Lessons learned from the West

From the week of December 28, 2013 through January 4, 2014, I had the amazing opportunity to travel and visit many families in a short period of time. I really love to travel, to see more of the beautiful world that God, through Jesus Christ, made, to learn about people from different walks of life, and to appreciate all that a place has to offer.

I was only able to do this trip because of all the time and effort that I had placed in friendships with those who have served here, in Erie, PA. You can ask almost any of the missionaries here, and they all know that I love to go out and help teach with them. I know how instrumental it was to me, to learn about the Restored Gospel and all the joy that it has brought into my life since then. So, after some of my missionary friends finish their missions, I keep in contact with them, and then (like I did recently) I visit them.

I learned that my body can be stretched to the limits. The Friday before I fly to Salt Lake City, I drove from Nashua, NH to Erie, PA, and then to Pittsburgh, PA. I then had to retire to bed early, in order to wake up ridiculously early (~3am) so I could drop off my car, and then fly out at 7am. I was extremely excited because I hadn't been out West since 2006, and definitely not since I joined the Church and made all the amazing friends that I have now in my life. I arrived into SLC around 11am, and my friend Taylor picked me up from the airport. I hadn't seen him for about one year, so it was amazing to see him again. It was so surreal seeing someone post mission who had been instrumental in my conversion. (Taylor Reese had done my baptismal interview about 15 months ago). You make friends with these wonderful missionaries, and then, if you are lucky, you get the awesome experience to see them again in their real life. I was lucky many times over. :)

I then drove to Clearfield, UT to visit Josh Beames' family. His mom, Teri Beames, has been a great influence on my life and has helped me many times when I have struggled. I consider her an extension of my family. I got to meet all of the siblings and tour the outside of the Ogden temple that was getting remodeled, and visited a few stores in the region. I absolutely love the Beames family!

Outside of the Ogden, UT temple.

The amazing Beames family!

I then headed over to Provo, UT to meet up with Linny and Clark Allsop. Linny is Elder Colvin's sister (one of the influential missionaries who initially taught me the gospel). She is pregnant right now and is due in May. We had a fun time, playing board games and then watching a movie. It was good to see his sister again and finally met her husband (who I had been joking didn't exist until then). We had a great time. I stayed up until 11pm MST (1am EST), so I was awake for 22 hours. I became a little crazy at the end, and a little incoherent as well.

Linny and Clark Allsop

The next morning I drove to Draper, UT to meet up with Taylor and his family and go to church. His family was super nice, fed me lunch, and then Taylor did a superb job showing me around SLC. Before then, we headed to see the Draper temple. (I find it so cool that there are so many temples in a short distance. Our nearest temple is 3 hrs away, and that makes it harder to worship as frequently as I would like). Taylor showed me temple square and all it had to offer. We had an absolute blast!

Taylor and I outside of the Draper temple

Taylor and I outside of the SLC temple

That evening I drove and met up with one of Shana Butler's siblings living in Provo, who was willing to put me up for a few nights. That was extremely kind and thoughtful of her, especially since she had never met me before. The next day I met up with another one of Shana's siblings, Adam, who I had been in communication with for awhile. We got to see the Bountiful temple and then he showed me a bit of SLC as well. (It is the place to be, anyway!) That evening I learned a new card game, called The Great Dalmuty.

Bountiful Temple

We had the amazing opportunity to do a live session in the SLC temple the following day. Adam and I got to go, and if any member has never done a live session before, I would highly recommend going. Doing a live one gives a completely different take on the entire endowment session, and allows for the people who are participating to give their own takes on what is happening as well. I absolutely loved it, and wish I could do sessions like that more often. Then, I really wanted to see the Provo temple, and the MTC since all my amazing friends had trained there. Unfortunately, I couldn't actually go into the MTC, but I got to see some young missionaries around there, which was quite the thrill.

