
Move their lips
Just a buncha gibberish
Now we have all the books
And now 
Is the
time to tell
The whole world
The Truth for we 
Don’t put things in our body
Or mess around because
We have the truth 
Of all the books
Now you try and sneak
Into the temple
Am not having that
You trying to disgrace
What is holy
Nowadays everyone wanna talk 
Like they got something to say 
but nothin comes out when
They move their lips 
Just a buncha gibberish

Waiting For Superman-Daughtry(Lizzie Holmes Cover)

This song is close to my heart not only because I am a huge fan of Superman. But also because this song really speaks to me and I'm waiting for my own Superman!  I hope you enjoy it! Learned this song today so apologize for any mess ups:) If you like my music like my Facebook page to get updates on upcoming gigs and new music!

Http://www.facebook.com/LizzieHolmesMusic