Adam and I by the Provo temple

That same day I went to Kanosh, UT to meet up with the Crabb family. Tyler had served in North East, PA, and I had previously taught with him and Mark Meier many times. We got to go shooting! Now, I had never shot a gun before, and it was wicked intimidating to do it initially, but so much fun. (A bunch of my guy friends now joke with me, wondering when I'll buy my own gun). I wasn't the best at it, but I'm no longer scared of doing it. I can now defend myself! That evening we blew up firecrackers, which is something that you can do easily in the middle of nowhere.

Me and Tyler in Kanosh, UT

The following day I drove to Mesa, AZ. It took about 8 hours, and I had to drive through some of the most beautiful landscape that I have ever seen. The mountains are breathtakingly gorgeous out there. And since there was hardly any radio reception there, I got to do a lot of thinking. I met up with Daniel Anderson. We went for dinner, hot tub, and card games. The next day we went hiking with his best friend (after attempting running) and ate at In N Out for the first time ever. Later on that day I took Daniel to the temple. It was his first time going since he had received his own endowment prior to starting his mission in PA. I loved going with him and sharing in that experience.

Daniel and I at the top of the hiking trail

I then went to see the Colvins again (which are like my second family), and got to spend a day and a half with them. I got to go to the temple with Andrea, and talk to her for such a long time in the Celestial room. It was very knowledgeable and inspiring.

After this trip, I learned that I am planning on doing my residency out West. I love it there soo much! I was able to fully be myself, and experience wonderful opportunities there. I have always loved to travel, and I am now going to try very hard to get myself out there. I know that if God wants me there, He will provide a way. This means that I am, and have currently scheduled, both medical exams, both the COMLEX and the USMLE. It is going to be tough, but worth it. I only have a year and a half left before I become a doctor. I still can't believe that I'm here, learning, pushing myself to the limits, and learning so much about the gospel. This has been the hardest, and yet, most rewarding year and a half of my life. I wouldn't change a thing. :)

My road to the Temple

I've been wanting to do this post for awhile. I had a wonderful opportunity on December 7, 2013 to go to the Palmyra, NY temple to receive my endowment. There was a lot of hard work and preparation that went into me being ready to go, and I'd like to share some of the aspects of that, some of my thoughts and feelings in the temple, and again, why temples are so important.

I was raised in a Christian home. That was very crucial to my being where I am today. I was taught some of the basics of the gospel: how the world was created, the ministry of Jesus Christ, and his atoning sacrifice among many other topics. I was encouraged to read the Bible and to search and understand the truth for myself. I did various mission trips in my youth, spreading the gospel to people in Rhode Island, Panama, and Poland. All the time my understanding of the Bible was growing. I even attended a Christian undergraduate institute, Messiah College, which started to push the limits of my knowledge. I was exposed to so many different denominations and interpretations of the same principles. While it was very enlightening, it was also quite confusing.

For example, I knew that it was important to pray, and I had learned that you could pray in any manner. I just never really understood the purpose of it, and found it quite boring. Another aspect was heaven. I had learned that heaven was this place where you lived forever, and ever, and ever. That thought frightened me. Like how the last verse in "Amazing Grace" goes, "When we've been there, ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun. We've no less days, to sing God's praise, then when we've first begun." I actually used to get sick to my stomach whenever I thought of that. I was scared of the aspect of something never ending.

All of this changed when I went off to medical school. I changed cities, changed friend groups, and changed churches. I was trying to figure out where I fit in, what exactly I believed. I had watched my life start to change in ways that I didn't like. My standards were being questioned, tweaked, altered, and in some cases, dropped completely. I did not like the way my life was headed. Thankfully, one of my friends decided to invite me to go to his Church, then to answer questions, give me a copy of the Book of Mormon, and always to be there for me. I was learning so much from going to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was incredible! Never before had I come in with so many different questions, had them all answered, and even ones that I had never before considered. I was learning about prayer, how it's part of a two-way communication with our Heavenly Father who really does lead, guide, and direct our lives. I was learning that in heaven, families can be together forever. That marriage is supposed to be eternal, and not just end after death. Those last two items are only feasible with the temple.

As I started meeting with the missionaries, I began to learn some very important eternal truths. I learned that faith is an action word. Alma 32:21, "And now as I said concerning faith-faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." Faith is more than just having a hope in something, but then also doing something about it to get it accomplished. 

Faith is one of the first tenets of the gospel. Specifically, having a faith in God and His most perfect Son who was sent to atone for our sins. After this faith and knowledge, this should change the way we act and the things which we do. This leads to repentance.

According to the Bible dictionary: "the Greek word of which this is the translation denotes a change of mind, i.e., a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world." Repentance is more than just feeling bad for the wrong which was done, it's being willing to change the way you were living your life, leave the sins behind, and start following the Savior.

Alma 5:26, "And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

The next step is baptism. Baptism needs to happen via immersion and by someone who is holding the priesthood. Only someone with the proper authority can do this. This authority is given by the laying on of hands. And the priesthood holders can trace their line of authority back to Jesus Christ, who first organized the priesthood. Baptism then needs to be sealed by receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. There's a good explanation of this in Acts.

Acts 19:1-6, "And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues and prophesied."

This is a good example of what I was mentioning earlier. When Paul met up with some followers, he learned that their baptism hadn't been complete because they hadn't received the gift of the Holy Ghost. Therefore, they were baptized again, this time in Jesus' name, and then received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. This is why when someone from another church joins The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, they need to be baptized again and then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (just like how it was done in biblical times).

The next step is called enduring to the end. Just because someone has gone through all these steps does not mean that their task is done. They need to keep true to the covenants they have made and follow the commandments and words of the prophets. Part of this includes the temple.

On all LDS temples there is written, "Holiness to the Lord, House of the Lord." In the temple, worthy church members can receive special revelation and guidance. We are also taught truths in the temple, things that help us return to live with Heavenly Father again. We have to be worthy to enter the temple. Many times in the Scriptures God has said that He cannot live in filthy temples. There are certain standards that we live: obeying the Word of Wisdom, the commandments, the Law of Chastity, the Law of Tithing, being honest with others, and other things like that.

To enter the temple to receive my endowment I did different things. I attended a temple prep class and read an excellent book called, "Your Endowment" by Mark A. Shields. However, I'm not sure if anything could have fully prepared me for this, since it was such an amazing experience. "Endowment-Comes from a Latin word that means the conferral or bestowal of a gift. The "heavenly gift" spoken of in the scriptures may be a reference to this definition (4 Nephi 1:3; Ether 12:8). Our endowment is the gift from God that enables us to return to His presence" (page 19). During the endowment we learn about creation and also how to return to the presence of God. We are clothed in garments, which are clothing we wear closest to our skin to help us remember the sacred covenants that we have made. Just like other religions have different items to signify religious aspects, we do the same. We don't talk about these things, not because we are ashamed, or because they are secret, but because they are sacred. If you want to read a little bit more about the garments, click here.

Throughout the entire ceremony, I learned a lot. I don't remember everything now, nor will I, unless I return frequently and do the saving work for others who have passed on. One thing I do know is that everything that we did in the temple was scripturally based. Nothing was strange. I also know that I really enjoyed feeling the peace that comes along with the Spirit testifying of the truth of the different aspects of the temple. Temples are where heaven and earth meet, and I have a testimony of that.

I would encourage members to do what is needed in your life so that you can enter the temple, and learn from God. For non-members, I would encourage you to go see the outside of a temple nearby. Walk around, and take in the feelings that are associated. Also, go to a temple open-house. These do exist. After a temple is completed, it is open to the public, for free, for about a month. Anybody can go in and look through all the rooms. There is nothing hidden. After that period of time, it becomes dedicated and then only members can enter. There is an open house for the Gilbert, AZ temple from mid-January to mid-February of 2014, and the Philadelphia temple is due to be completed in 2016. To learn more about temples, visit the church's site.

Where I received my endowment: Palmyra NY Temple.

40 Days and 40 Nights Challenge

I love challenges. I like being stretched to my uttermost capacities and trying things that I never thought before was possible. So, I found a new challenge for myself. While I was perusing facebook in between studying, I noticed a post from the 40 Days and 40 Nights Challenge. Interested, I clicked on the page and read the concept behind it. Read either the entire Book of Mormon or the New Testament in only 40 Days and 40 Nights. Sounds quite feasible. Do them both at the same time, now, that would make a challenge.

That is what I have embarked on doing: reading the entire Book of Mormon and the whole New Testament in 40 Days and 40 Nights. Since I started this journey on November 22nd, I will be finishing on December 31. Every day I am averaging about 6 chapters per set of Scriptures. The schedule also has at least one verse to mark and ponder for that day from the reading. What has been the most interesting part of that so far is how well what I've been reading in 1 Nephi has been coinciding with what I've been reading in Matthew. But, there is more than just reading, marking, and pondering involved.

Every day and evening I am supposed to start my reading with a prayer: to have an increased understanding of Jesus Christ, His teachings, and His mission here on earth, to be prepared for spiritual experiences to invite others to learn more about Christ, and for opportunities to do missionary work and acts of kindness throughout the day.

I am also keeping a journal of what I've been reading and learning. I am also supposed to share with others my testimony of what I have been experiencing. 

From Day 1: One thing that I have noticed in reading 1 Nephi 1-3 is that whenever the Lord asks for something to be done, He always provides a way for it to be accomplished. We just need to have the faith to do it.

From Day 2: In Matthew 12:50, "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." I love this verse because it points out how those who follow Christ are united, like a family unit. That's why in the Church we call each other "Brother" or "Sister", because we all follow Christ.

And, from today, Day 3: With the Liahona, the Lord provides a way to teach Lehi's family to just be diligent and have faith. That's all the Lord ever asks of us is to be diligent in following his commands and to keep up our faith in Him.

I would like to bear my testimony. I know that by reading the Scriptures that we can grow closer to our Heavenly Father. I have learned so much from reading through the Bible cover to cover, my reading of the Pearl of Great Price, reading the Doctrine and Covenants, and reading the Book of Mormon through twice. Each set of Scriptures has taught me something unique and superb. I have learned how these Scriptures truly do compliment each other and do belong together. I know that by studying all of them, that we will be enabled to answer the tough questions of this life. I leave this things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

And...if anyone is interested in joining me on my challenge, visit this site: click here to learn more.

The Plan of Salvation

First off, I want to thank all of you who have been reading my blog. I have just tipped over 2000 views since I first started this in April of this year. I am really excited that I have had the great privilege to discuss the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with so many people. I hope that I have done a good job clearing up some misconceptions that people may have concerning the church.

This post is entitled, "The Plan of Salvation". For all the missionaries or returned missionaries out there, this is affectionately called "Lesson 2" or "Why am I here? Where did I come from? Where am I going?".

I'll start off at the beginning (a very good place to start...). 

Pre-Earth Life. God is the Father of our spirits, which means that we are literally His children. We existed as spirits before we were born on the earth. We learned while we were in the pre-earth life that we could not receive all of the blessings that God had to offer because we did not have a physical body. Jesus Christ offered a plan where He would atone for our sins, and that we would have the option to choose for ourselves what we would do in life. Satan also presented a plan where everyone would follow God's commandments, be we would not have any free will at all. God rejected Satan's plan and accepted Christ's. One of the paramount parts of this plan was that we were all given agency, or free will, and we can choose to follow whoever we want. During our time on earth, we are physically separated from God, but He wants us to return to Him and become like Him.

Creation. Jesus Christ created the world under guidance of Heavenly Father. Moses 2:1, "And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven, and this earth; write the word which I speak. I am the Beginning and the End, the Almighty God; by mine Only Begotten I created these things; yea, in the beginning I created the heaven, and the earth upon which thou standest."  The earth was created so we could obtain a body and be tested. We don't remember pre-earth life. We must walk by faith, rather than sight, since we are out of the Lord's presence. 2 Corinthians 5:6-7, "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)".

Agency & The Fall of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were the first of God's children to come to earth and receive a physical body. While in the Garden of Eden, they lived in perfect innocence. In the Garden, God gave them agency and commanded them not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God had also commanded them to be fruitful and multiply. However, Adam and Eve were innocent. If they obeyed the commandment to not eat of the fruit, they would have lived forever, and they wouldn't have progressed because they would never had been tried. 2 Nephi 2:22, 25-26, "And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end...Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy. And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given." Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat of the fruit, which they did, and this was part of God's plan. When this happened, they were cast out of the garden, out of the physical presence of God (the Fall). When they became separated from God's presence, this is called spiritual death. They now could experience everything of life, joys and suffering, and had complete agency to choose good or evil. That way they could learn, progress and have children.

Our Life on Earth. This is the time to be tried and to be blessed. We are working to return to live in God's presence. We are subject to both a physical and a spiritual death. God has a perfect, immortal body of flesh and bones. To return to His presence, we must have the same. Due to the fall, we have an imperfect body. Through our Savior Jesus Christ, we have hope (thanks to the Atonement). We now sin and feel guilt and remorse for our bad choices. We cannot return to God's presence unless we are forgiven and clean. Moses 6:57, "Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence." On earth we experience both joy and sorrow, which helps us grow and make good decisions. However, we cannot do this properly without Christ's Atonement.

The Atonement. Before the world was organized, Jesus Christ was chosen as our savior and redeemer, as the only way to overcome the fall. Jesus overcame physical death for us. His death on the cross caused his spirit to separate from his body. When he was resurrected, the spirit and flesh reunited, never to be separated again. He appeared to many people, showing he has an immortal body of flesh and bones. Resurrection is the reuniting of the spirit with the body, and this is a gift for everyone. We will all be resurrected, and then we will be judged. In order to live in God's presence, we must be cleansed from sin. We are not responsible for the Fall, but we are responsible for our own sins. Sin keeps us from God's presence. We get cleansed from sin by: having faith in Jesus Christ, repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, and enduring to the end. For this plan of salvation, Jesus paid the penalty for all the sins that would ever be committed. He was the only person to ever live a sinless life. He suffered all the sins, pain and suffering, so much that he bled from every pore. He did this to show his love for us. We need to do what God commands, to be cleansed from sin. Christ's atonement can help us in times of pain, suffering, and trials. However, we have to choose this gift in order to receive it.

The Spirit World. All people must die so we can pass from mortality to immortality. Death causes our spirits to enter the spirit world. We still have the same personalities, likes and dislikes there. Those who chose God in life will live in a state of happiness, peace, and rest (Spirit Paradise). Those who rejected God live in a state of unhappiness (Spirit Prison). The gospel will be preached to those who didn't receive it before in the Spirit Prison. Everybody will stay in the Spirit World until the first resurrection.

The Resurrection, Judgment, and Immortality. After the body and spirit reunite (resurrection) we will be judged by God. We will remember all the good and evil we have done. If we have repented, we will get mercy. Then we get rewarded according to our works and desires. Immortality is a free gift to all people, because of Christ's atonement. Eternal life is not the same as immortality. Eternal life is given by God to those who obeyed his gospel. Eternal life is exaltation, living with God forever in eternal families. We would get to experience the life God and Jesus Christ enjoy.

Kingdoms of Glory. God will reward us according to the good and bad choices we made during life. 1 Corinthians 15:40-42, "There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, an the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption." 

Celestial Kingdom. Those who repented of sins, received the ordinances of the gospel, and kept covenants they made. Through the Atonement they are able to live in God's presence, become like Him, and receive a fullness of joy.

Terrestrial Kingdom. Those who don't accept the fullness of the gospel of Christ but live an honorable life.

Telestial Kingdom. People who stayed in their sins and did not repent.

I want to bear my testimony that I know these things to be true. I know that we will be judged according to our deeds, but also that God is a merciful God, giving us many opportunities to return to live with Him. I know that this Plan of Salvation is really a plan of peace and joy, if we are willing to do what is right to return to live with God. I say these things, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

One year a member

This is my favorite time of the year. Not only because of the wonderful fall weather, with the cool, crisp air, and the beautiful leaves falling around. Not only because with fall comes warmer clothes with earthy toned colors. Not only for the hustle and bustle of school and all the excitement with which it brings. No, none of those are the real reason why this time will be, for now and forever, my favorite time of the year. This is when I got baptized.

At this point, last year, I was making the first step in a crucial journey to return back to live with Heavenly Father. I got baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints October 20, 2012. This decision was a hard one for me to make. It meant changing how I viewed the world, what I understood concerning Scriptures, how God continues to communicate with His people, and how much God really does love me. It meant having to deal with various struggles and trials as many people did not understand why I was changing, or why I was joining this church, out of all the churches that there are (or ever could be). But, time and time again, my thoughts and reasons point back to the same thing: because I know it is true.

That statement, "because I know it is true" is a simple one, but with it comes a lot of understanding, researching, prayer, and revelation. I was introduced to this church by a good friend of mine named Rob. He invited me one week to attend church with him. It took me a little bit of encouragement, but eventually I did attend. I also started going to Institute (a form of Scripture study), and attending all the various meetings. With each encounter, I was coming to the realization that my knowledge of all things pertaining to God was increasing. I was having concepts explained to me so much clearer than I had ever experienced before. The reasoning for this is that I was finally receiving the complete, restored message of Christ.

I remember when I first met with the missionaries. I met Elder Colvin and Elder O'Laughlin on September 23, 2012. Two random teenage boys, that I had never met before, come in, to share a message of Christ. When they talked, they were transformed before my eyes. They went from being simply teenage boys, to being men of Christ, who have been called and set-apart to share the message of His Gospel. They spoke with authority, love, and clarity. I was surprising myself, and my friends who were with me at the time as well, when at the end of the lesson, I took up Elder O'Laughlin's invitation, and scheduled all of the lessons, including baptism, on that first meeting. Now, at that time, I wasn't sure exactly why I was doing it, but my inner being definitely knew. The Holy Ghost was witnessing of the truthfulness of what these young men were saying. I knew that this was what I needed to do with my life.

I began to pray. I prayed every day with a fervor and intent that I had never experienced before. I prayed, because I knew that my eternal salvation was at stake, and I needed to make the right decision. I prayed, and read the Book of Mormon every day. I can honestly say from my prayers, and my studying, and my reading it alongside with the Bible, that the Book of Mormon is inspired Scripture. The teachings of Christ that come from that book match up extremely well with the Savior's teachings in the Bible. The two dovetail together perfectly. The Holy Spirit testified to me that the Book of Mormon is true and is God-breathed. Knowing this, knowing that the Church was true, that the Book of Mormon is Scripture, that God still communicates to people through a Prophet, that the Church is restored, gave me the strength and courage to press on. I pressed on and through, even though I had many individuals who were upset, angry, and hurt with my decision. I pressed on, and I will continue to press on, because I know it is true.

My baptism was a beautiful day. I had the great opportunity yesterday to witness a friend of mine also get baptized into the Church. She's had to go through similar trials that I have. But, the Comforter has always been there to strengthen us in times of trouble and despair. I know that she has made the right choice, that it won't always be easy, but that she will be blessed.

My life has changed in many ways over this past year. I have grown stronger in my testimony (knowledge) of the Church. I have learned from Prophets and Apostles, men who have been called by God to preside over the Church. I have been taught by teachers, friends, missionaries, and children, both inside and outside of the Church. I have been encouraged from my studies, and the different lessons I have learned. I have been blessed, from God both directly and indirectly for the choices that I have made. I have become a better example to those that I serve, in particular the Young Women at the church. I have become more comfortable in sharing what I believe in, and I now look for opportunities to share with others what I believe in. I have been blessed by being able to attend the Temple, and I look forward to the other blessings that will become available from going there. I now experience peace and clarity of mind concerning some of my past misdeeds. I know that they have been completely forgiven and that they don't matter any more. I love teaching with the missionaries, and I hope to be able to continue on, for years to come.

This Church has truly blessed my life. Please feel free to ask me how, or if you want answers to any other questions. I love this Church. I love the Gospel and the love of Christ. Any question that is asked of me with a keen intent, or in a friendly manner, I will answer.

May God truly bless your life.

Charity: the pure love of Christ

Today I have spent some time thinking about what I most wanted to share with people today. I have had the chance recently to celebrate my birthday with some of those that I love and cherish dearly. I got to interact with my friends, and just felt blessed from all the love that they were showering on me. I know that Heavenly Father has been blessing my life through their actions. Thinking this way, has made me become even more aware of all the blessings in my life. I really want to bless others in a similar manner. To do this, I need to work on developing my charity.

According to the Bible dictionary, charity is, "the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love, not merely affection; the pure love of Christ" (632). This concept of charity comes from the prophet Moroni, who took over writing in the Book of Mormon from his father Mormon. It says in Moroni 7:45-47, "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail-- But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."

Charity is the pure love of Christ. We need to love like Christ loved all mankind: fully, completely, with no reservations at all. I mean, Christ even loved Judas when he ended up betraying Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. That is a perfect type of love. To love in this manner, we need to help those who need help themselves. There are so many poor, sick, or lonely people in this world that need love and support. Many people have reached a point in their life where they don't believe that life is worth living anymore. These ones especially need our complete love. When we help others in the manner similar to Christ's, we will inherit the kingdom of God. Matthew 25:40, "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

When we help others, we need to have the right mindset. If we are doing it purely for gain, or to build ourselves up, we are missing the point and won't feel satisfied.  We need to feel compassion for those we help, to care for them, and to be kind towards them. In dealing with all people, we also must remember to forgive others. When we show God that we are willing to forgive others, then He in return will forgive us for our sins. Christ also said in Matthew 5:44, 46, "I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you...For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye?" It is really easy to love those who show that love right back to you. It is harder to love those that hurt us, upset us, or are mean towards us. Christ was that perfect example, by even loving the soldiers who drove the nails into his hands and his feet.

There are practical ways in which we can develop our charity towards others. First, we can study the life of Christ by reading the scriptures. In it, we learn of how he dealt with people in many different situations, and we can attempt to emulate his actions in our own life. Second, when we don't feel like showing love towards others, we can pray to have greater love for them. Third, we need to learn how to love ourselves. This means that we need to understand how we are children of our Heavenly Father. One of my favorite parts in my calling as secretary in the Young Women's Presidency is reciting our motto every week. It starts out in this way, "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father who loves us and we love Him. We will stand as witnesses of God, at all times, and in all things, and in all places..." Each week, I am impressed upon by how simple, yet extremely complex it is that I am a daughter of God, and that I have such divine potential. Fourth, we need to keep ourselves humble, and not view ourselves as superior. Just because we may be in a different situation in our life, does not mean that we are better off than another person. In a way of acting with empathy towards others, Joseph Smith said, "The nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs" (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 428-29).

We need to come humbly to God, confess of our sins and our difficulties, and ask Him to make us better. Then, we need to show our love towards others in the manner that God showed His love towards us. When we help others, lift them up, and are able to bear in one another's burdens, we become more like Christ. The world can be changed in this manner, if we put forth the effort and try.

Some very charitable missionaries that I know: Elders Meier, Beames, Crabbe, and Anderson. I get blessed by their efforts very frequently in my life. I am honored to consider them my friends.

On Prayer and Personal Revelation

I'm baaack! I was gone for a period of time because I just started my second year of medical school at LECOM, and it took a while for me to get back in the swing of things. I'm about to start my 5th week of classes with my 4th Digestive exam on Tuesday, so things have been quite hectic. The beauty of not studying on Sundays, and keeping the Sabbath day holy, among other things, is that I have the time to catch up with my family, friends, and blog. Hence why I am able to blog tonight.

I decided to catch up tonight with the missionaries who are serving where I am from (New Hampshire), and they suggested that I blog on prayer and personal revelation. Here goes!

Prior to joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I understood that I needed to pray, but I never really knew why. I mean, I wanted to have a personal relationship with Christ and God, but they were some unattainable Beings for which I could not really speak to, in my mind at least. When I first started investigating the Church, my good friend Rob gave me a copy of the Book of Mormon and told me to read and pray about it every day. Now, the reading part I was definitely used to. I have read the Bible through cover to cover countless times. However, praying every day was very new and foreign to me.

I remember reading a passage of the Book of Mormon, thinking about it, and then straight up asking God about it. I was just amazed at how well the Bible and the Book of Mormon meshed together. I would look up the footnotes for the various passages, and they continued to clarify and strengthen my understanding of the Restored Gospel. I was praying daily, sometimes even twice a day. I only wanted to join this church if I really knew it was true. If I didn't know, then there was no point for me to go through the challenges that would lay ahead. When I would pray to God, I would ask Him to give me a clear answer about what I should do. I prayed this way for weeks.

When I was writing an email to my parents about me joining the church, one of the missionaries who was helping me suggested that I say the next line of, "I know that the Book of Mormon is true". Prior to that, I hadn't really known. But when he said those words, and then I contemplated it for myself, I knew at that moment that this was my answer to my prayers. It wasn't anything spectacular or awe-inspiring like how God talked to prophets in days of old. It was a clarity of mind, a peace, and understanding. It was the Holy Spirit testifying to me the truthfulness of these things.

From then on, I have continued to pray daily, and many times a day. I have received answers to my prayers as well. For example, I would consider doing one thing, and then after thinking through it, if I got peace and calmness, I would precede. If, on the other hand, I got this really bad feeling, a sense of warning and foreboding, I would stop going down that path. Some clear examples of this are me praying that my relationship with my parents would improve, and it really has. We get along so much better now than we did previously. I've prayed for help with school, guidance about things I struggle with, and a myriad of other topics. Whenever I turn to God in prayer, I know that I can be completely open and honest with Him, and that He will answer me. He will let me know of the answer like the way that He presented Himself to the Prophet Elijah by the still small voice (1 Kings 19:11-13).

There are many different ways that Heavenly Father communicates with his children:
Job 33:15-16 through dreams and visions
Matthew 3:17 speaking from heaven as a voice
John 16:13 we will be guided by the Spirit to all truth and will show us the things to come
2 Nephi 32:3 angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, speaking the words of Christ
Enos 1:10 hear a voice in his mind, directing him to do something
Helaman 5:30 by a small voice that did pierce them to their soul
D&C 1:38 the Word of God is spoken through prophets
D&C 8:2-3 be told in mind and heart by the Holy Spirit
Moses 1:2 speaking to God face-to-face

A great quote from Spencer W. Kimball, "Let us seek to read and understand and apply the principles and inspired counsel found within the scriptures. If we do so, we shall discover that our personal acts of righteousness will also bring personal revelation or inspiration when needed in our own lives."

To be able to receive personal revelation, or a direct answer to a question, we do need to be living a certain way. First, we need to be following the commandments. We need to be doing what is right, reading Scriptures and praying. We need to ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7-8). We need to be spiritually clean before God by repenting of our sins frequently. And just like Alma says in Alma 5:46, "Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God by his Holy Spirit; and this is the spirit of revelation which is in me." Alma fasted and prayed to know about the truthfulness of the Church, and God manifested it to him, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

A couple more helpful words of wisdom from Jesus Christ spoken through the Prophet Joseph Smith: Doctrine and Covenants 8:2-3, "Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground." Doctrine and Covenants 9:8, "But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right."

I would like to close by bearing my testimony. I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. I know that I can talk to Him about anything, ask His advice, tell Him about my day, and forgive me of my sins. I know that through the restored Priesthood, I have the gift of the Holy Ghost which helps manifest to me the truthfulness of the Gospel, and what paths I should take. I know that the Holy Spirit will always testify of truth, and that through the Holy Ghost, God answers my prayers. I know that we can receive personal revelation to our prayers, if we ask, think through answers, and wait for a confirmation. I say these things in the name of my most perfect Savior, the only Begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ. Amen.